Happy 11th Birthday Kaylyn

My baby girl turned 11 on February 15th and I cannot believe how fast time has gone by. I don't think it's the fact that she turned 11, but the fact that this is her last year in elementary school that has hit me hard. So many things are coming up and I'm trying to cherish every minute of each event. 

We celebrated Kaylyn's birthday the weekend before with a slumber party with some of her closest girlfriends. I even surprised Kaylyn by inviting her best friend Jessica (our old neighbor that she grew up with) and she was so excited! All of the girls arrived and they jumped on the trampoline and then had a game of kickball in the front yard with some of our neighbors.

All of the girls...and yes, even Ashton. 

(Jessica, Ashton, Kathleen, Kaylyn, Ginger, Anna)

Time for kickball...

Times have changed so much. This is what sat on our porch during the kickball game (excuse the dirty rocking chair). Each girl had some sort of Apple product that was never far, but at lease they left them to play.

Such sweet girls!

Birthday parties get easier and easier as the years go by. After kickball, we took the girls to get pizza and dessert. Kaylyn didn't even want a birthday cake, just chocolate molten lava cake from Chili's. Unfortunately, this mama forgot the camera. 

Once we got home, the girls decided to try out the different flavor Bertie Botts (Harry Potter jelly beans) that Kaylyn got from my friend Sarah. The flavors are absolutely disgusting. There is dirt, vomit, black pepper, sausage, soap, etc. They all thought it was hilarious watching each other eat them. 

Next up was presents from her friends.

Kaylyn and Jessica

If you haven't played the game Heads Up (it's an app on your phone), you really should. Trey, Kaylyn and I love to play it and she wanted to play it with her friends. It's more or less Charades...

It was so much fun watching them act out different words. At first, I was guessing, but then they played against each other. Some would act and some would guess. 

Kaylyn and Anna were really good actors.

I love this one!

After a fun night of games, girl talk, movie watching and some more girl talk, it was time to wake up and eat breakfast before everyone had to leave. The girls loved their cinnamon rolls and bacon, per Kaylyn's request.

For Kaylyn's birthday present, she never really asked for anything, but we knew that she really wanted an Apple product (either an ipod or an old phone).

She was so excited when she opened it!

She does not have a phone plan, but she can imessage, Facetime, download apps, download music, etc. And those are the things that matter to her the most. 

(she's going to die when she finds out that I put pics of her with her towel on here, but oh well)

Kaylyn's last celebration was going to eat at Olive Garden with us and some of her grandparents. My mom couldn't make it and neither could Boppa (he took her lunch from Cracker Barrel to school since he had to miss), but Grandma, MeeMee and PawPaw were all there.

Present Time

I love the look on Kaylyn's face...PawPaw had just told her how much money he put on her iTunes gift card.

Kaylyn & PawPaw

Grandma, Kaylyn and MeeMee

Kaylyn and MeeMee

 Grandma and Kaylyn

Us with the birthday girl.

Blowing out her candles...

The years are going by faster and faster, but we all enjoy watching our little girl grow up! She has grown so much as an individual, a daughter, a sister and a friend. The past 11 years have been filled with so many memories and I cannot wait to see what the years ahead will bring. She has so many people standing in her corner and rooting her on. She will accomplish what she sets her mind to and we will all be along for the ride.

We ALL love you sweet girl! Happy Birthday!!!

Fun At the Farm

This past Sunday, we went to our friend Geoff's dad's farm. It was beautiful weather and the farm is amazing. It's 110 acres full of cows, ponds, hay bales, grape vines, ducks, tractors, trees to climb, golf carts & 4 wheelers to ride and hours of fun!

I didn't have my camera (I didn't actually know we were going to the farm), but I got some good shots on my phone.

The tractor is so big that we had to see if Ashton could fit in the tire...

The girls loved playing on the hay bales.

Kaylyn really enjoyed it since she could jump from one to another and jump off of them.

My favorite picture of the day...

I love this picture too.

There were cows galore and they followed us everywhere we went.

This was one of quite a few swings. Kaylyn loved that it went out over the water. Trey actually swung on it too, but I only have video from that and I'm not sure how to put it on here.

At the end of the day, we even left with some very recently processed beef.

The girls are still talking about how much fun they had and we cannot wait to go back. We are so thankful that Geoff invited us and that Todd let us enjoy his new farm.

Until next time...