A birthday weekend

What do you do for a young girl turning twelve for her birthday? Why a sleepover with her closest friends right??? (Not recomended if you want your sanity to remain intact) Well, that and a chance to go to see the latest movie on her list of 'must see', How to Tame Your Dragon. Then there is the ever present cake and ice cream right? But wait, what about the family. How do you fit them in to all these plans and ideas? Well by celebrating said young woman's birthday for an entire weekend!

So we embarked on this (absolutely insane) idea starting on Friday (the 26th) right after we finished with an insanely busy fundraiser for her choir. (thanks to all who helped and donated for that. It is much appreciated!) Thus begins the sleepover portion of the party.

Cele's friend Erika Larkin

Cele and her friends admiring one of her (many) birthday presents

Opening presents

A moon sand kit from Erika Larkin

More Pokemon cards from Katie

Chatting with Erika Larkin and Jade

Rayne Chillaxing

Erika Rassmussen watching the movie

hello Katie : )

Playing with moon sand

A jumble of sleeping girls and stuffed animals

the girls brought out Cele's entire collection to sleep with

more sleepers and stuffed animals

Those that were able to spend the night included: Katie, Rayne, Erika Rassumssen, and Jade. Erika Larkin joined us for a while that night but wasn't able to spend the night. She joined us again for a little while the next morning before the movie.

And now we enter phase two: Saturday, March 27

We are off to see How to Tame your Dragon

This time the contingency of friends has changed a bit due to other plans

and the inclusion of inviting some of her guy friends (though only one was

able to come).

The kids LOVED the movie and are still raving about it!

At the mall for cake after the movie

Cele gets more presents. This one is from Jason and

includes a dragon egg to be hatched and chocolate

Here we have Kelsey, Jade, and Jason

Cele and Rayne trying to eat cake while laughing

Erika Rassmussen with her cake

Jade and Kelsey have colored teeth, all thanks to the frosting

tornado simulator

The kids in the simulator

Phase three was spending Sunday with her dad so...

Now we have phase four:
Dinner with the family

We got to go to Grandma and Grandpa Brown's house

and I cooked one of Cele's favorite meals, Tonkatsu

Grandma made the cake (thank you SOOO much mom!)

Aunt Alisha, Uncle Kellison, cousin Ethan, Grandpa, and Grandma

were all there and we all had a great time!

Cele blowing out her candles

Ethan tries his hand at blowing out candles too

Soooo there you have it. An entire weekend, four days, spent on birthday fun. I need a break!