3rd birthday celebration(s)

It's been a loooong 4 days of birthday celebrations here! I didn't realize how having a toddler's birthday on Tuesday, but the birthday party on the Saturday prior, would drag out. We had such a special time, especially because Annika's "Grandma T" (my mom) came to visit. This was her first trip by herself, leaving Dad in the very capable hands of the nursing home. He did have several visitors that checked in on him daily, and managed just fine.

Mom arrived Friday night, and Saturday was Annika's party. We are so thankful for all the family and friends that came to celebrate her day. We tried to keep it a "small" party, but each year it has gotten a little bigger. We enjoyed a casual lunch of "Valley Dogs" - a great recipe for hot dogs that I'll admit I was skeptical of, but they were a hit! Lots of people have asked for the recipe, so I'll share, but please don't judge. These won't show up on Weight Watchers or The World's Healthiest Foods anytime soon.

In a crockpot, combine one can of sauerkraut, one can of ketchup, a packet of French's Chili-O seasoning, a finely chopped onion, 1/2 c. brown sugar and 1 tablespoon mustard. Heat up this sauce and dump in as many hot dogs as you need. Let sit - the longer the better. Serve with buns, and spoon a heap of the sauce on top. Another tip: don't wear a white shirt when eating these!

So, on to the rest of the weekend...on Sunday we recovered from the festivities, did a little shopping with Grandma T, and practiced riding her new "big girl" bike.




Monday was an exciting day for Annika. After breakfast, we headed to the Georgia Aquarium. Annika was amazed by the whales, sharks, penguins and sea turtles. We had lunch at the aquarium, then headed to Trader Joe's and The Whole Nine Yarns for a little afternoon shopping. I got some great Rowan Cocoon in Emerald green to make a cowl for the MSU vs. Purdue game in November! Although it's still 90 degrees here, I'm channeling the 50 degree temps that I'm hoping for on game day...



On Tuesday (Annika's birthday) we lounged around the house, and then headed to the Victorian Rose Tea Room for a tea party. Even Lee was able to leave school for a little bit and join us!



We came back home and spent the afternoon playing with many of Annika's new toys, knitting and relaxing. We met up with Lee after the PMS football game at the Dwarf House (aka "the restaurant with the little door") for chicken nuggets - Annika's favorite. I don't think she could have asked for a better birthday week! Grandma T headed home this morning, and made the drive in one day again. We are so thankful that she came to visit, and can't wait to head up to Michigan over the holidays to see the rest of the family! Annika has already packed her new princess umbrella and game to take with us...