Ailey's 10th Birthday

Ailey Turns 10!!

The double digits are here. I cannot believe that our little sweet and shy baby is already ten. She is still sweet but not that shy anymore. She is getting so grown up. Ailey is such a great kid. She is kind to others and a true nurturer. She loves to take care of people and goes out of her way to serve others. She has tons of friends and is a super big sister to Bryn who just adores her.

On her birthday, after her donut breakfast, Ailey had us all head out bright and early to go up to Greenbluff to pick strawberries. Greenbluff was absolutely gorgeous!! Although summers feel so short up here, they really are absolutely beautiful, and it makes you forget the long cold winters and wet dripping springs.

We got to our favorite farm and hopped on board the tractor and set out for the strawberry fields. Even being there super early, there were already quite a few people there, and very serious about picking berries.

Not so serious berry pickers!!

Hard at work...

Within a short amount of time we were done!! All the kids were great pickers. It is so nice that everyone is old enough to help and they did such a great job. Let me tell you, those strawberries were AMAZING!! Ailey requested Strawberry Shortcake made with my Grandma Ellersick's Hot Milk Cake recipe (best vanilla cake recipe ever) and almond whipped cream. It was out of this world delicious.

All those strawberries were picked in about half an hour!! I couldn't believe it.

Ailey's birthday festivities also included not one, but two trips to the mall. She had presents to pick out and birthday money and gift cards to spend. She was loving it! Mommy may have found a few things for herself on these little jaunts, so it wasn't too bad for her either. 

Trip #1

Trip #2

We also went to see this movie:

We all really liked it...surprisingly.

Ailey also requested a cookout with tofu dogs. Wish granted. I am happy to report that tofu dogs have improved in quality and in their ability to be roasted over a bonfire. Very important in this family.

This was one of her very favorite gifts!! A collection of vintage Archie Comics. She takes after her mom, aunts, and cousin Tania. These were our very favorite lakeside reading material when we were kids. (They could get wet unlike books.) We absolutely loved Archie and especially Betty and Veronica. Many of those *vintage* comic books are still laying around in Lilac Lodge and have been enjoyed by the great-grandkids. I found this big stack at one of our vintage shows for $5 and snapped it up. Ailey squealed with joy!! 

Ailey still outside and now sporting her new Duck Dynasty pajamas...given to her by a couple of her siblings. They were also a big hit.

The cherry on top was sleeping outside in a tent in the backyard with Daddy and Bryn. Ha ha!! They got rained out the first night and then tried it again the next night and had a great time.

Happy Birthday Ailey Eva!! 

We love you VERY much!!