The Fancy Five Party

Question: How many times can you say fancy in one blog post?

Fancy Gabriella's Explorer Extraordinaire 5th Birthday!

Fancy girl on the fancy throne

If you are not familiar with the Fancy Nancy books written by Jane O'Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser (and yes I have that memorized from reading them so many times) then you probably won't understand this party. Fancy Nancy is a fancy girl stuck in a plain family that proceeds to help them and everything else in her life become fancy. Think accessories and words you have to look up in the dictionary. They are excellent books. Well written and illustrated and great vocabulary builders, particularly for children who already have well-developed vocabularies.

Anyhow, so Uncle Jeff and Aunt Marion joined us for the weekend and we had a fancy time with them going to the zoo, Green City Market, Hot Doug's for Papa's birthday (which is not to be overlooked!) Can you say FORTY?!, the party, etc. and the creation of Nicholas's infatuation with Uncle Jeff and zebras... So enjoy the photos and sorry they are six weeks late.

"I can't believe it's finally here!"

Leading the fancy explorer walk


The fancy group of Explorer's Extraordinaire



Getting ready for the walk


Instructions from Dapper Papa, via Fancy Nancy of course, on how to be fancy explorers


Over the top Fancy Nancy Cake

The fancy buffet

Our fancy family

Lovin' my Papa...
and did you know I pretty much wore the long-awaited birthday crown all day!

My very own CandyLand! Which BTW I have made up my own game rules...
(Notice the fancy outfit)

Cupcake time at Pre-K


A very special visitor read the birthday girl's book choice
"Farmer Cap" to go with the current farm theme




Our two fancy artists painting together
(yes, Nicholas thinks he's ready for Pre-K)

I love it when my brother is fancy

Answer: 19

Every silly witch needs a black cat

Here are more Halloween pictures than you could have hoped to see. Pictures in front of our building, carving jack o'lanterns (Ella was the artist of the face), Pre-K class, Gabriella with her teachers, on the train/bus to/from/at Chicagoween, after trick-or-treating, etc. in no particular order.

Will post about Ella's birthday and Apple Picking soon...I hope.