Happy Birthday Month Sarah

A Little Early...

We celebrated Sarah's birthday a week early with Popee and Nanee.  They were going to be out of town on the actual day.  They came to town and let Sarah pick the place for dinner... Her first choice was Texas Roadhouse but we arrived too late and would have had to wait for 2 hours for a table.  Yikes!  No thank you.  So we ended up at her second choice, Golden Corral.  She loves that place because there are so many choices of food, especially desserts!

We all left the restaurant stuffed.  Does anyone ever leave there not stuffed?

The next morning Popee and Nanee got to cheer on all three kids at their basketball games.

After basketball Sarah opened her gifts from Popee and Nanee.  She had asked for a toy for our dog, Jessee, and that is one of the things she got!  (Jessee loves her new rope toy!)

$100 to help pay for activities that she is in throughout the year.  Thank you for that Popee and Nanee!

And, some new clothes, Fashion Plates, and a new Lego set.

Then we all enjoyed some strawberry ice cream cake.

Below, Jessee with her new rope toy.

A Day Early...

A week later Grandma Sharon came to visit us.  Eric and I decided we would let Sarah get her ears pierced for her 11th birthday.  Grandma, Phoebe, and I accompanied Sarah to Claire's, in the mall, for the ear piercing and Grandma made this her special birthday treat for Sarah.  She also let Sarah pick out several new pairs of earrings so that she would have plenty to pick from once she can change them out.

Sarah was a little nervous.  We kept telling her it was just going to feel like a hard pinch.

She did it!  No tears or complaints.  She is a tough girl.

Thanks Grandma!  What a memorable birthday treat!  We're so glad you could go with us.

The Day...

After school on Sarah's birthday she and Phoebe had piano lessons.

After lessons we headed to Texas Roadhouse.  This time there was only about a fifteen minute wait.

After dinner she opened her gifts.

There were some outfits from Grandma.  And a new Wii game from Silas.

She got the Anne of Green Gables book set and a new Lego set from Eric and I.

Phoebe gave her some more Fashion Plates.

Eric and I also got her some new clothes.

We sang happy birthday and ate Red velvet cake before going to bed.

Happy birthday to our smart, kind, responsible, sweet, genuine, great leader, athletic, fierce competitor of a daughter!  Keep being you!

Spreading it out...
Presents arrived in the mail from Aunts and Uncles who all live out of state now... A string art kit from Uncle Bret and Aunt Andrea, an Old Navy gift card and Broadway piano book from Uncle Matt, and clothes and earrings from Uncle EP and Aunt Lindsee.  (P.S. We miss you out of state Aunts and Uncles.)

A Couple Weeks Later...
Instead of having a friends birthday party, this year Sarah picked to stay at a hotel with an indoor water park.  I booked our stay at the Adams Mark and Coco Keys Resort in Kansas City for over Spring Break.  We were able to combine our birthday trip with seeing Grandma Great too.  It was a great weekend get-away!  Below, visiting Grandma Great, outside her new home in Missouri.

Below, at Coco Keys Indoor Water Resort in Kansas City.  There were several big and little water slides, a lazy river, fountains, a climbing area, lily pads, a water basketball pool, and a small children's water area.

That evening we went out to eat at a Buffalo Wild Wings and watched some NCAA tournament basketball games together.  We ordered a lot of food at Buffalo Wild Wings, including an appetizer and dessert.  Eric didn't think we'd be able to eat it all... but we did!  And, it was delicious!

Back in our hotel room later we watched more basketball games, including a big K-State win, before going down to swim again in the hotel pool that night

Happy Birthday month sweet Sarah Jo!  We hope you had as much fun celebrating you as we did.  We love you so very much!

Grandma's Visit

**GUEST BLOGGER**

 ~ Eric Hendrickson ~ 

My mom, Sharon, came up from Forth Worth to visit the weekend of March 3rd.  She arrived on Friday afternoon.

Grandma Sharon went to the kids' basketball games on Saturday.

The girls showed Grandma what they have been learning in piano lessons and Grandma played some songs with them

I cannot play the piano, but I love hearing my kiddos play it.  I enjoy having the piano in our living room.

We have always told Sarah she could get her ear's pierced when she turned 13.  In a moment of weakness, I agreed to allowing it when she turned 11.  The girls all went to Claire's on Sunday.

Sarah was nervous, but it sounded pretty painless and simple.  She came home with some pretty blue flower earrings in her ears and a handful of others to wear in the future from Grandma.

On Monday, Grandma had some Starbucks cards to spend so she took Stacee and Silas there while Sarah and Phoebe were at school and I was at work.  They also did some shopping at a local K-Mart that is closing and a large antique market.

For Sarah's birthday dinner on Monday, we went to Texas Roadhouse.

Grandma Sharon left on Tuesday morning.  It was a good visit.  Thanks for coming to see us Mom.  We love you.