Happy 7th Birthday!

It's Rose's birthday today, and we started off by opening presents. Doug made shortcake from scratch with sliced fresh strawberries and real whipped cream for Strawberry Shortcake for breakfast! We eat dessert first on our birthdays :)

Rose has been wanting a Nintendo DS for quite some time. I got to use one a couple of weeks ago, and I got hooked. We figure it will come in handy on the flight back and forth from China.

She got a diablo, and that cat thinks it's her new cat toy.
And grandma Mona got her this nifty fun Ant Farm. Of which Doug will be totally responsible for because I have images of ants escaping...
I'm borrowing my sister's camera since mine is broken. Here are some photo's off of her memory card that I thought were cute. Rose in the hat was taken 3 years ago when she would have still been 3 y.o.
This one cracks me up!! It's so typical of my mom, hugging a big honking box of potato chips. This apple sure didn't fall from the tree, hee hee.
Happy Birthday our dear Rose Rose, Rosebud, Petunia, Bob, Rosie, Bart, Rosita, Zhao Chong, Mei Gui and Sweet Pea!! Mom and Dad love you so very much, you bring us so much J O Y !!!!

Instead of a birthday party with friends, we decided to stay at a hotel overnight near the Mall of America, go swimming, hit the rides at Nickelodeon Universe, play in the Lego store, visit American Girl store and I'm sure a million other things. Sunday we hope to attend Passage to China at the MOA, her school is singing (she's not -we had to sign up about 2 months ago, and at the time we didn't know what her birthday plans would entail).

Now I'm off to Weight Watchers...after eating strawberry shortcake...doh! And it looks like nightime out because a storm is brewing and the sky is rumbling and it's eerily still otherwise. Just like her 5th birthday when at the beginning of her birthday party, it hailed horribly and tornado warning sirens went off and we had to herd all the kids and parents into the basement...

Dueling Haircuts

Rose and I have been getting our hair cut together the past 2 years. We had another fun day today!

Started out at Bachman's Garden Center to make May baskets, proceeds benefitting Children's Home Society.

Then off to get our hair cut. When her hair is long, it is one HUGE battle to get a comb or brush through it. We've tried everything, and she even agreed it just isn't working. I even had to help our stylist comb out the snarls after he shampooed and conditioned her hair, it was that bad.

Here are photo's of our matching hair. Our hair was down to our shoulder's, and everyone was amazed at the amount of hair on the floor when each of us was done!

Rose thinks it pretty fun that our hair looks so similar.

I like this photo - it almost looks like a heart. A hairy heart!

We then walked down the block and shared a yummy lunch at a local cafe/bakery called the French Meadow. It was quite crowded, and we had to share a table with two young women. Rose did really well at minding her own business, although it is hard to do when you are sitting so close to strangers. We even bought a lavender, vanilla, buttercream cupcake to take home. It had lavender petals in the frosting.

Made a stop at Auntie M's house to leave a May basket, but ended up hanging out for a few hours since she was home. We tried the ring the door bell and run routine, but she thought it was just solicitors so she wouldn't answer the door.

Rose played with Bubba the dog and with Auntie on Auntie's computer, while I managed an impromptu nap on her couch with a cat sleeping on me. Sleepy due to the fact that Rose was up at 5:00 something this morning.

Then burgers on the grill and corn on the cob for dinner at home. What a leisurely and enjoyable day! Haven't had one of those lately, much appreciated.

It would have been fun to go get mani/pedi's, but because of my job I cannot have long nails or wear nail polish. Maybe next time we will get pedicures.

Looking forward to my trip to NYC next weekend for O Magazine's 10th anniversary celebration! Any other bloggy friends attending by chance? I'd love to meet you if you are.