Although this was not technically a "Party Year" for Noelle, it morphed into one. Moving into double digits is a big deal. It is also a big deal when you float the idea of a slumber party and your parents do not immediately shut down the idea!
So, the Friday night before her birthday on Sunday, we had the sweetest little crew over for a sleepover. For most of the girls, this was a BIG deal. Some of them had never "made it" through an entire sleepover. Some of them had never been to one. We had Sarah, Audrey, Elia, and Bailey. Although Evelyn, Jacee, and Clementine were missed, Noelle noticed that a smaller group works a little better for a slumber party, She's blessed with a lot of precious friends! And we just limited it to school friends!
The girls arrived excited and sweet at 5:00. After getting settled and a quick game of "Pass the Parcel," we had pasta with several sauces and Caesar salad. I set up a Truth of Dare game for dinner with ideas from online. It was so cute and very mild. Things like, "Truth: is there a mess under your bed?" and "Dare: Have a conversation with a broom."
Then it was spa time! We started with facemasks - avocado, honey, and oats. This was so fun. All of the girls went for it and there was so much giggling! Lucy was cracking up and loving it! The "resting with cucumbers on your eyes" only lasted about 20 seconds because we stayed upright at the table, but everyone got the idea :) Next was sugar scrubs for hands. They really enjoyed this part - sugar, olive oil, lavender oil - scrubbed onto sweet little hands. So soft! Finally we painted nails. I really expected to help paint, but as Sarah said, "It would look better if you did it, but it wouldn't be as much fun."
By this point, it was time for gifts, dessert (whoopie pies), and getting ready for bed/movie. Lucy was super awesome. After the party activities, she knew it was her cue to get to bed in her own bed before the movie, and she did so sweetly and happily. What an awesome birthday sister! (Isaiah stayed the night at William's). Although we had planned on watching Princess Diaries, we had technical difficulties and made a quick switch to Sound of Music. This was a good choice for this particular sweet little crew and they snuggled into sleeping bags and enjoyed the familiar scenes. Bedtime was 10, and half the crew was more than ready to sleep by then (reminded me of me at that age), and the other half - Sarah, Noelle, Audrey giggled and talked until about 11.
In the morning, we got up and at 'em. Chocolate chip pancakes, sausage, orange juice, and out the door at 8:30. First basketball games of the season for Isaiah and Noelle!
On her actual birthday, Noelle had blueberry muffins for breakfast and we went to Fuji for sushi after church. Her main gift from us was a Tiffany necklace with her initial on it. We were so excited to give it to her! The siblings got her an "animal babies" 2019 calendar, which she loved, too.
This girl is such a delight, and she gets more delightful as the years roll by. Just this weekend alone, she showed thoughtfulness in hospitality, creativity in decorating, silliness and enthusiasm in covering her face with avocado, fierceness and courage on the basketball court, graciousness in receiving gifts, good taste in choosing and consuming sushi, patience in a shopping trip on her birthday that was not for her, and joy in being loved and celebrated! She's awesome and we are so glad God gave us the privilege of having her in our family!!!!
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