Wolny Bday Party w/ Picaku Cake

Nick got to celebrate his birthday with his cousins, which of course included showing them his new ipad. He got a basketball and coloring gear and a new game. After a yummy sweedish meetballs dinner, came Picaku cake! Nick loved his cake!

6 Year Old Birthday Cake

So excited for his birthday! I was lazy and make a margarita cake for his actual birthday. It was something different and super yummy!

 The fort needed some reinforcing (clothes pins to the rescue!) but all three boys did sleep in it all night long...

A Birthday Fort and A Present

Instead of having a friends party, Nick got to have one friend spend the night. His little bff, Jake came over and the boys were all very good. Before school, though, Ben and Nick built a huge fort in the living room. It was a Pokemon center and was where the boys were going to sleep that night. It was a pretty impressive fort, and I think they all slept through the night, even with the storms. 

And Nick got his birthday present - his very own iPad. The last picture is the look on his face when he realized I put a passcode on it. Denied! 

Happy 6th Birthday, Nick!

And then my baby was 6 :(  Nick turned 6 and he couldn't have been more excited! He was lucky enough to have his birthday fall on a Friday, so he got pancakes for breakfast, with a candle. It was a Pokemon themed birthday, and I was able to find a Pokemon balloon, even. He asked for Pikachu cookies for his class treat. I did my best. I think the kids knew what it was supposed to be. 

The Tricia Court Slow Rollers

The Tricia Court Slow Rollers - that's what I'm calling the cul de sac bike gang. Again, when it's 60° and sunny, you evacuate the houses! I think at one point we had all 15 kids in the cul de sac in the circle playing! 

You Say It's February??

You say it's February, yet the weather says May. And I'll take it! We had a week of 60-70° weather and we took full advantage. And, the weather had great timing - a 4 day weekend for the boys! They played outside for probably a total of 36 hours over the course of 4 days. I refused to let them be in the house. Sunday we took a bike ride over to the park - the park that we should be sledding at this time of year, but instead are playing on the playground in short sleeves! Woohoo! 

2nd Grade Valentine's Party

As the room mom for Ben's class, I went in to help with the Valentine's party this year. This was actually the first one I had ever been to. The kids passed out Valentine's beforehand (cut out that insanity), so we could have fun playing games and eating a treat. The kids were on such a sugar/gluten high - they had doughnuts after Junior Achievement and then cupcakes for their party snack. Some were smart and took one or both home. My child was not one of the smart ones. He ended up with a tummy ache. 

Another mom came in and did the games. She had great games! Better than I would have come up with. The kids had lots of fun and all went home to a sugar coma. 

Pre Superbowl Power Nap

After partying hard in Cleveland for Elaina's baptism, both boys were asleep in the car before we even got out of Cleveland. They power napped the whole way home so they could watch the Superbowl. They still went to bed thinking the Falcon's were going to win (Ben was very sad).

Elaina Gets Baptized

We celebrated Elaina's baptism on Super Bowl Sunday this year. We all went to church at St. Mary's in Chardon and afterward, had the baptism ceremony. It was nice because Elaina was the only baptism that day. She had a super pretty dress and really liked playing in the baptisimal font :) The deacon was great - he gave each of the kids a job so they could be a part of the ceremony. Ben read the petitions, Nick and Eva both handed him a bottle of the holy oil and chrism. Adam and I were honored to be Elaina's god parents :)