I'm Baaaack!... with a five-braid bun

See. This is what happens when life and being sick get in the way. My creative juices just weren't flowing -- not even in the kitchen. My poor family.
I'm usually so organized and have meals planned out but when I get sick, that all goes out the window and it's "Hello, Hamburger Helper." Not that the hubby or the daughter would ever complain about that. I admit that I have a prejudice against Hamburger Helper. To me it's something I cooked when it was just me or I didn't feel like cooking. So when Brian and I were married I NEVER made Hamburger Helper.
We were married about four months when he and Hannah actually asked me to please make Hamburger Helper :D He used to make it a lot when it was just the two of them and they actually missed it!
So now, I make it about once a month. Gives me a night off every once in a while and it makes them happy. And that's what being a wife, mom and friend is all about -- making people happy. And when making a boxed meal makes someone happy, I'm all for it.

With that in mind, today was the first "Fancy Friday" for Hannah's first grade class. The kids get to dress up if they want, learn "fancy" words and do "fancy" things. Hannah was so very excited and begged to wear a dress and a special style for her hair.
In case you didn't know, I love doing new styles with her hair. I comb the Internet, ok, I comb Pinterest, and find some really cute styles which I then modify for Hannah's hair.
Today, though, I wanted to do her hair in an updo, because it's supposed to be hot and she gets overheated at recess when her hair is down. So I chose to do a bun.
However, being me, I just couldn't leave it at a simple bun. So I created what I call a "five-braid bun." And she LOVED it.
See? Something simple to make her happy.

So here's the five-braid bun...

First I pulled her hair into a smooth pony tail in the center of her head. 

Then I took a small section of the pony tail and wrapped around the elastic holder, using bobby pins to secure the hair.

Next, I loosely braided the pony tail in five small braids.

Then, using bobby pins, I pinned the braids in loose loops above the pony tail.

Finally, I finished with little flowers to give it a little oomph.

Because it is a looser style, it starts out just a little "messy" so it doesn't matter that it will get a little looser as the day goes on.

Here are a couple more photos of the bun.