Mark turns 5

I thought turning 30 was a big deal but having your son turn 5 somehow makes things feel older. That number seems so grown up for a kid. Life changes huge for them or at least it seems like it. Mark had 5 friends at his 5Th party and had a hard time deciding if it should be pirates, batman or spider man. Finally it just became all three themes at a bowling alley. The kids were all asked to dress up in costumes. Three girls and Kyla all were princesses and there was a Knight, a Spider man and Mark was Batman. All very fun. Bowling with 4-5 year old was fun to watch. One of them had never done it before and one is in a league bowling on a weekly basis. The skill level was all over the board, but I was totally impressed with Mark and he actually won (no cheating either for the birthday boy). He got some great gifts and loves the computer games, many spider man toys, Nerf gun (smaller version of Joel and Josh's) and hot wheel cars.

We had got him a baseball bat and t-ball set and a batman toy car.

Thanks to Auntie Mel and Uncle Don and J&J for the cool cars and nice sweater

Thanks to Grandpa Ernie and Grandma Carolyn for the Sorry game and CD player to listen to music and stories on CD. I think we've played the Sorry game 4 times this week already. He loves it! Even Kyla can count so she plays too.

Grandma Joan had got him a jump before leaving for China and Mark was very excited. He asked for it last year and we said no your only 4. At Christmas we said no again - too much snow and he only mentioned it once just a day or two before his birthday when he saw his buddy with one.

From Marianne and Mark he picked out a very cool new helmet and a Tonka truck set. (sorry no picture yet)

Man this kid got blessed this year!!

my BIG birthday

Turning 30 for some reason was a big deal for me. I've been dropping hints for a few months that I wanted something big for a celebration but Ray was adamit that he doesn't do big birthday parties. I had ideas or was willing to plan my own party but everything was no,no, no. I actually believed him even up until the evening of my birthday. The girls that I craft with monthly had thrown a small surprise birthday party which was super nice but even than I belived Ray was going to put it off. Along he said we were too busy and with the reno's and all we could celebrate later.... The night of my birthday I was so mad we were not doing anything I went to excercise with some girlfriends and was totally planning on going out some where with them. Some how Ray convinced me to come home for cake with the kids so I did. Ray actually baked the cake himself and Mark and him iced it together. We couldn't find candles with 3-0 so Mark went looking everywhere and ended up having 3 tall candles, and the #3 and the respite girl I look after put on the # 1 and 2 other candles. In otherwords there was tons of candles on my cake and it was funny...I walked into a house full of family and friends. Man they totally got me. I'm obviously not a good one for surprise parties as I was sooooo grumpy but EXTREMELY happy they pulled it off. I think that will be the last surprise birthday Ray will put on for me for awhile - I had to appoligize huge. Thanks to everyone who pulled it off.