Mother's Day Surprises!

Last night, after I got SJ in bed, Saunders and Katie Anne told me to go to bed early - I could read, sleep, or play on the iPad, but I couldn't get up because they were working on something special.  So, I read a magazine for a few minutes, then I hit the sack early!  What a treat!

This morning, I woke up to a big surprise - a babysitter in my bed!  That's right, when I opened my eyes, I saw Katie Anne sitting in Saunders's place, watching me.  She was there to make sure I didn't get up and go into the kitchen while Saunders was gone.  Finally, when Saunders got back from wherever he'd gone, I was able to get up and go into the kitchen to see what all they'd been doing...

Saunders and Katie Anne had made a big surprise for me!  They had set out all the things that the kids had made me at school on the kitchen table.  Katie Anne had drawn me two special pictures the night before, too.  Then, they'd put out two special presents that they'd bought for me.  Saunders had gone to get CinnaStack pancakes from IHop - my favorite! - and a big coffee from Starbucks for me!  

What a Mother's Day!  I was totally surprised and shocked.  It is my best Mother's Day by far!

  

We enjoyed our delicious breakfast, and then I got to open my presents.  I got great crafts, cards, and drawings that the kids had made at school, and my two official presents were awesome!  I got a new running watch and Saunders had SJ's blue stone added to my family necklace.  I love them both!  It was such a great way to start my Mother's Day!

My two sweet reasons for celebrating Mother's Day!

Katie Anne is FIVE!!!

I have a hard time even writing those words, but it is true...

Our baby girl Katie Anne is five years old today!

This morning, we started her birthday off with a surprise - a balloon drop!  Saunders and I spent about an hour last night, blowing up almost 100 balloons.  This morning, we snuck in her room, hung up a Happy Birthday banner, and showered her with balloons while she was still in bed!  It was a big birthday kickoff for the new five-year-old!

Love this picture of her - she's a beauty!

She was SO thrilled that it was finally her big five year old birthday!


Of course, SJ had to get in on all that balloon fun!

(Yes, Katie Anne is wearing one of her Daddy's t-shirts ... advertising Jack Daniels.  Note to self- next time you plan a wake up surprise, dress your kid in pajamas that aren't advertising alcohol!  Haha!)

Then, SJ headed off to daycare while Katie Anne and I spent the day doing just what she wanted to do.  She'd wanted to take her two best friends Lily and Emma on a special field trip - all the way to the Imagine It! Children's Museum of Atlanta!  So, we picked up the girls and headed down to ATL for a day of fun at the Children's Museum.

The girls had such a great time playing and exploring the museum!

After two hours of fun, we went to Chic-fil-A for a birthday lunch.  Emma, Lily, and I sang Happy Birthday to KA over her ice dream cone!

Then, we headed back to Cartersville.  We dropped off Emma and Lily at the McWhorters - Vanessa was watching Emma for the afternoon until Natalie got off work - and of course Katie Anne wanted to stay and play a little longer, too!  Vanessa said it was no problem. (Thanks, V!)  So, I left her there to play with the girls and that gave me a little extra time to get ready for a special family birthday dinner.  We had Gigi, Granddad, Doc, VJ, Jillian, and Caroline over for dinner!  (We missed Greg - who was on a business trip - and Carlton and Trisha - who were in Moultrie.)  Katie Anne wanted pink polka dot birthday decorations, so that's what we did!

Katie Anne had requested her favorite foods for the dinner - fish sticks, tater tots, green beans, Agan's rolls, and Agan's birthday cake for dessert.  I got her to make a few modifications to the menu - swapping tater tots for homemade mashed potatoes, which she loves - and I served "grown-up fish sticks" aka salmon fillets to the adults!

Ready to make her wish!

Then, it was time to open presents!  She was so excited!

Katie Anne loved all her presents!  She got so many wonderful things.  She got a new outfit and Lego Friends from Greg, Jillian, and Caroline.

She got the big Lego Friends house she'd been dying to have - plus a few other Lego Friends sets - from Gigi and Granddad.

She got really cute tennis stuff from Doc and VJ.

She got a Little Critters house from Mommy and Daddy - this was my house when I was a little girl!  I repainted the roof for her, and I bought a new family and furniture to set it up.

SJ gave her two big sets of Squinkies.  Squinkies (which are extremely tiny, plastic, squeezy toys... a definite SJ choking hazard) have been on our "no" list for about a year, so KA was super surprised to get them!  (And SJ promised not to eat them.)

Katie Anne had such a wonderful birthday dinner with her family!

SJ was in a bit of a mood during the party, so he wasn't in the mood for many pictures - and he hit the sack early while KA was opening gifts.  So, we'll have to get a family picture at Katie Anne's "official" friends and family party in two weeks!

Katie Anne had an amazing fifth birthday today!  We love our precious baby so, so much - we can't believe we've already had five years with her!  

It seems like only yesterday she was our cuddly baby or our funny toddler, and now Katie Anne is such a smart, sweet, grown-up girl.  Even though it's going by way too fast, we can't wait to see what the future holds for her!

Elf on the Shelf Breakfast

This morning, our Elf on the Shelf - Frisbee - returned from the North Pole!  Apparently, Frisbee had seen a great idea for an Elf on the Shelf Breakfast on Pinterest this year, so he set up a big surprise breakfast for the kids this morning.

Frisbee brought special holiday pajamas in a Santa box, and he left them outside the kids' bedroom doors this morning.  Katie Anne could not believe her eyes when she saw the box!  Being the sweet big sister that she is, she wouldn't open the box without SJ.  They were so excited - and so cute in their new pajamas!

Once they were all dressed and ready for the holiday kick-off breakfast, we went into the kitchen to see what surprises were there for us!  

I hope I never forget the look of total wonder on their precious faces.

Frisbee left notes at each of the kids' place setting, reminding them to be good and mentioning some of the special items they want this year!

We had cinnamon rolls, powdered donuts, bananas, and chocolate milk for our special breakfast!

We read the Elf on the Shelf book together after we'd eaten our breakfast.

It was a special way to kick off the holiday season for the kids, and I hope this is a tradition that we keep going in the future!