Nat's Birthday Party

With so many kids in her class at school, so many neighbor friends and so many of our family friends... we decided to keep the birthday party low key this year. Natalie invited seven girls from school and her two best friends outside school. It worked out to be a very manageable group of six (plus two little sisters).

The girls painted ceramic pots and then planted seeds that Natalie picked out (Zinnias) inside to take home with them. This was quite fun!

Left to Right: Eloise, Sofia, Noa, Ashlyn, Maddie, Nat, Brynlee and Camilla

While the pots were drying, the girls went on a scavenger hunt around the neighborhood that led them to the park to play for a while (until the pizza arrived). It was wonderful to see them reading each clue, thinking about it together and then take off running for the answer...

Clue #1: To start the game, look for a rainbow in a box... (sidewalk chalk box)

Clue #2: I have 8 sides and only 4 letters but I tell cars what to do... (stop sign)

Clue #3: To find your next clue and continue the trail, find the box that hold the mail... (mailbox)

Clue #4: I have only 2 legs but you can all sit, stand or lay on me... (park bench)

Clue #5: I am low at the bottom and high at the top, and when you are done with me, you use your feet to stop... (slide)

Scavenger Hunt was followed by pizza in the grass.

Giant cookie cake!

Each year we are trying to help Natalie learn to help others in her community who are less fortunate. This year, as a new reader who has been so immersed in the world of reading, she chose to donate new books (for kids any age) to help kids who don’t have many. So we told the parents/kids that in lieu of a traditional birthday present, please consider picking up a copy of your childs favorite book to donate to a child in need. The result is a stack of brand new books that we'll have Natalie take to a local shelter where they can be distributed or used by children who need them.