Stepping Out in Faith: Addison's 5th Birthday Party

Addison's birthday was a little different this year than all the years prior. It was her 5th, which is a big milestone, so we wanted to make it special. However, we had just recently moved to Utah, not really knowing anyone, and hadn't completely gotten settled, what are we supposed to do about a birthday party? So, after long discussions, we decided to have Addison's party in Texas because our nephew, Nathan, was having his 1st birthday that same weekend, and the first birthday is a milestone also. The only bad thing about having her birthday back in Texas was Chad was unable to be there. So, Addison got to celebrate her birthday for several days.

In order to get back to Texas, we had to fly. The day before we flew out, we celebrated Addison's birthday in Salt Lake City with all four of us. We drove into Salt Lake and checked in to the Hilton Hotel close to the airport. Addison was so excited to stay in a hotel. After we got checked in, we walked a few blocks from our hotel and found the train. We took the train all through Salt Lake into a suburb called Sandy. It was about a 30 minute train ride. The kids thought it was so cool! Once we got off the train we were right across from Joe's Crab Shack, where Addison could eat all the shrimp she wanted, which is her favorite. We told the waitress it was her birthday, so they sang to her while she stood up in her seat and wore a purple boa, a tiara, and had a wand. I think she enjoyed it. After we filled our belly with yummy food, we got back on the train and headed back to our hotel. When we got back, we called room service and ordered cookies and milk and Addison got to open her presents from us. It was a great day to celebrate our little girl and to have Chad there with us.

Redy to leave the Hilton

Riding the train

Being sang to

Opening presents

The storytelling, singing Belle doll she wanted

Eating cookies and drinking milk with her Belle doll

The next morning we got on a plane and headed to Texas where we got to spend time with our families and celebrate two special birthdays, Nathan's on Saturday and Addison's on Sunday. We had Addison's birthday at Big Daddy and Grammy's house, where she specifically said she wanted it. We had all of our family there to celebrate her Tangled birthday! We had yummy cake and homemade orange creamsicle ice cream, opened presents, and let go of gold balloons to repesent the lanterns being let go in the Tangled movie. I wish I had Addison's face on video when we let the balloons go. It was priceless. She had the biggest smile on her face as she watched them float away in the sky.