AC's Birthday Wishes

January 22, 2009---Anna Catherine has really wanted to go camping in a tent for a while. PaPa Gator and Rick thought it would be a good idea for the kids to get camping gear for their birthdays. The kids were so excited when they woke up to find 14' x 14' tent with a 5' x 7' screened porch assembled and waiting for them in the garage. THANK YOU PAPA GATOR AND LADY!!!!!!!!!! Rick asked them if they would sleep in it and of course they said YES! Originally we were going to set it up in the dining room but it wouldn't fit. We thought about the screened porch but decided that would be too cold. So, we parked the vehicles in the driveway and pitched a tent.








AC wore her "Birthday Pincess" button to school and her teacher, Mrs. Gross, gave her a birthday hat and smock to wear. She was the line leader too. Rick went to the school, ate lunch with her, and read two of AC's favorite books to her class--Dinosaurs Love Underpants and Diary of a Worm. Anna Catherine had to introduce her daddy to the class telling them his name, occupation, hobbies, etc. The class also sang songs to him. He said it was a lot of fun. He met her best friend Marie. Rick said at lunch he was nervous with a table of 5 year old surrounding him.me. He wanted to help each one of them open their foods, at least the ones nearest him. Five year olds tearing into apple sauce cups, juice boxes, candy wrappers, etc. can potentially leave food in a pretty wide radius. He said he had to eat with his head on a swivel! Rick took cupcakes (she requested her school colors--orange and blue) and kool-aid for snack. Each student in the class drew Anna Catherine a picture of what they wished for her on her birthday (bicycle, kites, balloons, cake, etc.) and the teacher made it into a book for her. Her teacher also sent home a "birthday bag" filled with goodies. We decorated the van (blue with orange polka dots) to pick Anna Catherine up at school. She was surprised and the teachers loved it!

Anna Catherine picked out a small cake to have after her birthday dinner of tacos. She chose this little Princess Barbie cake. The Barbie looks identical to Jordyn Belcher (or at least I think so). Jordyn is one of Nicole's friends who AC idolizes because she is a SP Cougar cheerleader and she KNOWS TAYLOR SWIFT!!!! (I'll post all about Jordyn soon. She is a fabulous girl!)

Then it was time to open gifts. All three children were allowed to open their new sleeping bags and lanterns. They also received a queen size air mattress. Who wants to camp on the hard ground? Rick, Anna Catherine, and Jackson were eager to start camping in the garage!

AC was ecstatic when she opened her singing Taylor Swift Barbie from Mimi!! THANK YOU MIMI!!!!!!

Then it was time to set up the air mattress and sleeping bags in the garage. Chloe was happy to play in the tent and would have probably laid down in her sleeping bag for all off...15 seconds. So she and I slept in the house. The campers hung their lanterns from the ceiling (my kids are afraid of the dark--they get it honestly). Rick read the kids three birthday books that Mrs. Gross sent home and then it was time to go to sleep. Sorry the pictures are a little dark and fuzzy. The sides of the tent are a dark mesh.

Well, Jackson lasted two hours and was back in the house at 9:45 pm after four or five trips inside for one thing or another. Once he left the tent, came inside, got another lantern (they already had two) and a step stool from the bathroom, took them into the tent and was trying to hang the lantern up when Rick woke up. That's a little unnerving for "woods camping" so Rick orI will have to sleep in front of the door to make sure he or Chloe don't wonder off! Jackson was happy sleeping on the couch in his sleeping bag watching his dinosaur movie. Rick and Anna Catherine came in around 4 am. The garage was a little too cold. They stayed our much longer than I would have!!

I think Anna Catherine had a marvelous day!!! Thanks to everyone who sent birthday wishes!! She felt very special!!