Door County

We started heading up to Door County to celebrate Elisabeth and Hank's birthdays with family in 2006. I really didn't want to be home that year since it was the first anniversary of Mom's death. I wanted to be long gone in a fun, happy place focusing my my kids' birthdays.

However, what started out as a one-time escape has now turned into a tradition that everyone enjoys (especially, me, I think!). I'm finishing up cake, laundry and lists for packing this evening and, if all goes well, we'll be on the road around lunchtime tomorrow.

I can't wait!

Hank's Birthday Wrap-Up

Phase one of birthday week is over. In some ways it's really nice to have two kids so close together to have one week of cake baking and cooking and also because they can share their family party (this coming weekend) but in others it's a pain (same reasons; cake baking, etc.),

Hank had a fun day Saturday. He had a soccer game, he went to the park with Joe and played baseball for a few hours, Joe took the three older kids to see Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and in the evening we all made our own mini-pizzas (the birthday boy's request).



Hank's request for Boston Creme Cake is always enjoyable because we all love how it tastes, but from an esthetic standpoint I never love how it looks. I know, I know. Not important. Hank was very happy with his cake.



He then opened a Matchbox car from Madeleine and a small rubber band propelled airplane from Elisabeth. Again, Joe and I will wait with Hank's present until this weekend when we're up in Door County with grandparents (and others).

Does anyone want some cake? Between Elisabeth and Hank's birthdays this past week we're swimming in lots of delicious cake!

Birthday Follow-Up

Don't worry, if you're sick of hearing about Elisabeth, tomorrow we'll switch gears to Hank since he turns seven tomorrow.

How did the birthday girl celebrate? She went to preschool in the morning and after the kids came in from their hike (an impressive hour and thirty minutes in the rain!) Caroline and I visited the classroom (big kids were with Dad and Diana). We picnicked on the floor and Elisabeth was awarded the special treat of holding a beach ball of the earth and walking around a big, felt sun cut-out in the middle of the picnic four times as the kids sang a song about the earth going around the sun. Then she blew out a birthday candle as the kids sang happy birthday and then ate their snack (whole grain crackers and bananas).

Afterwards we met a friend for a special birthday lunch at Boston Market (I have no idea why E wanted to go here; we rarely ever go, and it's been months since we were there). The kids had a great time!

The necklace she's wearing was given to her at preschool as a birthday gift. There's a "4" on the other side.

The party continued at our house after by having a play date. The best part? No bossy older brothers and sisters telling the two friends how to play!

While the kids played and Caroline slept, I whipped up an angel food cake for the birthday dinner that evening. That evening, as I finished a batch of Fannie Farmer's Seven Minute Frosting, E walked in and decided she wanted to frost her cake. "Really, Elisabeth, are you sure you wouldn't rather do something more fun?" I pleaded, I cajoled, but it wasn't to be. Elisabeth wanted to frost her own cake. For those of you who know me well, you know I about died. I am not an artist, I never pretend to be, but if I were, food is my palate. Imagine, if you will, working on a painting if you're inclined that way, and having your four-your-old daughter ask if she could help you touch it up when you were almost finished. Yeah, that's how I feel about cooking and the cake. But I let her. Everyone should be proud of me.

She did a pretty good job though, no? (I did clean up the edges of the platter once she finished, and she allowed Madeleine to help with the sprinkles.

And, like I said yesterday, we feasted on grilled cheese sandwiches and broccoli. After E blew out her candles (five because our family has always added one for good luck ever since I can remember) she then opened presents from Madeleine and Hank that they had saved their own allowances to buy. She will open her present from Joe and me next weekend in Door County, but Madeleine and Hank were too excited about the gifts they'd chosen to wait (a knock-off Barbie from Madeleine who announced after E opened it, "It cost THREE dollars!", and a play cell phone a remote key chain thing from Hank).

Elisabeth went to bed exhausted, but very content with her fun day.

Back to Bed

Last night Joe and I took all three kids to a pool party that started at 8:30 p.m. Our kids are pretty flexible, bedtime-wise, and neither Joe or I really thought twice about it. The kids played and swam with friends until it was time to leave (around 10:30 p.m.) and went immediately to bed when we got home. At no time in the evening did I have second thoughts about going, or about taking the kids. They were well-behaved all evening, and all five of us had a wonderfully fun time.

But this morning? Oh. My. Goodness. All three kids slept in and yet still, the shrieking! the fighting! the whining! Ugh. We're suffering from a major pool party hangover here, folks.

Madeleine's Ninth Birthday

First off, let's just get this out of the way: I can't believe I have a nine-year-old daughter. Nine! For some reason her turning nine has been a hard to digest number. It just seems so old (kid-wise).

But today is the little girl's birthday. Today she is, in fact, nine-years-old. If you're interested, her birthday story is here. Today the neighborhood children will come over for cupcakes and lemonade in our backyard (if anyone who is not a neighbor and would like to come, just give me a call and let me know!) and tonight, as a family, we will pour over Madeleine's baby book and reminisce about her birth.

Yesterday, though, we celebrated the event, one day early. In attendance were grandparents, a great aunt, aunts, uncles, cousins and godparents who were all gracious enough to make what was, for some, a two hour trip. It was such a perfect day.

On the way home from church we stopped to pick up a large balloon bouquet. A few made it outside, but most loomed over the food table.



By mid-afternoon we were ready to eat Madeleine's birthday request: BBQ ribs and sweet corn (and a lot else too, obviously).





The beautiful weather allowed us to take our heaping plates in the backyard and eat in the sunshine (good thing, too, since ribs are messy!).

Later we came in for cake.



Can you see the horse in the middle of the cake? Ace of Cakes I am not but, still, I thought it was pretty cool.



All in all a very nice day. Happy Birthday, NINE-year-old Madeleine!