Frozen Birthday Party (+ a free printable)

Last weekend, we finally had Ellie Kate's FROZEN birthday party!!!! 

 Ellie Kate was so excited and I had so much fun putting everything together!  We already have so much Frozen paraphernalia that the girls have gotten for Christmas and birthdays....so the decorations were fairly easy for this party! I just used books and dolls and added a few snowflake ornaments I got after Christmas on sale at Hobby Lobby.

We had the party on a Friday night because she begged to have her best friend Neely spend the night afterwards! So the food table consisted of popcorn cups, powdered donuts and candy corn, marshmallow sticks dipped in crystal sugar, snowflake sandwiches, pretzels and carrots, and snowflake cheese.  Pretty easy and kid friendly stuff!  And of course we had cupcakes.  I went with homemade this year and just sprinkled this blue sugar crystals on them to look like frozen ice. 

I made a poster size Olaf for the girls to play "pin the nose on Olaf".  They loved that and wanted to play it over and over again:). 

Ellie Kate / Elsa

Her grandparents and aunt/uncle/cousins got her the beautiful Elsa dress for her birthday and she has almost worn it everyday since:)!!! 

Found it on ETSY in this shop.  

It is beautiful and very well made!!! 

 

Elsa and Anna (Abigail's dress is from Target)

 

favors were these little sparkly cases from the walmart party section.  i added little lipglosses and necklaces to them.  easy and cheap!

the girls made frozen crowns with glitter foam and sticker jewels (found at hobby lobby).  i cut out the crowns from a template i found on this site.

the girls also colored some Frozen pictures

we of course had the Frozen soundtrack running so the girls could sing along to their hearts content

Ellie Kate read the FROZEN storybook

pin the nose on Olaf was a huge hit

Silly girls and even Samuel came and crashed their pic:).  Silly boy! 

I had a sitter take Annie to chick fil a.  Best decision!!! Love that girl, but she can be a little high maintenance and crazy at events like this:).  I didn't want any distractions. Ha!

Such a fun party that I know my sweet Ellie Kate will remember forever.  She is absolutely obsessed with all things Frozen and so it was a no brainer to have a this type of celebration for her 7th birthday!  Abigail is already asking to have one too...her birthday isn't until November:).  

If you have a Frozen obsessed child like I do, then I thought I would share a free printable with you!  Here is a blank invitation for you to use!!!! 

Just right click and download.  Print on white cardstock and fill in your info. 

The Cost

If you've never heard of this band then find them on iTunes or YouTube and listen to this album.  It's one of our new favorites!  This song goes so well with my last post and is convicting to me in this Lent season especially...

THE COST by Rend Collective Experiment 

I'm saying yes to You

And no to my desires
I'll leave myself behind
And follow You

I'll walk the narrow road
'cause it leads me to You
I'll fall but grace
Will pick me up again

I've counted up the cost
Oh I've counted up the cost
Yes I've counted up the cost
And You are worth it

I do not need safety
As much as I need You
You're dangerous
But Lord You're beautiful

I'll chase You through the pain
I'll carry my cross
'cause real love
Is not afraid to bleed

Jesus
Take my all
Take my everything

I've counted up the cost
And You're worth everything

Ash Wednesday

Today, I've been mulling over some words from Ann Voskamp's blog post as we enter a season of anticipation for Resurrection Sunday. I've never observed Lent and I don't think I'll necessarily give up ONE thing during this season. But I'm excited about what the Lord is stirring in my heart to long for Him more. Less of me and this world's distractions and a whole lot more of Him. May my heart be consumed and sustained by His beauty not just during this season but every day of every year until I meet Him in eternity. That's my hearts cry...

"Maybe the one big question to be asking myself on Ash Wednesday is: Give up something or don’t — the point is: How am I giving more of myself to Jesus? You can’t rely on the stuff and the dreams and the beauty to sustain you — none of that will ever sustain you. Jesus is not merely useful to me, He is ultimately beautiful to me — His is the only Beauty Who can sustain me.  Give even a cold glass of water in His name and you give to Him and I want to give up and give to Him, I want to give myself more fully to Him. And it begins with the giving, it begins with 40 days of less, so there is more to give, which gets the joy of more Him. ‪#‎40LessMeMoreHim‬" ~Ann Voskamp

image from here

So practically, what does that look like for me?  That's what I've been thinking and praying on today.  I've felt some things before today being stirred up.  Things I need to give up.  Things that have become slight addictions and I make excuses for them.  Checking facebook from my phone.  Buying and selling on facebook garage sale sites.  Things that distract me from being consumed by something better.  Jesus is so much better than those things.  My family is so much better than those things.  Real, true rest is so much better than those things.  I long to be a woman who makes the most of every opportunity and I can't do that with my nose stuck in my phone half the day on facebook and I can't do that spending money I don't need to on things my family doesn't really need at this point.   And I can't do that when I'm being my busy self who is consumed with productivity.  

The last few months, the Lord has really ignited a flame in my heart for Him.  A flickering flame that desires to know Him more and abide in him.  Truly abide and take regular sabbath rest so that I can be and do all that He has called me to.  By His grace, I have been way more intentional about resting and focusing on slowing down.  Focusing on His word and trusting Him to be better than all the world is throwing at me.  Focusing a little less on productivity (although I still love getting things done:)). I feel tension so often that He has given me so much and what will I do with it?

So these next 40ish days of this Lent season...of this season leading up to celebrating the most holy of days...I'm going to focus on less of me and more of Him.  Truly, though that is my hearts cry for not just this season...but for the rest of my days.  That I would see and believe He is better than anything or anyone or any comfort I have.  He is worthy of all that I am.  It's a little scary, but in surrender there is deep joy.  In giving up ourselves, we gain more of Him.  So thankful for that truth and for the grace bestowed on me each day because of my Jesus.  

7 Years with Ellie Kate!

Elizabeth Kate is 7 years old!!! 

I am honored and privileged to have been her mama for these past 7 years.  Ellie Kate continues to be full of life, spunk, drama, fun, sweetness, hugs, and kisses!!! She is smart and friendly too! 

 

We had some family over to celebrate and she got Isabelle (new AG doll of the year) and a beautiful Elsa from Frozen dress!!!!  She had a great day and is a very loved little girl.  

I am so proud to be your mama, Ellie Kate.  You bring so much joy and fun to our family.  I am proud of the way you are growing and beginning to love Jesus.  You are learning to have control over your emotions a little better and are such a good big sister to Abigail and Annie.  You love your friends and coloring and reading and playing with dolls the most!  

In just a few days we will celebrate with a Frozen party!  We are counting down the days! 

Annie is Two!

I am so late on this post, it's really not even funny. However, Anna Mitchell is TWO now...as of January 19!!! We had a family party for her. The only show on TV that she will watch is Bubble Guppies. She loves it and all the cute little characters! So that was our little theme for the day!

She was in no mood for pictures, as you can see below...

                                   And this is as good as it got for a family pic.  Good grief. 

But she did LOVE everyone's attention on her!  Such an extrovert! 

I'm sad to say that I did not get great pictures.  Not many pics of the men in the family:(.  But I promise Lanny, Buddy, Samuel and my dad were all in attendance.  Also Aunt Jenny was there too!  It was a bit chaotic...that's my excuse.  Really though, I was just enjoying my girl and her day!  Sometimes, it's nice to just be and enjoy.  She loved her birthday and we loved having most of our family together to celebrate!

Anna Mitchell, you are an absolute JOY to our family.  Chaotic joy, but JOY indeed.  You are full of personality and energy, and quite possibly the funniest little thing.  You have taken on the role of entertainer in our family.  Everyone just dotes on you and laughs at you and loves you to pieces.  I am so overwhelmed at God's grace and mercy and His humor in giving you to us.  Baby girl, you will always be the best surprise I've ever had!!!