Lillie's 8th Birthday!

Well, it's about time that I finally get around to posting Lillie's 8th birthday... there have been so many things to post lately that I'm doing it in stages : )

So, Lillie's current favorite show is Cake Boss. She loves the idea of decorating cakes and wanted to decorate her own birthday cakes. Here she is with the cupcakes that she decorated for her family party on her actual birthday:

Presents from Grandma and Grandpa, the MN Doolittle's, and the Barnes's

Thanks everyone!

Here she is decorating her own cake for her friend birthday:

I put the cake together and frosted it. She did all of the piping and sprinkles. 

Tim and I were super impressed and she was very proud of her work : )

Starting at Lillie and going clockwise:

Lillie, Abby, Saihke, Emmaleigh, Samuel, Becca, Lumina, Lizzy, Grant, Ruth, Delylah

Playing games in the backyard:

Make-a-mummy

and some kind of forehead and balloon race. 

We played hot potato but with baby food! When it landed on you not only were you out but you had to eat a bite of baby food. I was nice and bought banana apple puree. Lillie was still not too keen on it ; )

Already crafting before the guests have even left : )

Happy Birthday Lillie! I can't believe that I have already been blessed to have you for eight years! It's even harder for me to believe that you will soon be baptized!
Your father and I are so proud of you. You are a constant source of joy and blessings in our lives.
Lillie at Eight:
Favorites:
Food - Lemon chicken, Sloppy Joe's, Porcupine meatballs, Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, Oreo Yogurts,  minty gum, PICKLES!!!! especially the big sour movie theatre kind, and Hershey's plain chocolate bars
Restaurants - Pei Wei, Subway, Chick-fil-A, Spoon It, and Jamba Juice
Books - The Ramona series, the Little House on the Prairie series, Junie B. Jones series, Katie Kazoo series, and the Superfudge series. She loves to read. She reads at night before bed then tricks us and tries to sneak staying up late and reading by a night light.
TV Shows - Phineas and Ferb, America's Funniest Home Videos, Cake Boss, Pawn Stars, Pair of Kings
Classes & Teachers at School - Ms. Pena (2nd grade), Mr. Rodriguez (Art), Mrs. Rodriguez (his wife - the came to school once dressed as the same super hero (storm) and have had a special connection ever since), and Ms. Hale (GT)
Activities & Strengths - Anything crafty, she love to crochet hats on a loom, make jewelry, draw and color, sculpt, and make friendship bracelets. She also loves to bake and to decorate cakes. She received an ez-bake oven for christmas a year and a half ago and still uses it all the time. She spend all afternoon making 5 little cakes for each person in the family to have a dessert in the evening : ) Lillie is also very active. She is always jumping on the trampoline and teaching herself new flips and tricks. She is also an active member of girl scouts and says that it is the BEST PART OF HER WEEK! Lillie is an excellent swimmer and really enjoys her time in the pool. Though she finally had a set of swimming lessons this summer she has taught herself to swim over the course of the past few years. I can finally send her to the deep end without worrying about her. Lillie also really enjoys ice-skating. Unfortunately the only rink is pretty far across town but she begs to go all the time and will jump at any chance to get there!
Lillie is a super big sister. She has really grown up and started taking on a lot more responsibility lately (by her own choice!). It is often that she will create games for S and G to play and take care of them for an entire afternoon. She will do chores without being asked and offer to cook different parts of the dinner. Though I was leery at first she really wanted to learn to use the stove and now makes her own scrambled eggs with zero help from beginning to end. I often catch her reading her scriptures at night and she loves to prepare and teach Family Home Evening. Lillie loves adults, and she loves to be in charge!
Dislikes:
Going to bed
Cleaning her room and keeping it clean
Doing Homework (me too! I think homework is lame if your child is already getting great grades. At home projects = awesome, at home busy work = lame-o)

Lillie we are so proud of you and we love you so much! You have so much to look forward to: baptism, 3rd grade, activity days. Have a fabulous 9th year!