Happy Birthday, Elise!

To close this busy week out, we celebrated Elise's seventh birthday. We had Grandma and Grandpa Parish over with Debbie and her kids for breakfast, on the spur. Yummy! Swedish pancakes taste good no matter how frequently we have them in birthday season.

I wanted to have some quiet time alone with Elise, so I took her out to lunch. She chose Super Sonic and ordered a grilled cheese sandwich and a blue coconut slush. We ate outside in the sun so her tots got cold before she ate them all, so we got her an ice cream cone to fill in the cracks. She was in heaven. (Somewhere in this afternoon Riley had a different birthday party to attend and Cambry performed her matinee musical.)

Dave made the cake while I ran to the store again this time to get her present. I saw my cousin Mike and his wife at Target. As I hustled by I told them I remember my mom running after our birthday presents at the last minute and thinking I would never be this way. Now I just think she was amazing to get it all done!

My mom and dad came down in the afternoon and had dinner with us. Elise had chosen a chicken enchilada I'd made a few weeks ago. So I threw them into the freezer and reheated them for a shortcut. They were not nearly so good. Now I know!

But the cake that was falling apart all over the place ended up looking and tasting really nice. (Thanks to mom for the strawberry accent -- she comes in handy!).

Elise, for a family party, had requested ice skating. She also wanted Liesel to come along. Eric and I were spectators at the event.

Dave and Cambry along with the crutch try to help Aleah remain erect.

All in all, I think this was a great birthday for Elise.