Hannah's First Holy Communion

Getting ready to go!  We left that crazy, unpredictable little monster, Drew, with the neighbor so we could relax and enjoy the Mass with Hannah.  Some days he is fine in Mass, but some days we have to take him out multiple times and we didn't want to risk that on this special day.  Hopefully, by next year when it is Genna's turn he will be much more predictable and better behaved during Mass.

 Hannah and I rose with the chickens this morning to get her crown braid done before anyone else woke up. I didn't want to be rushing on this special day.  She wanted to put on lip gloss and unfortunately got some pink lip glos on her white dress before we left.  I tried to get it out with Oxiclean, but I only lightened it up.  Luckily, it was int he folds and not on the bodice of the dress.  Dry cleaners, here we come!

She was very excited!

Banners displayed

Hannah was waiting downstairs with the other first communicants.  

She was a little nervous about this part since she only knows one kid in the whole group.    She didn't really want me to leave, but she handled it like a champ.

Brian sneaked this picture since they didn't want us taking photographs .  They want us to buy them from the professional photographer instead.  

The girls with Father Charlie

 During Mass, Genna told me how excited she was for her sister which was just so cute to see.  I definitely got teary eyed multiple times starting right as they processed, but I really cried when Hannah ran up to me after Mass and buried her face in my dress to weep with joy.  How happy it makes my heart to see how exciting and meaningful this day was to her!

Our whole family after we got back home and picked up Drew, but this is before the all day party ensued.

"Hurry and take this picture so I can get out of this dress and play, Mom!"

Hannah chose this cake design from a selection I gave her to look at on my Pinterest "First Communion" board.

We had many friends join us to celebrate with brats (homemade by our friend who was raised in Germany), hot dogs, a veggie tray, a cheese and cracker tray, chips and homemade salsa, another fruit display "cake" which I forgot to get a picture of this time, and cake, of course.

My layout and design of the cake- I found the idea for this cake here.  

I changed the cake up to use jellybeans for the Hail Mary beads and Mentos for the Our Father beads.  I did, however, venture out and experiment with fondant to make the Bible and the cross.  It was not nearly as difficult as I had imagined.  I couldn't find purple fondant, so I bought the icing spray on color and colored the Bible and cross this way.  I made those on the Tuesday before the party.

For you amateur cake decorators out there, like me, who may be curious about the details of the making of the cake, I made three round cakes and stacked them with icing layers in between.  I iced the whole cake in buttercream icing (Wilton's recipe) and barely had enough icing even with having a double batch.  Then I did a shell border around the bottom.  I added dots with the smaller dot tip (don't recall the number) and placed pearl sprinkles individually on each dot.  I used these to cover any imperfections in the cake and was much happier when I had done that with the result.  I was at first frustrated at how much time and energy I had put into this cake to have crumbs showing through all because I ran out of icing (and the ingredients to make more icing.)  I even managed to write "God bless Hannah" like I was requested to, without messing up the whole cake.

The favors (behind the cake in a vase) were just purple flower lollipops and First Communion pencils that I purchased at Party City.  I tied a note with a picture of St. Clare of Assisi onto the lollipops.

I made the Fig Newton Bibles that I found here at Shower of Roses.  I don't know if you can see the vases of silk flowers in water, but I got that idea from here.  I already had purple and white silk flowers, and the vases were cheap at Walmart.

Hannah had so many wonderful friends give her such thoughtful gifts.  She got jewelry, icons, a personalized ornament, a Bible, a prayr box, and may other beautiful things.   We got her a crucifix necklace and a little one that stands up in addition to the quilt I made her.  Next post, I promise.  This one is getting too long!

The next day, at Sunday Mass, Genna was so sad that she has to wait a whole year to receive Jesus in Holy Communion.  She's like my little Blessed Imelda.  Then Hannah leans over to me right before we go up when she realizes that the extraordinary ministers of Communion on our side don't know she can have Communion now and asks if they will give it to her.  I reminded her about the whole not crossing your arms anymore and she was comforted by that.  How sweet!