I know everyone says this.
The time goes by so quickly.
I remember…..really remember…. the day Madolyn was born.
She was 4 1/2 weeks early and she was an emergency c-section.
I remember like it was only a few months ago.
It couldn't have been seven years ago…could it?
Seven years and this little girl is growing up.
This little girl that thinks her older brother is the funniest kid around, she is always making up a story or a play and she SKIPS everywhere.
EVERYWHERE….even after getting in trouble.
She can be upset and the next minute it is forgotten and she has moved on.
Doesn't hold a grudge and is so generous to the people that she loves.
She has been letting us know for the past week what the schedule was for her birthday.
She wanted pumpkin pancakes with apple cider syrup for breakfast (a family favorite), dinner at PF Changs and playing at Chuck E Cheese….yes, Chuck E Cheese.
Her breakfast was served on our china and our Tiffany crystal goblets…because seriously….when else are we going to use those things???!!!!
I do this for my children because that is always what my mom did for us.
We always came downstairs to a birthday banner, presents on the table and our favorite breakfast.
I always felt so special…and I hope my own children grow up feeling the same way.
We met my sister and her family for dinner at PF Changs and then headed to hell…I mean Chuck E Cheese.
I tried to bribe her not to go. I offered cash….CASH….she was adamant that the big rat was where the action was.
So we went.
I told my husband that 160 tokens was it and we were out of there.
I had wanted to order a cake from the French Pastry shop here in town and she would not hear of such a thing…we HAD to get the Wal-mart cake (I refuse to buy groceries there…but my Kelly loves Wal-mart…LOVES) with the makeup kit on top.
So…the makeup cake was what we got.
At the end of the evening you can see the amazing selection of high quality toys that can be traded for your tickets…just look at those choices.
And just think…besides the incredible quality toys we probably brought home the H1N1 virus…yummy!
!!
You should have seen me with my small bottle of antibacterial hand wash walking around that place.
I would have drank it if I thought it would help!
Maybe next year we can fly to Paris like you originally asked…and yes…she really asked to go to Paris for her birthday!
**********************
Just in case you want to make some yummy pumpkin pancakes for yourself.
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup pumpkin
1 3/4 cup bisquik
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Beat eggs on high for 5 minutes and add the rest of the ingredients.
Cider syrup
1 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 cup cider
4 tbsp oj
2 tbsp butter
Mix brown sugar and cornstarch.
Stir in all but butter.
Boil until thick and blend in butter.
What a sweet girl you have! Happy birthday to her!
Those pancakes look amazing by the way!
What a sweetheart your girl is! Happy Birthday! Sounds like a very special day! I made pumpkin pancakes this weekend. Yum!
What an amazingly smart girl you have! Even at 7 she knows that Paris is where the action is! A girl after my own heart!
Jeanne, your posts always make me a little teary. You have such a nice family, and such a gentle way about you. I think I want you to adopt me…
Happy Birthday, time certainly flies by doesn’t it? Wait until she hits her teens, like a blink of the eye. Love the Crown and I agree, I would bribe like Crazy not to go to Chuckie!
What a special birthday. She is one very lucky little girl.
I can’t believe how fast time really does fly.
My 8 year old just said yesterday,”oh, everyone says that and it doesn’t REALLY go that fast”. I asked him if he remembered our trip to Disneyworld. He did, I told him it had been 3 years!! He was in shock.
Enjoy it while you got it.
Have a super week.
Hilarious post! Happy b/day to your sweet little angel. She looks so much like you! My daughter LOVES Chuck E. Cheese (my husband just likes to play the football game there)- my mom is sending a C.E.C. giftcard for Halloween…more of a trick than treat? Just know this…the C.E.C. here is a million times nicer and cleaner than the one in Memphis, TN! You would need an entire factory of hand sanitizer for that one!!!!!!
Your cute daughter looks so much like you Jeanne.
Time does go by so quickly- really makes me sad sometimes. Cherish each day with your kidlets and stay far far away from places like Chucky Cheese- places like that just give me gray hair!
My girls are all about going to Paris too. Happy birthday to your daughter. Sounds like she had a lot of fun. 🙂 Time goes too fast when it comes to our kids…
My oldest went to church with her dad today (they’re the healthy ones so far), and I gave her sanitizer for her purse. I felt pretty paranoid doing that. lol.
You deserve an award for going to Chuck E. Cheese! Seriously.
that was so sweet, and soo hilarious. glad to know I’m not the only one grossed about by those places. my son’s been asking me if we can go to Peter Piper Pizza for what seems like years, and I just eep saying the games are for older kids. I don’t know how much longer that one’s gonna work. 🙂
happy birthday to your madolyn!
Happy Birthday to your girl!!! it sounds like you gave her a day to remember…the pancakes sound really yummy!!!
Happy Birthday to your sweet daughter, Jeanne. Lovely birthday day – next year. Paris!
you definitely know how to make the special days magical!
happy birthday to your sweet girl….
my girls want to go to paris as well~IF we can go by boat.
🙂
hugs~~
chasity
Happy Birthday Madolyn! 🙂
happy birthday to your sweet madolyn. thanks for the morning laugh. i think chuck’s is hell too. paris for a birthday – that sounds so magical.
The crown is wonderful! What a good mommy & what a cute daughter. Happy belated birthday.
Happy Birthday to your sweet sweet girl…who looks just like you! What a day! She was treated like a queen or princess….what a great mom you are my dear! That crown is amazing!
Love your gal’s big day! She’s got some seriously great taste, too! (Minus CC, but there’s plenty of time to grow out of that.)
Thanks for the recipe. I’m on it!
Maddy,
I love you and remember the day your were born too! It doesn’t seem like seven years ago! Keep that sweet skip in your step always.
Love,
Amy Jo
what a fun day for your precious little girlie! & i love it that you flexed & bought the dreaded walmart cake. they are icky but the kids love ’em & i have to admit, they are mighty cute!
xo
Yum, thanks for the recipe and for sharing her day! P.S. I feel EXACTLY THE SAME WAY about Chuck E. Cheese!
Oh what a sweet girl. We did kind of the same dealio. Had dinner at Maggiano’s and then went to Chuck E. Cheese…ugh!! This was the day after camp. I sat there in a complete stupor…mesmerized by all the lights and sounds. Oh good times. Have yet to post on her b-day poor little chick.
You are such a cool mom Jeanne. I loved her crown and I’m sure to make those pancakes;)…ha!!
Happy Birthday to your girl! lol about Check E Cheese. A friend just suggested we take our kids there and then she said she couldn’t believe that she said that.
thanks for the recipe, jeanne! i hope we can try it soon! great seeing you all last night. hope cec was as good as maddy hoped!=)
Happy birthday to your sweet daughter! What a wonderful day for her and such awesome traditions you have started! You have a lovely blog and I thank you for sharing. It is a daily read for me 🙂
Meg
adorable post…absolutely agree with you…that place is torture…only for our children. or in my case…my grand daughter…i can just see you running around with your sanitizer.
i love your tradition…we have the presents on the counter, and do a fun meal…but no beautiful banner…you have inspired me…i must get one. have a great day, jules
Jeanne…you are such an amazing mom…you totally inspire me. <3
Hope your sweet girl had a very happy birthday! {I’m on your side when it comes to Chuck E Cheese} Bet it was special for sure…who wouldn’t feel special with a birthday banner & crown? Love it!
printing recipe… right now…. seriously…. why don’t you believe me???? Remember laughing about this in our hotel room???
What a wonderful birthday. You added special touches with the banner and the crown…
Chuck E Cheese…. GROSS, EWE, BLECK!
Love the make up cake! Seriously… LOVE!
You always make me laugh (even in my flu-infested haze over here). I also wear antibacterial wipe in a bottle around my neck at that place. It really is a gross!
How loved and adored your daughter must feel—you’re a great mom making great rituals and traditions for your kids.
ox
Lara
Life at it’s best…beautiful post! Thank you for the recipes also, can’t wait to make them! Ann
I love every bit of your birthday celebration except your trip to that mouse place. I get the heeby-jeebies just thinking about it! I want to come downstairs at your house for that Crown and for that yummy breakfast!! Beautiful…just beautiful!
Happy birthday Madolyn!
xo
Happy Birthday to your sweet little girl! I try to do the same thing for my boys on their special day. I always make smiley face pancakes with whip cream! Your recipe sounds scrumptious…will have to try it!
Hope she had a really great birthday! She looks like such a lovely sweet girl and she has a very special mom too;-) Loved the idea of the birthday breakfast, your pumpkin pancakes looks scrumptious too!
you are an inspirational mommy and woman. i hope you know that!
I am truly touched by what you did for your daughter….what a wonderful memory you have given her….as for Chuck E. Cheese….I share your sentiment….thank goodness for sanitizer….I loved all of your posts about your recent journey….beyond words…beyond my wildest dreams to ever get to experience something so marvelous….so glad you got to go and thanks for sharing…
You are such an awesome mom. What a wonderful tradition of breakfast for your children, i have to make the pancakes they sound and look amazing, thanks for the recipe! i was LOL over the antibacteria bottle… i was thinking the same thing while i was reading that you were going to Chucke Cheese… you are a trooper!!!
happy birthday to your sweet daughter,
xo,
LuLu
I LOVE your birthday traditions! How special and so much fun 🙂 Can I come over for my birthday too 😉
You should see me right now with my hand sanitizer, I can’t imagine being at CC! I would be crazy…probably giving other kids sanitizer. haha.
And the recipe sounds AMAZING! I can’t wait to try it, thanks for sharing.
I love that you served Maddy her birthday breakfast on your china and crystal! Whaty a lovely table and how very special for her. And I think it is so sweet that you got her her choice of the make up cake that she wanted:) And that you endured CC? What a good mom and a happy girl on her birthday!!
She is just adorable, what a stunner! What a wonderful family you have. Time is speedy…my daughter just turned 4 and I cannot believe it!
What a sweet post and sweet girl you have there! Isn’t 7 just about one of the best ages ever? Lovely traditions too!
Janet
Happy Birthday to your precious daughter! And well….yummmmmm goes to the pumpkin pancakes. Love the tender birthday set up….and who doesn’t need a makeup kit birthday cake?! I am just saying!
oh! sounds so fun! the rat, walmart & all 🙂
what a sweet mom you are! happy birthday to your sweet girl. i too love making their day special. i have to tell you i have successfully avoided chuck e cheese but I can totally see myself walking around with my sanitizer! thanks for the smile. xo
ps did you make the crown?
Laughing out loud from the H1N1 comment from Chuck E Cheese. Somehow I have never had to go there…none close enough to us! But it would be my nightmare!
Very funny blog! I will be following you now…
I know your kids are going to grow up feeling special! Who wouldn’t with those beautiful crowns and banners! Wow!!