Ruth's *actual* birthday! 7!

Ruth turned seven years old.

I am in complete denial.

HOW IN THE WORLD IS SHE THAT OLD?!?!?!

We spent the morning at the Logan River Walk and it was gorgeous and shady and beautiful and magical. Grandma kept everyone happy by singing songs and making up games and we threw rocks in at the end.

Jamba Juice because the pregnant mama had been craving a smoothie.

Kourtney texted me as we were finishing up at the river walk and said there was story time up at the Nature Center in the canyon. We'd already been up there once and my kids LOVED it, so we joined in!

This mud kitchen is probably the messiest, and most AWESOME kid place I have ever been to.

Nothing like a boat buried in dirt to try to contain Russ! haha

Mom watched the other kids while I took Ruthie to lunch at the Bluebird Cafe. She was THRILLED. I don't think she's ever been to a sit down restaurant (the closest being Chick-fil-a maybe?) and to be with *just* mom was extra cool. PLUS they let her pick ANYTHING off their dessert menu to have for free for her birthday. She picked a GIANT mint chocolate chip shake with  whipped cream and a cherry and the entire glass bottle was seriously taller than her. She was in HEAVEN. I was dying inside the entire time--being able to focus on just her was wonderful, but I couldn't get over that she wasn't just my little tiny three year old and her conversations were so grown up and we were chatting the entire time--about all sorts of things. How do I have a baby girl big enough to chat with for over an hour about all sorts of topics and feel like I'm just out with a friend!?!?!?!?!? We talked about all of her favorite things at the beginning so that I could write it all down--I'm not sure what I remember, but here's some:

Favorite color: pink

Favorite food: spaghetti and pizza

Most excited to: start first grade!

Favorite part of school: seeing her friends and computers and art projects and media

What do you want to be when you grow up? A teacher. And a ballerina.

Favorite ice cream: mint, chocolate

I had her bite the lemon. It was hilarious. She ordered spaghetti--her favorite!

That afternoon they put the sprinkler under the tramp and beat the heat. They did that a LOT this summer and I am so glad--it reminds me of just being a kid and just enjoying the laziness. Not going anywhere and not paying for anything and not being busy--just being in the backyard. I cannot wait to have a backyard someday!!! It was seriously SO RELAXING to send them out to play and just check out the window now and again and make sure everyone was there and happy.

Grandma made her a pink chocolate cake with sprinkles and she loved it!

She got to open a couple of presents before her birthday party!

I love you, my Ruthie.