Eight

My babies turned eight today. They had a little slumber party last weekend, but this weekend they wanted to hang out at home and be queens for the day, picking out all the activities and food and not doing any chores.

 Olivia was up at the crack of dawn, but Grace slept in, obviously in need of a little beauty sleep.

 Breakfast and presents in my bed: omelettes, bacon (duh), waffles, and mango-pineapple smoothies. They did not get sewing machines, but did get sewing baskets full of notions, sewing project books, and huge boxes of fabric from my quilting sister. Also, bean bag chairs. Lightweight! Easy to ship! Keeps them from sitting on my head during movie nights! Yay for me the girls!

We took them to the movie of their choice (Kung fu Panda 2. Meh.). I even gave them a roll of quarters to throw away on video games, something I never let them do because I'm cheap and I think video games are dumb. I also think paying $100 to see a mediocre movie with your family is dumb, but there it is. The dinner menu they picked was pretty awesome: Dungeness crab, babyback ribs, penne with alfredo sauce, corn on the cob. No vegetables. I mean, they didn't even want to see anything green on the table. And, Whidbey Island friends, it pained me to have to PAY for crab.

We've always made sure the girls had their own birthday cakes. This year they both wanted to make them without any help. Olivia picked cinnamon chocolate chip with chocolate ganache (so easy to make with kids!) and Grace made a lemon bundt (grating lemon zest with an infected hangnail didn't seem like a great idea, so I helped her with that part). Tomorrow the plan is to learn to sew. Grace has been sketching 'fashions' all afternoon and Olivia wants to make a stuffed animal. Because 327 stuffed animals aren't enough.