Turning eight is a big deal in our house. Since there are so many festivities that come along with this milestone birthday, we kept Winnie's actual birthday quite low-key. Grandparents and immediate family members came over for dinner following the last session of General Conference on Sunday, October 4 for a dinner of broccoli cheese soup and breadsticks.
Eight-year-old Winnie with her cake at Grandma Scott's house.
Ana lighting candles on Winnie's cake while Bekah, Winnie and Miriam watch. Ana and I made the six-layer unicorn cake.
Andrea serving the cake. It's tricky cutting tall, skinny pieces of cake.
Ana tasting the gum paste unicorn horn sprayed gold.
Seth, Grandma Susan, Grandma Hendricks and Grandpa Dennis.
Winnie opening presents while others watch. She received scriptures with her name on them, a journal and a Wonder Woman doll from us; $20 from Grandma Susan and Grandpa Dennis; a baptism dress from Grandma Scott; a magnifying glass a little stuffed unicorn from Miriam; a tie-dyed shirt from Ana; a hug from Bekah and a coupon for a free cupcake from Barnes and Noble from Aunt Jessica.
Giving Aunt Jessica a hug as a thank you.
Blowing the party blowers to get the cash. Grandpa Dennis had rolled up the bills in the blowers.
Winnie with her stack of cash.
A four-generation picture of Grandma Hendricks, Grandma Susan, Seth and Winnie.
Then on Friday, October 9, Winnie had 10 friends over for a unicorn themed birthday party. Months before her birthday, she said she wanted to wait until we were moved back into our house to have her party there, but as her birthday drew closer, she decided she didn't want to wait until then. So we prayed for good weather, and our prayers were answered. The party was held in Grandma and Grandpa Scott's back yard.
We had all the girls find their unicorn names and write them on name tags. Then they could get their pictures taken with photo props.
Winnie with some of the photo props.
Winnie showing her friends (Chloe, Nora, Ensli, Cora, Kailey, Lily) her $1 D.I. walking unicorn.
Rebekah taking pictures of sunflowers and hornets. I had asked her to pick up my camera and take pictures of the party since I was busy running a party. She did, but when Grandpa Scott came out with his camera, Bekah decided to shoot other subject matters.
Then the girls all made unicorn dream catchers.
Andrea helping Ainsley while Winnie, Lily and Savannah work on their dream catchers.
Ana wielding the hot glue gun.
Winnie's finished product.
The girls played freeze dance until Seth arrived with the pizzas.
Dancing (or standing around) to the music.
Seth with the pizzas. Ana ready to serve them. The girls looking over the food options.
Ana, Bekah, Seth and Miriam eating dinner and laughing over a book Seth found at D.I. that illustrates how not to care for a baby.
After eating, the girls went on a treasure hunt complete with puzzles and clues. Each girl got a turn to find the next clue and solve the puzzle.
Andrea reading the introductory letter for the treasure hunt and delivering the first clue.
Getting balloons down for the girls so they could pop them and retrieve one of the clues.
Grandpa sportingly allowing his picture to be taken after being decorated with unicorn horns.
The party participants playing with the treasure: ribbon wands.
Then we decorated and ate cupcakes while Winnie opened presents from her guests.
Ana prepping frosting. She put some in a cup for each girl, then went around and asked what color of frosting she wanted. Ana squirted some gel food coloring into each of their cups so they could stir it up and apply the frosting.
Winnie and her blue frosting on a pink and purple cupcake.
Winnie thrilled with the giant unicorn she received from Ainsley. She screamed when she saw it and hugged it tightly not knowing there was a plastic ball tied to it. The ball whipped up on the end of its line and bonked her on the head, much to the bemusement of everyone.
Finding the ball that bonked her.
Rubbing her head after getting hit.
Afterward, the girls chased Miriam around the yard with their ribbon wands as they waited to get picked up by their parents.
Throwing a party for the youngest is quite different than throwing parties for any of the others. All the girls were able and willing to help: Bekah shot pictures; Ana was my righthand gal and assisted with everything; Miriam interacted and played with the girls. And I learned after the first one to hold the party when Seth isn't working so he can get the food.
Each of our girls has chosen the theme for her 8-year birthday party. Rebekah's was Greek mythology. Ana's was ancient Egypt. Miriam's was A Series of Unfortunate Events. I can unequivocally say that Winnie's unicorn party was much easier as far as décor goes.
Winnie had a memorable couple of days with her actual birthday and then her party. And she can't wait until she gets baptized at the end of the month.
