9 years ago...yesterday

Yes, 9 years ago yesterday I had just birthed my first child (in the comfort of our own home). After about 10 hours of easy, slow labor and a few more hours of hard, real labor - our first girl had arrived; 7 lbs. 2 oz. and lots of dark hair, she was a beauty. Well after her very-cone-shaped head turned into a nice little round head. :o)

So yesterday we celebrated the 9 awesome years of Jaci's life. She wanted a carnival theme so we cooked up some delicious, fatty, high-calorie, high sugar foods and invited 3 families over to party with us. We put up some outdoor games that she got as an early present from her grandparents so the kids had some outdoor fun while the adults mostly chatted within the air-conditioned haven of our home.

From this angle, the cake almost looks like a hot air balloon, but it's not. Jaci was pretty adamant about having a ferris wheel cake. So even though I told her I didn't think it would be the most fabulous-looking cake we've ever done, she still wanted it - so that's what she got.








This is what we got her. A 'craft bag' filled with scrapbook supplies. She lives up to her name which is 'maker of the beautiful' - Jaci Taylor.
The most unique gift she got was 4 snails... like real aquarium snails. What do you do with snails?









This is Jaci and her aunt. Yes, not her cousin, but her 7 1/2 year old aunt. I told you we were a crazy big family. :o)


Happy Days, Jaci-Mace! We're so very proud of you!