Fireworks party

Renee celebrated her sixth birthday with a Guy Fawkes birthday party over the weekend. We had a snap, crackle and pop theme running through the food and games we played.

It was a beautiful day and we strung our outdoor lanterns up in the tree, which is a rare sight in this windy city of ours. My husband was chief sparkler lighter and general entertainer. Renee and her guests enjoyed an open air disco and Katy Perry's "Firework" didn't even feature on the playlist. Sack the DJ. I would have taken photos of the girls with their sparklers, but since it was just me and my husband supervising nine girls, safety came first.
Amongst other things, I served popcorn, a chocolate wafer loaf (snap!) and rice bubble slice (crackle!!), with a very timely recipe borrowed from A Little Bit Country. You were right, Elaina, it took longer to make than it did to eat. This was helped by the fact that the cupcakes looked much better than they tasted and were barely touched. Such a letdown. Substituting eggs with egg replacer doesn't always work very well and the fruit, well, even if it is cut up prettily, it's still fruit and if children don't like it, they won't go near that either. Poor rockmelon, don't get a complex. It's not you, it's them.

We made water fireworks and everyone thought that was a little bit magical. Less magical was the oil and food colouring spillage. Definitely an outside activity, this one.

Renee, the past six years have vanished in a blur of raising three girls born four years apart, kindergarten, school, sport, family and friends and all the activities associated with these communities. Through the busyness that is our family life, we have been able to capture quiet moments, just the two of us. You may not realise how much I cherish them, but I hope, in time, that you will have warm memories of those moments too. I love that you climb in to my bed for morning cuddles and you tell me how much you are looking forward to going to school. I love that we can take a few minutes after reading your book or during bath time to talk about what is happening in your world.

You have already completed a full year of school yet I look at your face and I am glad that I can still see flashes of my smiling, contented baby. My beautiful, sensitive girl, animal-lover and creative soul who has an air of cheekiness too. I watch you apply yourself to everything that you do and persevere when faced with challenges. That trait will stand you in good stead in life. I wonder what you will become when you are older? Whatever it may be, keep being the gentle, beautiful soul that you are. Happy birthday! How blessed we are to have you.