Skyler's 8th birthday

Skyler turns 8 this week (gulp) and to celebrate, I hosted some of her friends at my house on Sunday.

The activities we decided on after much deliberation were: face painting and pretzel making. I checked, but there are no face-painting-pretzel-making themed party favors at Oriental Trading Company.   Perfect. 

This particular party might never have been done before. And that's the way Skyler likes it: different.

Luckily for me, my very talented friend Nancy and her two big kids came to paint faces of the little kids.

Skyler requested a cat, and man, did Nancy deliver. Check this out.

The reveal!  How awesome is that?

Reed settled for super heroes on his arms and sat very still while Madeline worked her magic.

Next up, pretzel making, where everyone had fun making a mess on my counter.  Eli looks like he's done this before. 

The pretzels were GOOD.  And very eclectically-shaped.

And for dessert?  No birthday cake for this girl.  The request was for pumpkin chocolate chip bars.   I frosted them to at least look like a birthday cake. 

Great presents from her great friends, her loot was all books and art supplies, perfect for my girl. 

Anna painted like a butterfly posing with the birthday girl.

Happy Birthday (on Friday) to my beautiful, smart, sassy, and happily DIFFERENT girl.  Thank you for not being into glittery pink princessy things.  Thank you for being so cool.    I'm so incredibly lucky to be your mom.