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 Happy Birthday Avery.

 It was literally yesterday.  

YESTERDAY that I held that first pregnancy test in my hand.

I cant handle this. 

You are the most beautiful pre teen and I could not be more proud of you.  

 She wanted a red carpet and a movie and a modeling shoot and all kinds of things that were too much but allison had the brilliant idea to do a calendar since she is 12!  Genius.

So we set up this backdrop we borrowed from Nana and Papa and she took a million photos and edited them and then we put them into a calendar on minted and there was fun had by all.

IMG_7193 from kristen barstad on Vimeo.

IMG_7194 from kristen barstad on Vimeo.

Maggie and Shea also figured out how it all worked and did a pretty cute photo shoot themselves.

 

Please stop growing. Please?

"The Switch" Directed by Avery Barstad on her 11th Birthday

Jus like last year, Avery wanted to write and direct her friends in a movie this year for her birthday. 

 We all helped with the sign,

 but she did everything else.  She wrote, planned, set up, directed and edited the whole movie.

 
(some scenes more intensely than others...)

And I forced everyone into a group photo after the wild night was over the movie was complete.
It ended up being 11 minutes and 11 seconds on her 11th bday :)

And Adalyn and Kennedy got to come with us to church.

Then, like last year, we set up stadium seating for the Super Bowl

while some of us napped.

Some of our small group and church people came over to watch.

And someone mentioned something about ice cream.  I dont know exactly how it went down, but thanks to  jeffs obsession with Favor, 3 blue bell galloons were brought to our house and we all ate our feelings after the Patriots won.

My mom sent a balloon bouquet for her actual birthday and we decorated a little bit before school.

We ended the night at Shogun and all had to roll ourselves out of there.  It was so good.

Avery, I can never put into words how much I love you or how very proud I am to be your mom.  You changed my life.   You keep changing it.  You teach me how to love others by how you love your siblings and friends and you impress me so much with your quiet confidence and amazing creativity.  I am so proud of your heart for God and how you pray to Him about other people who are hurting or have less than we do.  I know He will use you in might mighty ways and I can not wait to see what all you do for Him.

Happy 11th birthday!

"The First Day of School at the Red House School for Girls" A Movie by Avery Barstad

For her birthday this year, Avery wrote a script and wanted to direct, film and produce it at our house.  She wanted to keep it small and just invited a few friends who she thought would enjoy filming a movie.

It really was amazing to watch.  She is very into details and wanted the set to be perfect.  We had a lot of the pieces that made up the "school room" but every little extra thing I added, she would get so excited about. 

I made pillow cases for everyone to sleep in and sign with the logo for the movie and Jeff got her a directors chair that we put her name on in gold ink to jazz it up a little. 

She had a very distinct vision and I think that it went pretty much just like she wanted it to.

The girls were SO SWEET and let Avery tell them what to do and they just wanted her birthday to be special and just what she wanted. 

The filming lasted until 10, but everyone was such a good sport.

But they did go to bed right after.  Acting, y'all.  Not for the faint of heart.

We put the pizza and birthday cake in the wrap room for the "Wrap Party".  

And everyone sang to her after it was over.

And Lindsay and Allison made the party and hung out for most of it for Lindsay and Allison spent the night. I couldn't have done it without them!

And there was a huge dance party after it was all over!

 She has the full movie so I need to get that out so she can look at it before her first oscar nomination for best director and reminisce on her first movie.  

On her actual birthday, it was the Super Bowl and she was so excited to share her birthday with such a huge sporting event.  She loves every kind of sport just like my grandmother Momma Jo and its so much fun to watch her enjoy it. (She was rooting for the Broncos but thought that the Panthers were going to pull it out.  She was ecstatic when the Broncos actually won.)

Avery you are such an incredible person.  I am so very thankful to know you.  I am so so thankful to get to be your mom and watch you and your creativity love and encourage everyone around you.  You are truly a light.  Your smile and your heart are so big and so kind.  Thank you for how you live your life and for letting me a part of it.  You are the best surprise I could have ever hoped for in that positive pregnancy test just over 10 years ago.

Coffee Girl

So, Avery and her cousin Halie have a coffee shop that they have imagined that they play over at their Nana's house whenever Halie is in town.  They call it Coffee Girl.  They have a menu, fake food, real food, set up- the whole thing.

This year Avery wanted to have a Coffee Girl party.  And she wanted it in Paris (where does she get this stuff?! Cracks me up.  We have never been to Paris and she is really such a homebody in real life.  But not in her imagination, I guess.)

So, I got some brick paper from Michael's, we built this awning using MADE's tutorial, and I had some left over plastic from the twins fishbowl costume to use for the window.
Coffee Girl came alive.
Avery wanted a drop off party.  She invited a few girls from school and she let Sass invite a couple too.  And then Kinley and all the Booth girls.





We used Hot Chocolate instead of coffee and let the girls draw on some aprons and take their coffee/punch cups home with them.


Pics in front of the iconic sign.


I gave all the girls lipstick to wear.  I felt like that was a Parisian thing, right?


Avery made some coupons for anyone who forgot their wallet.






Look at that baby Dylan! HE was just an angel the entire time and just smiled and cooed and kissed all of Shea's baby dolls that she would let him hold.





Look at these beautiful lipsticked cousins.  So stinkin cute.



We all had to have a little photoshoot in front of Coffee Girl.  I mean, when in Paris.

Even the dads got into it.

Happy birthday my little Coffee Girl.  I love you so much! And though you are strangely out of every pic or in the back- I hope you had the best birthday!