Samantha turns 3!

My big girl has turned 3, and it makes me a little sad. Since the Sunday after her birthday was Father's Day my family decided to sing to her and my sis-n-law on the Sunday before there birthdays. So we had strawberry shortcake!

We did not light the candles because Sami is terrified of fire, and candles. It all goes back to her first birthday when she put the candle out with her hand, and than last month when we were having a barbecue and the flames got a little out of control! Next to my parents house is a house that has been there for as long as I can remember. It is next to a park that has changed in ways but is still the same, but surrounding the park it used to be just orchards and has since been turned into a road, and now houses. As I was leaving my parents house and driving past this pasture where horses roam, I noticed a mother Duck and her ducklings walking across the road. I was happy I had my camera because it was so cute. If you notice there is still one duck trying to jump the curb... he does it I stayed to make sure but she waited while each of them all jumped up the curb than she lifted the fence for them and they all went into the pasture and disappeared into the grass. It was so cute! Perfect display of being a mother! I worry about my 2 kids let along her 8 that I think she had! So a month ago I ordered Sami's birthday present a kitchen. And a week later it got here and so we put it in her room, in the box, and put blankets over it. She wasn't too distracted by it. So since her birthday was Friday, Thursday night I put her to bed and got it all set up for her. And since she already had a set of princess dishes and some food I put that all away too. (I love play kitchens and miss my strawberry shortcake kitchen I had when I was little) It was the best because it has a cherry border. And when we were deciding on which one, that was the deciding factor... mom has a cherry kitchen, it's only fitting for Sami to have one. I had my sis-n-law make her a matching cherry apron, I haven't gotten a picture of it yet, but it's adorable, she sells them. Friday morning... Sami comes out and she sees her kitchen... I think she likes it, don't you? It has a working burner that when the pots are on it it makes cooking noises and has a phone that actually dials... it will go in there bedroom Monday but for now we are enjoying her playing with it in the front room. Before church today she was washing her hands in the sink and we were making sure the water wasn't burning her... (of course the sink has no real water). Lately I hardly get smiles and when i do, they look like this! That afternoon before we went to McDonald's to meet up with my mom and sisters for lunch. I know this is previous to that because she isn't glued to the new Ariel doll that grandpa gave her. It took me several tries to actually get this moment captured. She didn't mind, they are good sisters and love each other! So happy, this is before she got sun burned on her upper arms and forehead (yes the sun lotion will stay in my purse this sumer, and her hat), and before she got her cold. Daphne is a mover, since she learned to sit up with hardly any topples she hardly ever goes on her stomach unless it is something she really wants. This is after she got into something she really wanted, and since she can only scoot backwards, she just got further and further under the couch. We had Sami's party at the sprinkler park and we were afraid that we would get rained out, but it turned out to be a great day. This is Sami waiting for her friends to show up. My party display. I have decided I love crafting too much, that I make everything cutesy, I hope that I don't stop being that way, because it's too much fun! We had handi snacks for treats, strawberries, and I made goodie bags that had bubbles, candy necklace, sea shells, and a glow in the dark bracelet in them. They were a hit! It was an "Under the Sea" party and so I had fun with my cricut. I got a new cartridge that has Ariel on it. She is tough to make but Flounder and Sebastian were fun, Sebastian was the easiest. They were my cup cake toppers! There is an Ariel in the middle. I cut her out and didn't know what to do with her until I got there and decided she could be Sami's cupcake. We let one of her friends take it home, I can make more! Sami in one of her new outfits that grandma Ransom bought her. It is so cute! It was breezy and so I did have her wear a shirt under the tank top. Of course an Ariel swimsuit... wish I would have gotten a bigger size... it won't last through the summer. cousins Elizabeth and Olivia in the sprinklers... you can see what kind of day it was.. but they still had fun! Kids don't care. When we woke up and noticed it was raining I got really bummed and we talked of re-scheduling but I didn't want to do that... I had just made 3 boxes of cupcakes. I figured if all else fails the kids can play in the rain, kids love playing in the rain!

Thanks to all of you that came and shared the day and celebration with us, it was a success because of you. She has not stopped playing with her many gifts. Now on to celebrate Father's Day!