Our Birthday Boy is FIVE!

Our special day for Nicholas started with Daddy-decorations: balloons, streamers, birthday flags. You name it, Tom uses it to decorate. The stairway streamers were a new addition this year.

Nicholas got to choose the meals for the whole day. Breakfast was breakfast quesadillas, and lunch was....sandwiches! I bought this sandwich cutter a few months ago, hoping to entice him into eating sandwiches to no avail. But the dolphin/heart cutter is back, and was requested today.

I finished most of the cake during nap/rest time, but the kids helped by putting on the raspberries and the sprinkles. Nicholas' requirements for the cake were that it had to be raspberry, pink, green and blue. I remade the strawberry cream cake I made for his 4th birthday with raspberries instead, tinted the icing pink, and had them cover it with blue and green sprinkles. What would we do without sprinkles?!?

He had me make homemade macaroni and cheese with peas for dinner. In a pink bowl of course.

The big moment...

Charlotte was NOT, I repeat NOT happy that it was not her birthday, or that she couldn't just have cake for dinner.

Once we finally got around to eating the cake, all became well in the world once again.

Nicholas has inherited my eat-every-last-bite-of-cake gene.

Presents! (Charlotte pretends to be interested, but really just keeps working on her cake)

His present from us was a new set of golf clubs so we adjourned the party to the outdoors to try them out. He got his last clubs on his 3rd birthday, and it was (conveniently) time to move up to the next size. Now he has five clubs in his bag. Watch out!

Birthday Boy

Style Diva

As one of our last days before the hectic school year begins, Nicholas requested a "jammie day" today. We had nowhere to be, so jammie day it was. Charlotte was happily going along with the plan until she spotted a birthday shirt in the basement that her Aunt Libby had sent for her to wear in October. With all the birthday talk the last week, Charlotte was feeling a little left out and decided she NEEDED (a big word for her these days) to wear it. So off went the footie pajamas and on went the birthday shirt. To accompany it? Oh the rain boots her Aunt Erin had sent. It was hand-me-down heaven day for her. How happy it she??

Bumper Crop

I'll start by saying that we have been completely ignoring our back patio as it is full of pipes for Tom's water project (to be discussed in a future post, I'm sure). It is a disaster back there and I just try to pretend that it doesn't exist. That being said, Tom and the kids ventured out amidst the weeds today and found that the strawberry plants we put in last year have popped up and are kicking out some berries. The kids were thrilled to be eating things that we actually had grown, however inadvertently. Maybe someday we'll attempt a real garden!

The boys hunting

Success!

The perfect outfit for the day!

Future Doctors/Handymen

Today Nicholas put on his doctor outfit (left over from his tubes surgery). Charlotte was not happy about the fact that we only have one set of "scrubs". She was placated with a spare shoe cover as a hat. They started using the doctor kit, but really, how many times can you check in each others ears and give each other shots? So they moved on to the tools box, which has much more variety. Luckily they used the tools to "do some work" on the fireplace and the floor and not each other. Judging from the above picture, they certainly take their work seriously.

Cat Class Farewell

In lieu of going to school on our last day, the Cat class and their families met at a park for a farewell picnic.

Nicholas and Ms. Jamey whom he adored (somehow I missed getting a picture with his other teacher Ms. Sally)

Jack Gunther, Nicholas and Logan

Charlotte tried to play with the boys...

but got distracted by the availability of CheezIts

Jack Rollo and Nicholas in a serious game of "bolleyball" as Nicholas calls it

The gang - Logan, Jack Gunther, Nicholas, Jack Rollo and Henry

We were so lucky to be with such wonderful children and teachers this year. Nicholas and I both made some great friends.

Adios Music Friends!

Today was the last day of music class. Five of us have been together for 3 years, so it's a little sad to say goodbye for the summer. One of our friends, Katherine, is moving to the UK at the end of the summer, so it really is the end of an era. We'll miss you!

Mrs. Love and our class

The fab five (minus our friend Grant) - Nicholas, Daniel, Lily and Katherine

A House Full of Kings

Tom's brother, Tim, and his family came through town as they made their way from Albuquerque to their new home in Maryland near DC. The kids really enjoyed the time with their King cousins!

Charlotte instantly bonded with Bella, who had to be sequestered in her crate to keep dog/cat interaction to a minimum.

Nicholas and Andrew have a mutual love of puzzles.

On our one full day, we took the whole gang to Grant's Farm. Emily was the sweetest big girl cousin!

Because of the heat, they had the misters turned on. The kids LOVED it!

A wet bunch, and the closest we came to a cousin picture. Charlotte kept running away!

(Ryan, Emily, Andrew, Nicholas and Jordon)

She was excited that the baby camels were now feeding at the fence with their mothers.

Jordon, Andrew, Nicholas and Emily

Daddy/Uncle Tom in story-teller mode.

After visiting with us, they continued on their way to Maryland. We wish them the best of luck in their new home and city!