a tie dye birthday

Our internet is giving me all kinds of trouble .... ugh.  It's gotten to the point that I can hardly use it at all in the evenings.  Oh well, these things tend to come and go so maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised next week :)  

I started this post 24 hours ago and will see if it lets me finish it now...

We celebrated Julianna's 9th birthday this weekend.  She started the shindig with two friends sleeping over, then after Sunday group and a big lunch together the 11 oldest kids joined us for some tie-dye fun.  

Earlier this fall a friend brought us a tie-dye cake mix and it lit a fire in Julianna that she wanted "a tie-dye party".  We baked the cake Saturday night and after much oohing and aahing the decision was made - no frosting.  The cake was much too beautiful on it's own.  

[I had no idea the color pattern would stay as clear as it did, even after baking.  In retrospect I should have coached the bakers towards using the colors to paint a "9" or a "J" ... we just had a meandering river look going on!]

We tie dyed used colored sharpie markers and rubbing alcohol.  It worked awesome.  Instead of pillowcases or t shirts (vetoed by Julianna, too humdrum) we chose to tie-dye "banners".  I bought a stack of white restaurant napkins and they worked nicely.  

I have pictures but they won't load, hopefully I can come back later and add them.  It really was a fun activity, perfect for my craft loving daughter!  

After the tie dye slowed down we got ready for cake!  A few of the dads had been outside with littler children (no sharpie markers for my John Paul, thankyouverymuch!) and we all gathered to sing and eat.  

These children (and their parents) are among our dearest friends here.  

Such joy to celebrate this daughter of ours together with them.  Julianna's got more celebrating on the horizon too!  We'll do a little something on her actual birthday (the 23rd).  

I'm so thankful for this beautiful little lady, my firstborn.   Happy almost-9th-birthday Julianna!