Brooke's Birthday Under the Stars

We celebrated Brooke's FIFTH birthday this weekend! I can't believe she is 5 already and will be starting kindergarten in the fall. We had an awesome time on Saturday and had a huge crowd to celebrate with (about 50 people). We even had family drive from Sarasota and Jacksonville to be here for Brooke's big day! We started off with pizza and bouncing on the trampoline. Then Mr. Richard showed up with his guitar and sang Brooke's favorite songs. Mr. Richard is a local celebrity for kids around here. He plays in bookstores and Chick-fil-a's and festivals and plays all original fun kid songs. http://www.mrrichard.net/ We are always listening to his cd's in the car. After that, we had cake and presents. Then we turned on a movie in the backyard on the big screen. The kids watched The Little Mermaid 3 under the stars and ate popcorn and made smores over the fire. It was so much fun and when I asked Brooke to tell me her favorite part, she said, "Everything!"

Our birthday princess! Where did she learn to pose like this?

Mr. Richard singing Brooke's favorite songs like "Straw Slot" and "Pooch Smooch"

Steve and Ali taking it easy in the backyard.. clapping along to the music. Ali is a big Mr. Richard fan too!

It was like a little junior Woodstock at our house with all the kids on blankets listening to the music outside.

After the show, Brooke gets her picture taken with Mr. Richard.

This is actually a water trampoline that we put in the river during the summer, but the kids had a blast jumping on land too.

Brooke's cake was a last minute blessing. I hadn't planned at all for the cake and found a link on a friend's blog for this lady. It was so cute and very affordable.

http://www.shannaraessweets.weddingwindow.com/

Brooke really took her time making her wish after we finished singing Happy Birthday. It was so cute and very intentional. Later she told me that she wished that everyone at her party could spend the night. Luckily for me, that wish didn't come true. But Leann and Sarah did get to sleep over.

Some of the party-goers (Matt, Jill, Sharon, Carson, Tim, and Michael)

After cake and presents, we all headed outside to watch the movie on the big screen. Popcorn and s'mores for everyone!