Happy Birthday Kirsten

Tuesday was finally the big day Kirsten had been waiting for - her 9th birthday and a party in the afternoon. A small, low-key party was planned for six friends. They started with a game of hide a toy and seek it; then they played another little game. Opening gifts was next on the schedule, then cake. We then all gathered around the kitchen island and made a papercraft I'd prepared. When the girls were finished, there was still some time so they played several rounds of musical chairs. They all seemed to enjoy themselves very much.

Later in the evening most of our family went bowling with Kirsten's American Heritage Girls troop family bowling night. It was a nice way to cap off Kirsten's very happy day!

I'm going to have to keep you waiting for pics of my new stash from Seattle. Wednesday evening we had water in the basement, so we were occupied cleaning up that mess. I've spent much of today dealing with the remaining stuff. Most of the water was in the storage room where almost everything is stored up on shelves, but it did of course seep through into the adjoining laundry room. Our problem is (and this has happened to us before, you'd think we'd learn) the end irrigation faucet was left wide open last fall in order to drain it before winter. So when the irrigation water starts flowing again in the spring, it comes gushing from the wide open faucet. The water flows down around the side of the house to the window well of the storage room. With all the excitement of trips to Japan and Seattle, we just forgot that it was nearing time for the irrigation system to start up again. ARGH!!!!

So, no Spot Thursday stitching for me and I was able to real only a few blogs today. I keep plugging away at it during my breaks, so please bear with me while I catch up!