7th * Heaven!

It sounds cliche, but I've gotta say it anyway: I CAN'T BELIEVE MY FIRST "BABY" IS SEVEN YEARS OLD! There's something about this birthday...she just seems more grown up. Maybe it's because she's begun to leave behind some of those interests she's had since she was about three (Disney Princesses, the "preschool" shows on TV, board books, etc.). Now it's anything and everything Hannah (Montana, that is) and Junie B. Jones (her favorite books).

I love this outfit on her! Grandma K. sent it in a fun birthday package.

Doesn't it make her seem so grown-up?

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We had a special Family Home Evening last week, discussing that this year is going to be a big one, as Halle will be preparing to join the Lord's Church. Each month, we are going to have one or two FHE lessons focused on Baptism or Receiving the Holy Ghost to help us all learn about the big event that will be taking place 365 days from now. It warmed my heart to see how excited Halle is for that day!

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Since she had a "friend party" last year, this year we had a small celebration with our little family. It was a fun opportunity to create some memories just between us. We went bowling & then back to the house for some seriously-frosted birthday cake (a bit of advice: purple and teal frosting stains EVERYTHING it comes in contact with, skin included!). The kids loved bowling! But I was kind of disappointed the bowling alley didn't recommend the metal ramps when we paid. Of course we got bumpers, but we had no idea the metal ramps existed until we were almost through and another family came and used them (it makes is so much easier for kids...they just put their ball at the top of the ramp and then it rolls on down the lane at a good speed for the pins). We still had a great time, of course, but our only method of getting the ball to where it needed to be was to have the kids either throw it with a loud THUD on the hardwood floor or roll it; either way, it seemed to take the ball FOREVER to reach the pins. Now we know for next time, I guess.
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Here are some pictures from our birthday celebrations! (Okay, a lot of pictures!)

Halle asked me to strike a pose. Don't ask me where this came from.

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"Brad" sure was a lot of fun to bowl with!

(The Bowling Alley misheard Brett when they asked him his name

so they could type it into the computer.

It became the joke of the day.)
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She's been very interested in helping in the kitchen lately, so we gave her kid-size real cooking instruments

(spatulas, measuring cups, whisks, etc) and two cookbooks.

Both cookbooks are for kids.

The first one has some super ideas in it and the second one is near-&-dear to my heart:

I found on Ebay copy of the same Care Bears Cookbook I remember using as a young chef!

Halle loves her two Hannah Montana microphones. Now she can sing like a real professional!

One of the microphones even has songs recorded on it that you can sing along with. Very cool--she and Wyatt haven't put it down!

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A few months ago I found the cutest, softest robe on clearance at Mervyn's,

which turned out to work perfectly with the soft slippers

Grandma Dixie made her to keep her toesies warm this winter!

Halle enjoyed taking sugar cookies to her class for a birthday treat.

This is "Question & Answer" time on the birthday rug in Mrs. Meidell's class.

Then they sang the "Birthday Dance"--Halle held up signs

like crabwalk, hop, or tiptoe and the kids followed her instruction

while they sang. It was cute--the kids could hardly move, they were giggling so hard!