Our Family Project

It is actually happening.  Faith is growing up.
For a while, the days and years were passing, but somehow Faith never seemed to get any older.

This last week has been dedicated to preparations for Faith's Mermaid Under the Sea Party.  It was a little (lot) over the top, but we all had a grand time preparing!

 Clark was the artistic director for decorations.  I got them their supplies--plastic table cloths, crepe paper, tape and construction paper-- and let them go to town.

The giant squid was my favorite.

We were a little worried that the shark might be too scary for the little mermaids.

The friendly dolphin.

You can see that we did spend a lot of time getting party things ready.  However, I figure we incorporated a lot of home schooling in to our planning.  We did lots of art this week and ocean studies.   And there was home economics (baking and decorating cupcakes).
These cupcakes were really fun to make and Bethany was very helpful in making them.
For all of Clark's talents in creating the ocean scenes, he was useless when it came to decorating cupcakes and I had to fire him.  

Bethany and Elinor and their friends were the BEST helpers for the party.  They planned their outfits and hairstyles and they pretty much ran the whole party.  They were marvelous!  I could not have done the party without them.

They danced with the girls and played games with them.

The little girls were very cute in their mermaid outfits.  You can do a lot with plastic table cloths-- especially when you have no sewing skills!  Notice Cannon down at the end.  He had to be in the picture but he kept fiercely yelling at us, "I'm a BOY mermaid!"

 We made sand art with masses of pixie sticks and baby food jars.  It wasn't nearly as messy as I feared and it was an easy project they could all do.

I have to admit that I love a fun party, so even though this probably looks like it was a lot of effort (and it was), I really enjoyed working together with the kids.  We all brainstormed together and it was a fun family project.

Abe told an impromptu mermaid story to the crowd.  It was an exciting story about a mermaid girl named "Faithina" who was to become mer-queen, but the evil great-uncle, Googli the Jellyfish, captured her.  Then all her mermaid friends came and rescued her from his electric, slimy tentacles.  The girls were all delight!

We liked getting to throw Faith such a fun party.  It can be rough to be the youngest of three sisters and have the last birthday.

As if Friday's party weren't enough--- Faith got to go on her birthday date with Barbara, just like her sisters.

Barbara, thank you for treating the girls to such lovely dresses.  Good thing the boys don't want dresses!

All these pictures make me want to go to Hawaii!  Or at least some warmer weather!