My oldest daughter is 7...WHAT?

I honestly can't even believe it! Look at her...she is no longer a toddler, a preschooler, or a kindergartner!  She's such a big girl!

She's become so independent.  She's taking showers, gets her own breakfast, makes her own sandwiches (sometimes), loves to help her sisters (sometimes, too).  She has grown into such a thoughtful little girl!  She loves learning about Jesus and try to constantly serve others.

To say I lucked out as a Mother is an understatement!  She's just about perfect!  She may be a little hyper and loud or maybe a tiny bit messy and perhaps overly emotional at times, but she's pretty much perfect to US! :)  Isn't she such a ham for the camera?

She was so very  excited to have a birthday party since she didn't have one last year, so I tried to make it as magical as I could considering I'm no party planner and we didn't go to Disney. :)

Her and some of her new friends!  I LOVE the one boy that showed up.  Such a sweetie!

I thoroughly enjoyed watching her and her friends! Nora is so very social, friends mean the world to her.

Can't you tell how much she in enjoying all her friends gathered around her? Seventh Heaven!!

I wonder what her wish was?  She wouldn't tell me...UGH! :)

This is her BFF from school!!  Such a sweet girl and her parents are wonderful, as well! Nora knows how to make good friends.

JOY!!

I thought it was so cute how all the other kids jumped up to see her gifts!  We ended up passing them around like women do at a baby shower.  Too funny!

The set up...

The rainbow cake!!

It was kind of a deal to make, not hard, but definitely time consuming!  But, she LOVED it, so it was worth it!

The party supplies!  FYI, I bought it all at target  Even the Happy Bday banner!!

I'll be honest, as I was putting together some things the night before I thought to myself, "Nicole, you really need to get a life"!!  I quickly corrected myself as I thought, "This IS my life"!! 

 I really like making things cute/pretty!  I really enjoy seeing my girls get so excited over the things I make. When Nora walked in from school and saw everything set up she said, "WOW, this looks AMAZING!"  It was instantly all worth it! I know that I, by NO means, am professional seamstress, baker, decorator, but I enjoy it and it does save some $$!  PLUS I love to take pictures of it all b/c, well, I am kind of a professional at that!  haha! :)  So just bare with me as I try to make things cute and girlie as possible and then take lots of pictures of it! :)

Some funny things Nora has said lately:

While singing and dancing to "Mrs. Jones" by the counting crows, "Mom, when we all grow up can we be big stars too?" I, of course, said YES!!

I believe it was for my birthday or maybe just a date night, but Nora told Wade that she wants to buy me a dress that I feel beautiful in and that she has money (in her piggy bank) so he doesn't need to worry about it.  She's too cute.

One day while she was watching me put on make-up, "Mommy, why are you getting beautiful to go out.  God loves you!"  

Yesterday while I was putting on make-up she said, "Mom, why are you putting on make-up?  It's not Sunday"  haha!  She says she think I'm pretty without it, I think she's trying to be my favorite!