Sydney's Shimmer and Shine Party

Sydney turning FIVE was a BIG deal!  She got to have her very first true birthday party with a full on theme and more than just neighborhood friends coming over to swim.  

She really wanted a Shimmer and Shine birthday party at her dance studio.  I really didn't want to do a character party, but when it was all said and done, I'm SO glad we went with exactly what she wanted!

I had seen some belly dance outfits online and thought they would be perfect for her party, so that was our kicking off point!  With the help of my friend, Sheri, and a million and one trips to Hobby Lobby, we made her party one for the books!

➹ Her Shimmer and Shine bags that held her belly dance outfits for the girls. ➹

 ➹ I made some "magic carpets" out of fabric, scrapbook paper, and tassels...they turned out cute and looked good as a centerpiece on the kids table at the party. ➹

➹ Once I started blinging things out, I had a hard time stopping! ➹

➹ Seriously, I have to give such a huge shout out to my friend Sheri and her husband Dave.  She designed the Shimmer and Shine palace and then had it printed on foam board along with the girls, their pets, and the vases.  After it was printed, Dave took it to the Tech Shop and cut the girls out.  She and I spent one night attaching all of the jewels to them. They turned out so cute!  ➹

➹ Sydney insisted on a cake...next time I'm going to work hard at convincing her to do cupcakes because they are so much easier! ➹

➹ The bags looked so cute on the tables! ➹

➹ I wish I had gotten some better pictures of her with all of her stuff, but she was having so much fun with her friends, I hated to ask her to pose for pictures! ➹

➹ I loved having the party at the dance studio!  They used all of the songs from Shimmer and Shine shows and taught the girls a dance to the Mistake Song from the show. ➹

➹ My birthday girl! ➹

➹Sydney and her friend, Hailey! ➹

➹ Even the boys had fun! ➹

➹ Such a great crew and such a fun day! ➹

Interview With a Five Year Old {Sydney}

Oh, my sweet, SWEET Sydney!  How I love you so!  You are sweet and kind and loving...your heart is so big it might surely explode with love for those around you.  You are my little buddy and I am soaking up every minute of you that I can.  Keep your loving spirit, always, and you will go far!

Favorite color:  Pinkish Purple

Favorite toy:  Shimmer and Shine toys

Favorite Stuffed Animal:  My Cheetah 

Favorite Thing to Sleep With:  Mommy

Favorite Fruit:  Raspberries

Favorite Cereal:  Strawberry Yogurt Oh's

Favorite Breakfast:  Scrambled Eggs

Favorite Lunch:  Mac N Cheese

Favorite Dessert:  Strawberries and Whipped Cream

Favorite Drink:  Water

Favorite Animal:  Rhinocerous

Favorite Song:  Shimmer and Shine theme song

Favorite Book: The Day the Crayons Quit and The Day the Crayons Came Home

Favorite Game:  Bubble Fever {Tsum Tsum}

Favorite TV Show:  Shimmer and Shine

Favorite Movie:  Zootopia

Favorite Thing to do Outside:  Swing

Best Friends:  Riley, Brooke, Hailey, Jake, Taylor, Ty, Reagan

What She Wants To Be When She Grows Up: Horse Trainer

As per usual with our birthdays, I put together a birthday slideshow for Sydney.  You can watch it here...
Sydney's 5th Birthday from Amanda Michelson on Vimeo.

Sydney is FIVE

I can't believe my baby is FIVE!!!!  We had a fun few days celebrating this special girl!  Her birthday fell on a Thursday this year, so she was able to celebrate with cinnamon rolls for breakfast, a cake pop at school, ice cream with Poppy, and cookies with her dance class!  And, then there was that ice cream cake with the family on Friday, and her birthday cake at her party on Saturday! Whoooo, veggies the rest of the year!  ;)  

➹ It was also picture day on her birthday! Look at these cuties! ➹

➹ So, the students in her class get jobs and one of those jobs is in charge of passing out lunch boxes at lunch.  Jake, the cute boy on the right, was in charge of passing them out this particular week, and he put Sydney's lunch box next to his every.single.day! ➹

➹ She LOVED this cute sleeping bag from Grandma Irma and Poppa Peter! ➹

➹ Her party and her gifts were Shimmer and Shine TASTIC! ➹

➹ Uncle Rhino got both girls mermaid outfits and they couldn't wait to try them out...even if it was in the bathtub! ➹

➹ And, I couldn't resist a little side-by-side action of me and my mini-me on our 5th birthdays! ➹

Here's to a great year, Sydney!!! 

Celebrating Olivia at School

This year, we celebrated Olivia's birthday with the biggest Otter Pops you've ever seen!  We brought them to her class during recess time and it took most of the kids the entire time to eat them!  They loved them though!  

My Sassy Seven Year Old!

My dear sweet Olivia,

I cannot believe how quickly time has flown.  I feel like each year just goes faster and faster.  Sometimes I look at pictures and I still see you as four or five years old, and other times I find it hard to believe just how grown up you look.

This year has been full of exciting new things...first grade was amazing with all of the learning you did.  I am amazed at how fantastic of a reader you are!  Your dancing, singing, and theatrical talents are growing by leaps and bounds!  You have the same sass and feistiness that you've had since you were born, and I'm sure that will never change.  Keep growing, and learning, and figuring out this crazy world.  We'll be here for you through it all.

I love you more than words can tell!

Cheers to SEVEN!

Favorite color: blue/teal

Favorite toy:  ipad and American Girl doll

Favorite stuffed animal: Ellie the Elephant

Favorite thing to sleep with: Liberty of London pillow 

Favorite fruit: strawberries and apples

Favorite cereal: Cap'n Crunch

Favorite thing to eat for breakfast: waffles with Nutella

Favorite thing to eat for lunch: peanut butter and jelly

Favorite dessert: ice cream

Favorite drink: lemonade

Favorite animal: elephants and dogs

Favorite song: Brave {Sara Bareilles} and Ho Hey

Favorite book: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew

Favorite game: Princess Yahtzee and Guess Who

Favorite tv show: The Voice

Favorite movie:  Zootopia

Favorite thing to do outside:  swim and play on the play structure

Best friends: Ava, Riley, Kendall, Brooke, Sage, Jade & Sydney

What she wants to be when she grows up:  a librarian

I am cracked up because she's probably had Cap'n Crunch once and rarely gets to watch The Voice, but clearly they have made an impression on her!  Also, A LOT of these answers are pretty much the same as the last several years, which can be seen here, here, and here!

WHATTTTT?!

If you've got an extra 20 minutes on your hands.... 

Olivia's 7th Birthday from Amanda Michelson on Vimeo.