Luly Turns 7

Well I guess that is that. There is no stopping her now, she just keeps getting older. I am just lucky she still likes to snuggle.

After school Gretchen's friend Braylie came to play.
She opened her "Walk the Dog" game and we had cake.

When she saw the yellow cake mix and chocolate frosting on the counter she exclaimed that she thought I should have gotten a pink cake and confetti frosting. Mike said to use the chocolate frosting so everyone else could enjoy the cake too. So I made the cake different colors on the inside. She was confident that the purple was the best part.

Grandma & Grandpa Ballard to Gretchen for her shopping trip. She was so excited. For quite a few days before, she kept asking me what she was going to wear. I kept asking her what she was going to get. She was consistent with her answer "I just see what I see & then I know!"

She loves "Justice" and couldn't wait to get some jewelry. Grandma said that she kept calculating what she had spent and how she could get the most for her money. Good thing there was a sell!

You can see that she is holding her drink from Javier's and her ice cream cup from Farr's Fresh (Did you know that she is the FIRST grandchild to choose Farr's Fresh for her dessert?) Well, if not, just ask her about it. She was delighted.

 

The book with the "G" is a diary, NOT a journal.

1 set of earrings, 2 bracelets, 3 necklaces, 1 diary with 2 keys and 2 "Gs", and of course some lip gloss. What a "girly girl" (That is what she is always telling me)

Her favorites, if she HAD to pick.

Here is her email from Grandpa & Grandma Hall:

It is finally here August 23 the day Gretchen came to earth seven years ago.  You have grown so big and guess what you don't have your binky anymore  Remember when we had to put it on some balloons and lift it into the air.  You had a hard time giving that up.  This morning before we leave to go out to the Kilungu Hills we wanted to write and tell you ten reasons we love Gretchen Eva Ballard:

We love your sweet smile and how your eyes light up when you are excited

We love the cowlick  in the front of your forehead that gave your mom a bit of a hair challenge but she always makes you look adorable

We love how tall you are getting, long arms and legs it a trade mark of your family

We love how you love to visit and share your thoughts feelings and upcoming events

We love that you  love babies and dolls and you were such a good momma

We love how you are always thinking, you plan ahead and think ahead not a trait that you grandma Sharon does to well

We love that you like to look nice and hope you remember that it's nice to look beautiful but its important that you are sweet and beautiful inside as well

We love that you attend church with you family and say your prayer.  We hope you know that the gospel will always help you choose the right.

We love you because you are so creative and clever, a trait you got from your good Mom

We love and appreciate that you are a good cousin and help them to have fun and but also make good choices.  You lead with your good example.  You are cautious and think things through.

We love that you love fun and going and doing.

We love you also because you are special not only to us but to Heavenly Father.  He saved you to come at this time on earth because you have special skills and talents he needs.  All of us made  promises to Heavenly Father of things we would do when we came to earth.  I wonder what you promised him you would do?  

On our mission we were told that when we do things that makes us feel good and happy  inside and our heart feels like it is growing then we are doing the things we told Heavenly Father we would do.  We feel this way about going on our mission.  Although it is hard, we both know it is what we promised we would do before we came to earth.  

Gretchen We love you and hope this coming school year you will choose good friends but also help others to be good.  Be patient with your friends and your brother and sister.  We are all just learning aren't we.  Have a great birthday sweetie.  

Love you Granny and Grandpa Bruce.