Easter Parties

These Hanks girls know how to Easter Egg hunt - they seem to go to no less than 34 egg hunts a year.  This year was actually a light year, but they made the best of their haul! 

First up, Jillian's class Easter party!

Jillian being silly with her buddy Caleb!

All the Bumblebees ready to hunt

She's pretty proud of her loot

A quick shot with mommy

Pretty girl eating her party lunch

Later that same day, we were invited to a nearby park by a realtor friend of ours for a fun hunt that included the Easter Bunny himself.

I love this picture - this shows just the pure happiness that Jillian has about life!

Silly, silly girls with the Easter bunny!

And last, but not least - the fun IBC Easter Egg Hunt and party at Landon's church!  This is a family favorite every year!

Jillian's American Girl Day

Jillian has been waiting for her American Girl Day ever since her sister had one for her 5th birthday!  When the new girl of the year, Isabelle was introduced, there was no doubt which American Girl we would be adding to our family!

Posing with Isabelle and Isabelle!

Sweet girl and her doll ready for a celebratory lunch

Isabelle was all ready in her high chair!

When the birthday girl asks if she can have a milkshake, the answer is always YES!

Aunt Sandy brought Jillian's presents into the restaurant, which included a doll bunk bed and custom chevron blankets (and a matching blanket for Jillian!) Jillian could not have been more excited!

Singing to the birthday girl one more time.

The whole birthday crew!

Aunt Katie planned to take the girls home with her after lunch to have a sleepover (that they had been begging for constantly!) She and Aunt Sandy rode together - so the girls got the special treat of a ride in a convertible.  Meredith wasn't too sure what to think about the ride, but Jillian was stoked!

And Aunt Katie sent me this priceless pic of Jillian on the ride home!

Love this fun girl!

More celebrating with Jillian!

My sweet Jillian is 5! And we sure did celebrate!

First up, the Hanks girls birthday sleepover, of course!

And no Hanks birthday is complete without donuts!

Her birthday fell on a Monday, which is a zoo school day, so after zoo school we planned lots of fun!

Instead of our normal packed lunch, I brought in a McDonald's Happy Meal and then we finished it off with ice cream!  She had been begging to buy some but I kept telling her to wait until it warmed up.  It wasn't quite warm yet, but we splurged anyway!

Fun with my birthday girl at the zoo!

After picking up Meredith from school they got down to business playing with her new birthday toys!

Then we went out to one of our favorite breakfast (and breakfast for dinner) places - Jay Jays!

And then, of course Frozen Yogurt!

On Tuesday, it was time for her school party!

 She wanted another Rainbow Up Down cookie cake - but this time with Bumble Bees added!

A picture from her sweet teachers at her class party (notice she wore her favorite - the Up Down sweater!)

Happy Birthday Jillian Mae

This sweet, spunky, cuddle loving little bit is five! She is such a source of joy for our family - she has the greatest laugh that is full of excitement - you know the kind where someone throws back their head, their mouth open wide and just fills the room.  That is Jillian.  Meredith is always saying (through her laughter) "Jillian is always so funny!" And she is right.  Not only that, she is just uniquely Jillian.  She has a fierce loyalty to the things she loves (Just for a few examples: hippos, chevron, purple, that one pair of boots she has worn every day since about October, her favorite sweater, the list could go on and on!)  She also has a very definite opinion on what she will and will not wear and how she will and will not do her hair.  Her hair styles seem to come in waves.  For awhile it was all headbands (or actually, always the same one singular headband) but now with few exceptions (this picture included) her hair has to be down straight with the part straight down the middle - no curls in the ends or anything.  She loves to pour over books and will play all by herself for hours and hours.  Her favorite things to play with are any "little" toys - like her doll house, her mousies, little La La Loopsy dolls, Lego Friends.  If it is tiny and has a million tinier pieces, complete with its own unique house that will clutter the playroom Jillian will love it (seriously we have about 82 different toy houses because it is what she loves!)  She is also smart and kind.  She has a big heart for those she loves and even those around her.  And she makes friends everywhere she goes - she is just that kind of girl. You just want to be around her.  This girl makes my heart full and our family whole.  We are so proud of you, Miss Jillian Mae!