Halli's 9th birthday

I'm behind, just like always! A month ago, our sweet girl turned 9. I can't believe she'll be in double digits soon!! Time is going way too fast with this sweet lady.  

We kept birthdays pretty low key this year. Just a couple presents in the morning with breakfast, dinner with the family that evening. She chose Olive Garden and Grandma & Grandpa Williams joined us for that, then it was home for cake and ice cream and of course more presents!

She is WAY into mermaids, and I found a company online that makes mermaid tails. So the picture may be blurry, but this was her FAVORITE gift, and she couldn't wait to try it out!

She is just growing up before our eyes. I'm constantly amazed by this girl and who she is becoming. Yes she has her moments when she's not the best little Halli ever, but she is still a kid.:) But for the most part she is so responsible, and smart, and talented, I just can't believe how lucky we are to have her in our family.  We're especially lucky to get to have her be such an amazing example to all her younger siblings, they will learn so much from her!

She requested a strawberry cake with strawberry frosting. I kinda had to make the frosting up as I went along, but the kids all seemed to like it, so I'll assume that means it worked!:) 

That's getting to be quite a few candles there! 

After we sang and sang some more the kids dove in to take out the candles and eat the strawberries. I love this little brood we have, and I love how much they really do love each other most days!:) 

Halli is in fourth grade this year, she's in the school choir which means she has to go to school early twice a week for rehearsals. She's joined year round swim this year, (her first meet is next weekend actually. I'm not sure if I would rather go being huge pregnant, or have this baby! I guess we'll just see what this baby decides to do!) her practices for that are three evenings a week, and she also has activity days, and homework, and she needs time to just play as well. This is one busy girl, but she loves every minute of all of it!

I can't believe we have a 9 year old, and especially this awesomely talented and beautiful one. We're some super lucky parents!