Another Birthday in the Books!

Well, wouldn't you know it . . . somebody had a birthday this week! It's becoming strange to me to see how many memories we've made in this house. It's felt so temporary all along, but the kids have really done some significant growing up in our current location!

Little Buddy was perhaps the most excited that his brother had a birthday. His rendition of Happy Birthday (with a microphone in hand) put us all to shame . . . in fact, we were too busy giggling to do much singing at all. Really, we weren't necessary because G was providing music, dancing, and entertainment in one energetic package :)

Sibling 1--super excited it is morning and it is BIRTHDAY TIME!!!

Sibling 2---not so much ;)

This was part of the reason G was so excited to get the party started--with his own money, he bought B this really cool LEGO book that gives illustrations and instructions for architectural wonders of ancient history through now. In fact, the whole first half is filled with buildings we're studying in school. I love it when a plan comes together!

Another birthday surprise--dad took a vacation day! All the fun plans they thought were postponed til Friday were happening NOW! Yes! Buck made a big breakfast (D's eggs, farm bacon, chocolate chip pancakes) and we packed up the van for . . .

 . . . LASER TAG! Always a birthday favorite :)

The guy running the place said I could stand on the 'deck' and take pictures. This is what my pictures look like :) Glowing, blinking family members running by "phasering" each other. They had a "blast" and came out sweating, ha! They were the only ones playing, so that was fun . . . no strangers to wrangle with.

This time around, B decided to forego the other activities available at said location, and instead head to the woods. Well, first we stopped to get lunch at a deli we discovered in Galveston on our spring break trip. The kids like it because you get free ice cream :) But then we headed for the WOODS . . . oh, wait. No we didn't. Caelan needed a craft supply and since we were near a craft store (we didn't find what she needed, boo!) AND THEN . . . nope, wait. We were also near the gun emporium where Buck got his shotgun, so we wandered around there for a good 45 minutes. And THEN (for real) . . .

The woods! Well, this part was a bird rehab place, but it was really neat to wander through . . . and I do enjoy a good educator discount ensuring return trips in the future :)

Somebody really liked the musical instruments in the woods :)

Birthday boy shares a tune (notice his admiring audience in the background :)

We liked the boardwalk . . . though B prefers off-roading. We did some of that too, but at racecar pace. Those boys were hiking with cake at home in mind ;)

We did pause several times to observe wildlife--a red-headed woodpecker, a turkey we could have tickled, loads of squirrels, and (hunting practice for the lads and ladies . . .)

Can you see what we see?

This one is even easier to see :) A mama and three deer children were wandering the woods; when the little ones failed to keep pace, mama came back and BIT them, ha! Aren't you glad we don't have to parent that wild way :)

Awww . . . I wish my sweetheart had more moments like this in his week. Sleeping in the bird watching room while the kids play nearby.

We headed home for cake and gifts, oh right and the "steak, potatoes, and green beans" requested by our boy for his special dinner :) C made the cake the night before (between karate and art lessons, whew!) It turned out really tasty! But the powdered sugar kind of melted into the frosting, so we had to re-powder the day of B's birthday. The second round was not quite as crisp, line-wise, but still tasty (I did a similar cake the last time he requested a football-themed birthday day :)

So handsome!

Check out the identical eyebrow action on G$ and his dad, lol! Gift opening was a lot of fun; the kids were very thoughtful in their gift-giving this year--not an actual LEGO in sight :)

Oh but first, his gift from Grandma J . . . he opened the card and discovered some cash for new brown boots! I said, "give me the cash, and you get your next gift" :) We had a coupon that expired last week, so I let him pick out a pair of brown boots online. They arrived, I wrapped them, and he waited til his birthday to see what they look like in person.

I think they sent a men's size 7 rather than a kid's (like I ordered) because I CAN FIT in these boots--comfortably. We're planning to swap them out a local version of the online store this weekend :)

Here is the big gift from his family! C bought him the Old Timer knife he's been scouting at gun shows and talking about for MONTHS. Gab got him a leather finger shield. His dad and I got him the whittling book and wood to get started. Today he used these things for the first time. He came in with two hands dripping blood and said, "Mom, I'm not having very much fun." Poor dude! We got him super-glued shut and bandaged up (he said, "We should take another picture with all my stuff AND my bandaids on my fingers." :) He also said, "There's blood all over the concrete; it looks like someone hunted out there." He's decided to wait for a full leather glove to keep things safe for future whittling adventures.

  Here are a few of the designs the siblings came up with for football décor. I super love that they do all the decorating the night before! They are so creative (that 18 guy is taller than me!)