Dear Cloudburst,

How the time flies!  I remember writing you a letter last year when you turned 6.  Now you are my big 7 year old!

When you woke up we ate a special breakfast at your request: pink, heart-shaped pancakes.  You got up early, around 6:30.  You've been getting up before your alarm a lot lately.  Maybe we should start having you practice piano then.  You've really liked starting those lessons!

At school you had a special visitor.  Dad came into your class with some balloons and a few treats.  You couldn't have smiled any bigger!  After school was done and Dad came home from work, we went to your favorite restaurant- the Mayan.  Your brothers were excited too.  You all enjoy each other so much, even if they do tell you to "stop acting like the mom!"

And here is a special birthday treat!  You still love treats and can just about eat more sugary goodness than anyone in the family.

When we got home we opened presents from family.  You especially loved the doll with clothes to match yours, and the kid's cooking utensils.  And I believe you are set for summer with all those cute clothes!

The day after your birthday we had a fun friends party.  It was "Tink's Workshop!"  I got the idea from my friend Amber who had a similar party for her daughter last year.

Since we alternate years for family/friend parties, you were very excited this year to have a few friends over.  You decided to have a lot of friends come that you met at school.  And we told everyone to wear green!  We first decorated our fairy toolboxes, to hold everything else we would be doing.  You all also decorated some bubble containers.  A fairy needs bubbles right?  (I found those in the wedding section at the store)

After we set everyone's Toolbox on the counter to dry, we made our own pizzas.  I had set out Gourmet sized Rhode's Rolls to rise earlier, and then each girl got to pick out her own toppings to make the pizza.  We wrote everyone's name on the foil next to their pizza.  They actually were very good.  I think we may start having Pizza Friday at our house.

Next, we made Jolly pops.  Too bad I overcooked them!  Everyone took 3 Jolly Ranchers and arranged them however they wanted, then I put them in the oven.  I got held up helping everyone do the next project so they spread out a little too far.  But they still taste good!

One of the funnest projects of the night was making our own lip gloss!  I kind of made my own recipe for this, although the overall idea was not mine.  We used cherry and grape Kool-Aid mixes.  The package says to add 1 C of regular sugar, but I used powdered sugar instead to avoid a grainy texture.   Each girl got a spoonful of the Kool-Aid/sugar mixture, a few drops of water, and a glob of Vasaline!  We used tongue depressors to mix inside dixie cups.  Then I used Amber's great idea of putting the lip gloss inside used paint strips, cut apart.

It's been so fun to watch you grow up this last year.  You are still doing so well in school.  You are right with your class in math, but you read at a 4th or 5th grade level.  You have also decided to read a chapter a night in the Book of Mormon and hope to finish it before you get baptized next year!

You are on a gym team and love the thrill of performing in front of a crowd.  You also look forward to every Friday when you get to go to choir at school.  It's all Disney songs this year!

You also consider yourself an artist.  You love to draw, paint, arrange, sort, design and teach.  You often hold lessons in your room for your brothers.

You joke and laugh and smile!  You love to wrestle around with your dad.  At your party, he became a surprise hit by pretending to turn into a girl.  And then a monster or something.  You loved it!

You also totally love your little baby brother.  You get him out of his crib, help feed him and just love to hold him!  You can be absent-minded and do still cry sometimes, but, gosh girl, I sure love ya!  I'm so glad I get to be your mom.  It is fun to watch you grow.  But please try to stay small a little longer.

Love, Mom