"I Can Read!" Celebration

It's FRIDAY! 

Wahoo! Friday in itself is a reason to celebrate

so we have decided that Fridays will

be our day to share our celebrations!

There is nothing we love more than to 

throw a good party! (Julia, more so than Jessica!)

Between our 9 kids we can probably

share a different party for several months! 

We don't hire caterers or 

companies to decorate. (not when I have Julia!)

We don't spend a fortune. 

We just try to make every

celebration detailed and unique. 

We feel it's important to listen to what 

the kids want and make their day special.

And sometimes we just throw a 
party because we want to celebrate!

In honor of back to school, we are going 

to share Nixon and Julianna Marie's

"I Can Read" Celebration. 

A few years ago when John Mark was in Kindergarten, I (Jessica) watched him struggle through learning to read.  (Later, we discovered he needed glasses.)  At the end of the school year, he was pretty down on school. (This is before we started homeschooling!)  I didn't want his year to end so badly and I certainly didn't want him to not like school.  It was then that I decided to throw him a "I Can Read" party!  I sent out some request to friends and family to participate by sending their favorite book (as you will see below).  And the first "I can read" party was born.  I can still remember how John Mark's face lit up when he got home that day.  (We lived in NC with no family around so it was just the girls and I!)  He still talks about it and reads his books to this day. I can't think of many better reasons to celebrate than learning to read!  I think the only thing that makes me smile even brighter is knowing that my son's favorite book to read is the Bible. God has instilled in him a deep desire to seek wisdom.  

This year, it was Julianna-Marie and Nixon 

who was finishing up Kindergarten.  

We were so proud of them both for learning to read. 

In April, we sent out little messages 

to several of our close friends and family. 

My note (Julia) said something like the following:

"Hi! Jared and I are so excited and proud of Nixon. She has worked really hard the past several months and we want to do something special for her for learning to read! So we are throwing her an "I Can Read" celebration at the beginning of May. 

I am asking that her favorite friends and family send her either a book you think she might like or one that maybe you enjoyed reading as a child. Please write a special note to her inside the book. Don't worry about the reading level. I would really like for her to get all types of books. (Right now she loves listening to her daddy read a chapter of The Hobbit each night but she also loves being able to read to us lower level books!)

We really want to instill a love of reading in Nixon and we hope this celebration helps! This is a surprise party so don't say anything to her!"

We then got to party planning!

We kept the decor simple. 

I (Julia) had seen wreaths made out of book pages on Pinterest and decided to try to make one of my own. I bought children books at the Dollar store for $1 and tore the pages out.

Honestly, the middle was a little

messy so I covered it with

a Dr. Seuss quote.

This is now hanging in the

reading corner of our playroom.

I stumbled on this canvas in the

Hobby Lobby clearance aisle.

Perfect find!

We found cute reading quotes 

online and framed them. 

John Mark made a few

signs with his Legos.

We made party hats 

with book pages and lace.

I think they turned out 

super cute!

My favorite part was the food! 

All the food went with

a theme of a book. It was quite easy to plan.

"A Bad Case of Stripes" Cake!

"Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See?"

Teddy Grahams and Chocolate Chip Dip

"The Rainbow Fish"

Rainbow Goldfish

"If You Give A Pig A Party"

Pigs in a Blanket

"The Very Hungry Caterpillar"

Fruit with a Fruit Caterpillar

"Who Took the Cookie

from the Cookie Jar?"

Chocolate Chip Cookies

"Amelia Bedelia, Bookworm"

Gummy Worms

"Ladybug Girl"

Crackers with Cherry Tomatoes

and Black Olives

(kids favorite) 

"If You Take A Mouse To The Movies"

Popcorn and M&Ms

"If You Give A Moose A Muffin"

Muffins

"The Giving Tree"

Brocoli 

The food was fun and

delicious!

Jessica was in charge of party favors

and crafts. She ordered most 

everything from Oriental Trading. 

Each child recieved 

a book and cute bag!

In the bag, they got a few Reading Reward Cards.

(which has come in handy to get my girls to read) 

We go to Sweet Fogs when it is

full! They also got a pencil, 

handwriting booklet, and End-Of-Year Journal!

The party was set to go!

Our two guests of honor

arrived not knowing what

was about to take place!

Everyone hid to 

prepare to yell

"SURPRISE!"

And the party began!

They were so excited!

I think these two were only

 really excited when they realized

 they were next up on the reading train!

Jane Maddy joined in the fun.

We ate!

Julianna-Marie stole a 

cookie from the cookie jar!

The worms were a huge hit!

After we ate Nixon and Julianna

read a short book to everyone. 

It was then Craft Time!

The kids made bookmarks.

Then the kids wrote

their very own giant book!

It was then time to 

open up the presents (books)!

They received so many great books! 

From classics, to childhood favorites 

to devotionals!

I wish I could have caught all 

of Julianna-Marie's expressions

 and reactions.  She was so full of joy!  

She slept with her books for

 weeks and still carries them around with her!

Nixon's grandmother

sent a few of her daddy's

childhood favorite books!

Junie B. Jones was a definite 

favorite!

This was one of my favorite's 

as a child (Jessica).  I can't wait

 for them to be a little older to read this series.

I LOVED that Nixon's

kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Rose from Alabama

had each child in Nixon's 

class write a page and make a book 

for her. It was sooo special.  

(and still makes me cry when I read it) 

They received their 1st 

devotional.

Although Julianna-Marie can read well, 

I think she simply has these 3 memorized!  

She reads them OVER and OVER and OVER!

They loved all the 

books they received!

Nixon with all her books.

After opening books,

I read "A Bad Case of Stripes".

We then ate cake!!!

Everyone had a wonderful time. It actually 

got all the kids excited about reading!

We are so proud of our little readers!

And very blessed to live

so close to cousins to celebrate 

all of life's blessings!