Happy Birthday, Todd!

Monday morning we had friends come over so their mom could go to an ultrasound appointment.  Her oldest loves to bake, a fact Josiah remembered after tasting one of her cupcakes at karate one day many months ago.  So, Josiah pulled out a box of sugar cookie mix and asked her if she'd like to make cookies.  She said she could try it, though she'd never made cookies from a box before.  She's 10.  She not only made cookies, but she showed Josiah how to knead the dough and then let the two littles help her make icing.  I had never known how to make an icing that hardens, so I was paying attention just like everyone else.  By the time they had to go home, we encouraged their mom to let us "watch" them again, so we could get a few more baking/cooking lessons in.  See, these homeschool kids, they're pretty special. :)

We had the opportunity to go to a play in Houston this week, Click-Clack Moo, Cows That Type, based off of a children's book.  Making it into the city, finding the theater, and parking was enough for me to feel it was a successful journey.  The kids did enjoy the play, though.  That evening, Todd was asking the kids lots of questions about how they liked it and Henry mentioned that he liked it, though he thought there would be real animals acting in it.  Caroline said she liked the songs, especially the one with the disco ball (which made it's appearance into one of Todd's birthday cards later in the week).
Before the play, while we were waiting on the wrong side of the theater, the boys balanced themselves on the bike racks.  Caroline gave it a try, spun herself around and hit her lip on the metal bar.  She's had a little purple bump on her lip since.  I think our kids just need to wear mouth guards until they're 18 and are responsible for their own teeth.

I took the kids to the grocery store one afternoon to get Todd some guacamole for his birthday.  (These are the types of gifts you get at his age.  Super exciting stuff.)  The cashier gave the kids "Buddy Bucks," which is always exciting (not so much) because you put a "buck" in the machine, the wheel spins, you hit a big red button to stop the wheel, and see how many points you get.  The most common point value you get is 2.  The prizes are a pencil pouch for 300 points and a bubble wand for 500 points.  This cashier gave the kids three bucks each which can take a good 15 minutes to go through.  This is also one of the reasons we do not frequent this particular grocery store.  If only it weren't for their homemade guacamole that is so, so good.  I digress.  Caroline put her second Buddy Buck in the machine, let it spin for a good while, slammed that red button down, and it landed on Instant Winner.  Now, if you have ever seen the Publisher's Clearinghouse Commercials and see the excitement in some of the winners, that was Caroline.  She was jumping up and down, shaking her fist in the air, saying very loudly, "I'm an instant winner!  I'm an instant winner!  That is so exciting!!"  You could not help but smile at the scene.  She had no idea what she'd won, she just knew she had.  It ended up being a sticker book with the grocery store mascot on all the stickers. 

Todd had a milestone birthday this year.  Henry made an attempt at making a card for every year of Todd's life.  He fell short, but he made a great effort.

Caroline's cards were the cutest.  A picture of Todd in one and a picture of she and Todd dancing under a disco ball on the other.


Josiah wrote and sung Todd a song about how charming he was.  In the song, Josiah called Todd a "fox" which is the meaning of "Todd."  He apologized later if he offended Todd for calling him a fox.  I told Josiah that Todd could handle it.

Todd got an American flag as well as a Swiss Army knife as his gifts.  When he showed the kids all the attachments of the Swiss Army knife, Josiah asked if he could have one as well.  It's not 1950 son.  Maybe if we were a camping family, we'd consider it, but not under the current circumstances.  I cannot imagine how many things would get cut, or holes put in them, in the hands of either of our boys.

Caroline's face is the best - so excited for Todd to open his gifts

Poor Todd missed out on a real birthday celebration.  We spent all day getting new phones which left little time for lunch before karate, and again little time for dinner before Awana.  I didn't even get a chance to make his pumpkin bread "cake" until Saturday morning and Todd didn't even eat a bite of it until Sunday.  I think he was just trying to stretch out the celebration.  Birthday weekend.

Some things do not need to be taught.  Henry and Caroline have been going through a bickering phase.  It is amazing at just how much they can argue about.  So, at breakfast one morning, Caroline put up a barrier so she couldn't see Henry who was constantly telling her to chew with her mouth closed.  I distinctly remember putting up my own cereal box barriers as a child.  They worked fairly well, until one child smartens up and realizes they can still be bothersome to their sibling both above and around the cereal boxes.  Fortunately, that hasn't happened here, yet.