fair morning blue

On Thursday, our sweet Clarissa Ruth turned seven. Seven!?! I can't believe it's been seven years since we welcomed her into our hearts.

Eli flew home from Michigan early to make birthday waffles for breakfast. With a new page in her birthday album, Clarissa proudly marched off to school for the day while Eli and I went shopping for treats at Terra Toys and Sweetish Hill (the bakery that made our wedding cake, many years ago).

After school, we shared the cake and opened all the presents from mom and dad and big sister Ella, plus the thoughtful packages that arrived in the mail from Grandma and Aunt Zoe.  Do you see the photo of the back pack above? Clarissa's Aunt Zoe made that backpack. I so admire her sewing skills, not to mention her wonderful taste in fabric. Clarissa loves her new backpack.

So, Eli flew off to Dallas that evening while we stayed home eating birthday pickles! Clarissa's favorite food in the whole world is pickles. For her birthday this year, she asked for 1) a baby sister, 2) a puppy or 3) her own jar of pickles.  We bought her the largest jar of pickles we could find!

On Saturday, Clarissa got to pick out a bouquet of balloons in whatever color she chose - what a bouquet; I don't there there are two alike. Several of Clarissa's girl friends came over to dress as princesses, decorate a cardboard box, and to enjoy pizza and cupcakes. It was a rowdy, noisy good time. Clarissa's Granny joined us for the party and even took the birthday girl and her big sister home for a sleepover!  The girls came home exhausted, but very happy.  

Happy Birthday, sweet Rissa Roo!  We are so grateful to have you in our lives.  

xo