Celebrating 5 with Ella Catherine

I cannot believe that Ella Catherine is already 5 years old. 
I remember hardly sleeping a wink the night of 3/4/07 knowing that the next morning I was going to the hospital to be induced.  I also remember her delivery and the doctor and nurses congratulating us on our new baby girl.  In that moment, our lives were forever changed for the better.  Ella Catherine you are our dream come true.  You make our lives better every day.  You have such a kind and giving heart.  We are so very proud to be your parents.  We are so blessed that God gave you to us.

Matt and I decided to take 3/5/12 off work to have a fun day with our little girl.  She was so excited that it was just going to be the 3 of us having fun for the day.  We started off the day going to the Second harvest food bank.  You see instead of birthday gifts this year, Ella Catherine asked that her friends bring a donation for the second harvest food bank.  She wanted to give food for the little kids that didn't have enough to eat.  So we started off the day letting her drop off her donation.  Thanks to all her friends she was able to donate enough food/monetary donations to feed 139 people.

Carrying in her donation with daddy

Getting a little heavy

Signing in and getting donation weighed

Adding her donation in the bins

Next we were off to the IMAX theater to watch the Lorax in 3D.  We got the largest popcorn and drink I have ever seen and then put on our glasses and enjoyed the movie.  I only wish the pictures in the theater came out but it was too dark.  The popcorn bucket was almost bigger than her. :)
Very cute movie with a good message.

After the movie, we went next door to Dave and Busters and let her play some games.  We all had a great time.  It was so fun watching her get so excited about the tickets.  Even more fun watching her try to decide what to buy with all her tickets.  Matt and I had to keep reminding her that she was to spend her tickets on herself not on Carter.  In the end, she bought 3 balls and 2 dinosaurs(which she gave to Carter :) ).  She has such a sweet heart. 

Matt showing her how to play skee ball

Her turn.  Note all the tickets mom is already holding

Frogger

Coin game- game of strategy

WOO HOO!  Strategy worked.  Don't know who is more excited her or daddy

Moving numbers game

Birthday girl with all her tickets

A happy birthday girl with some new prizes

We ended the day with a trip to the park after we picked Carter up from school.  We played tag.  They climbed all over the play set and had a great time swinging.  They had a tire swing and they climbed in together and wanted us to push them.  Matt got them twisting a little too much and they both got dizzy and a little queezy.  We stayed at the park sitting a minute to make sure they were feeling better, but obviously didn't stay quite long enough.  They both got sick in the car on the ride home.  All fun and games until someone throws up. :)   Luckily, it was short lived and once we got them cleaned up they were good as new.