Great pictures Annie, you have the best parties! The cakes look incredible! How did you get the brains to look like brains?
Thank you for sharing the fun!
Gina

Truly a beautiful family.

Gina, that "brain" is a plastic Jello mold that I bought years ago when my own girls were having Halloween parties. Because Amanda was born on November 2, when she became a teenager and "too old" for birthday parties, she still had Halloween parties so we made Jello brains and cookie bones, candy eyeballs and graveyards out of chocolate pudding, crumbled cookies and candy body parts.

So, this "brain" is a family tradition, LOL, I'm looking for an excuse to make Stacy's "meat head" next!

Thank you, Denise. The Princess looks just like her mother at that age. And can you tell that The Princess took some of those pictures? Like the one of herself and Savannah? Ashley taught her to hold the camera in one hand and pose, LOL. That little Fisher Price camera doesn't take pictures that are quite as clear as mine, but still pretty good!

Annie

What a fun party! I nearly spit out my coffee at the picture of the candles on the cake. Sure hope that shot doesn't end up on hawtness, LOL

Jessica, The Princess placed those candles herself, she wanted them close together and easy to blow out. I just grinned and didn't say anything.....

And only you would mention that. ROFL.

Annie

I always enjoy your photos Annie, looks like plenty of birthday fun! The kids are sure growing up!

Di

Annie it looks like a great family party and I think having it in the garage was a super idea with so many little ones there.
The birthday princess and prince look so grown up now.
Enjoyed looking at your pics!

SharonCb

I've been missing too many birthday parties lately. One of my best friends (and client) had a birthday on Oct 28, but I somehow overlooked it. I have a lot of friends who have birthdays in late October, early November, including my niece, but she's another story.

Love, love, love your photos!! I think this is such a great time of year to celebrate birthdays! My late grandmother's birthday will be tomorrow.

Lars

Annie, I always feel as if I were attending the parties you post about. You really do have the best parties!

Davids garage is huge! How nice that is to have for chocolate cake and brains.

The cakes are great the kids are even better and your Mom looks a lot like my mom did. Mom was 4' 10" too!

I'm on the way out the door to get that Nerf bow and arrow...how much fun is that!

No shortage of good looks in your family, Annie. Seems like a good time was had by all.

How many names does Bud have?? Bud, Bruvver, Davie. He has the most impish face -- adorable. Monkey Princess has gorgeous eyelashes.

You are a lucky woman, Annie, but I think great families don't happen by accident. Lots of loving and caring going on there.

Dedtired, I AM lucky.

Bud has a bunch of names. His sister calls him "brother man". I don't know why. Amanda calls him Little Dave, my mother calls him Davie. I call him Bud, the cousins all call him Bruvver. David calls him "the wrecking crew".

He comes to nearly anything, expecially if there's cake involved.

RR, definitely get that cross-bow, it's great fun! Especially for Grandma's!

Lars, you can come to a birthday party at my place any old time.

Annie

The first pic...what kinda pizza was that on the right side??? Curious!

Eileen, that was the ever-present "veggie pizza", my daughters love the stuff.

Bake a crust out of crescent roll dough. Yeah, the stuff in the can, LOL. Mix a brick of cream cheese with a cup of mayo and some dry ranch dressing mix. I don't measure, just dump the dressing mix in, stir and taste until it's good.

Top with fresh vegetables of your choice, chopped into pieces small enough to eat easily. Mine usually has cauliflower, broccoli, some green onions, carrots, red peppers. Even the kids gobble it down, go figure.

I made it once with homemade pizza dough and no one wanted it. Back to the canned crescent rolls. (grin)

Annie

Looks like a great time! Good job on the cakes!! I can't belive how big the kids are getting. Happy belated wishes to both!

Hi Annie! Your grandchildren are beautiful. I feel like we've watched them grow up on here! I had forgotten - Makayla was born only weeks before David, who will be six already in a few days. How time flies!

Phyllis!!! I am so, so, SOOOOOO happy to see you.

I know your big guy is nearly the same age as Makayla. It's hard to believe it went so fast, isn't it?

So, how are all your munchkins doing?

Annie

Annie,

They're getting so big! And the Princess looks just like her mother NOW, not just at that age. It's crazy.

So nice to see the photos. Glad you posted!

~Amanda

Amanda, Makayla DOES look just like her mother, doesn't she?

Your big guy must be growing so quickly too. Sigh. I haven't seen a picture of him in forever....

Annie

Hee hee, Annie, is that a hint? I have videos at the link below. (Still pics are all on FB and have tight privacy settings, so I can't post them anywhere else.) The right hand column has the total list of videos. My favorite is "Amon singing." :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Beautiful Little Boy :)

Yes, Amanda, that was a hint, and not a very subtle one either. I have to check here more often.

I love that Pop Goes the Weasel song, especially at the end when he tells the clown "no, no, NO". LOL He's getting so big and so darned cute.

Annie

Thanks, Annie! I'm enjoying being mama way more than I thought I would.

~Amanda

It's way fun, isn't it? Enjoy every minute, before you know it you'll be teaching him to drive. Sigh.

It goes too fast, although some days seem like they will last forever.

Annie