7

I'm behind in my blogging, as usual.  I'm trying to get caught up but it seems like so many events fall by the wayside because I just don't take the time to blog like I should.

On the 5th Addie turned seven.  Really?  Seven?  What is happening to me?  I was holding her in my arms, blinked my eyes and suddenly she was seven.

Addie's birthday actually started the night before because Kimber was dying to give Addie her gift.  Addie kept requesting a hair salon for her birthday and I just wasn't sure how to make that happen.  I wasn't going to invest in a whole get-up since we don't have the room and she would quickly outgrow it.  I thought and thought but just didn't know how to make it happen.  Then the funniest thing happened.  The gal who does my hair was having a garage sale to Kimber and I hit it up.  There, laying on the ground in the dirt was Angie's mannequin head from beauty school!   Kimber and I knew it would be perfect for Addie and the price was right, ONE DOLLAR!  Addie could curl, color, cut and comb to her little heart's content and I wouldn't feel bad when it was time to throw it away.

We kept it hid for just over a week when Kimber finally couldn't take the excitement any more.  We stuck Angie (we figured that would be her name since it was written in permanent marker across her neck) in a bag and gave Addie the goods.  Jared and I were expecting Addie to flip out when she pulled the tissue paper out and saw hair filling the bag.  But no way!  She pulled Angie out and it was love and first sight!

I'll just say that was THE BEST dollar I have EVER spent! 

Not only was it Addie's birthday but it was also her turn to be the Superstar Student for her class.  She put together a poster with all types of pictures and fun facts about herself.

Kimber, Lucy and I picked up Addie for lunch and brought her home.  We ate all kinds of nasty food like chicken strips, french fries and root beer.  Healthy, right? I think not, but it was so fun! 

After lunch we took her back to class where she served Andes Mint Cookies to her class.  Miss E. has a tradition in her room where she gives the birthday kid spankings for their birthday.  She puts them over her lap, calls a student up to catch any tears that might fall and pretends to give hard spankings.  All of the class laughs and and thinks it's so funny to watch the birthday boy or girl squirm.  And she doesn't stop once their age is reached.  She gives a few extra, one to be a good reader on, one to be a good friend on and so on.  It was really fun to see Addie get all the attention in her class for a few minutes.

Her teacher also had her do the calendar board with the class so I could see how it worked.  It was really fun to watch Addie lead the class through their routine but my favorite part was when they did compliments.  The students raise their hands and are called on by the calendar person one by one.  They give that person a compliment and in turn the calendar person thanks them.  I wasn't expecting much, just a few shallow compliments but was so surprised when the kids gave sweet compliments to my little Addie.  I heard a lot of "you are such a good friend" and "I like your shirt" but it made my heart happy when a few of the nicest boys in her class told her that she was very beautiful or that she is very pretty.  How creative on her teacher's part to give the kids an opportunity like that.

Once Addie got home from school she soaked up every minute of getting to watch Kimber and I work around her.  She was looking forward to skipping her chores as much as she was looking forward to opening presents.

For her birthday dinner she chose pizza.  Again Aunt Jeanie and uncle Kenny ate with us. 
I love these pictures of Addie as she opens her junk box.  (A RIchardson Family tradition where you get a box or bag filled with your favorite junk food.)

There must be a wad of hundred dollar bills at the bottom of that bag.  Maybe it's keys to a new car.  Could it be annual passes to Disneyworld? 

No!  It's a bottle of Sangria! 
In true Addie fashion she requested brownies with marshmallows and frosting in place of cake. 

I truly thank Heavenly Father for Addie.  She keeps this family going and is my number one help.  She is mature and organized and kind to everyone.  Last week I went to parent-teacher conference and her teacher told me that she had just done a social test with the kids to see where everyone was at friend wise, making sure there was no bullying or anything.  One by one she asked each child privately who their top three friends were.  Addie was at the very top of the list.  I'm not saying she is popular but that she is a friend to everyone.  There is one boy in particular in her class who is slow and the other kids have a hard to being friendly to but Miss E. says Addie is always patient and friendly to him.  I love returning her to school after lunch and seeing the kids hug her.  She is a sweet girl who I am grateful for every day.