9!!

well, kalei had another birthday.

i keep telling her to stop growing up. yesterday, i told the kids they just needed to stay their current ages for a while and not to get any bigger! i'm sorry to say they laughed at me. i can't believe our girl is almost to double digits!!

WHERE DOES THE TIME GO?!!!!

anyhoo, just wanted to share a little of her birthday, so you can feel like you were there (feel free to sing along):

kalei's cake was SUPER yummy. she special-requested a lemon cake (i used a lemon cake mix, added 4 eggs, 3/4 cup water, 3/4 cup oil, 1 cup sour cream, and a lemon pudding packet - mix all together and pour into greased and floured cake pans - bake as directed on the cake mix box - the cake turned out so deliciously moist!), but she doesn't really like traditional icing, so i mixed a small tub of cool whip, a packet of lemon jell-o, and two 6 oz. cups of lemon yogurt to use as icing. it was sooooo good!!! the birthday girl was very pleased with it.

kalei had one present on her wish list: an american girl doll that looked like her. we went online and she picked out the doll she liked, and we even ordered glasses so the doll would indeed look like her mini-me.

here is kalei's "surprised" face.

hmmmmm.... looks more excited than surprised, yes?

we love you, honey girl!

thank you for being part of our family - we hope your day was as special as you are!