Happy Birthday Maren!

Today we celebrated our six year old by inviting six friends over for a baking birthday party. The little ladies made "Cat Paw Pizzas" and "Ladybugs on a Stick." To end on a sweet note, they dipped pretzel rods into chocolate and sprinkles. They had a wonderful time together making and baking their lunch.

As I think of Maren's first six years, I am grateful for what she has taught me. She has blessed my life in many simple ways, here are six:
1. Her sweet disposition and sensitivity toward others
2. Her desire for order and cleanliness
3. Her spunky, energetic personality
4. Her desire to make good choices
5. Her ambition and excitement to learn new things
6. Her love for Nathan and Sarah

PARTY RECIPES

Ladybugs On A Stick
Strawberries
Purple or Green Grapes
Wooden Skewers
1 package mini-morsel chocolate chips

Directions:
Place a wooden skewer, sliding it all the way to the end of the stick. That is the ladybug’s head. Next, place a strawberry on the skewer, stem end first, and slide it down to touch the grape. This is the ladybug’s body. Lay the ladybug down and carefully push the pointed end of several chocolate chip mini-morsels into the strawberry to make the ladybug’s spots. Repeat until stick is full.

Cat Paw Pizzas
(Makes 8)
1 can large sized biscuits
8 pepperoni slices
Grated cheese
Pizza sauce (optional)
Bell Pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Snip 4 cuts on one edge of each biscuit with scissors to form “cat toes.” Flatten out biscuits, pull toes apart. Put on optional pizza sauce. Sprinkle grated cheese on top and finish with a pepperoni slice on the top of cheese. Add optional pepper claws at the tip of each toe. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Candy Coated Cat Tails
1 pound melting chocolate
1 bag large pretzel rods
Assorted sprinkles

Melt chocolate according to package directions. Dip or drizzle candy coating on pretzel rods and decorate with lots of sprinkles.