Fire Bell

Hey guys, I'm two birthday recaps behind already!  So many winter birthdays around here.  I hate to brag, but I really hit it out of the park for Owen and Caelum's joint birthday celebration. I didn't want them to expect a huge party every year, but I might have just reinforced that idea.

The day before Owen's birthday I told the boys we had a surprise trip to go on and to get dressed.  I put some rescue vehicle-adorned clothing out for them to wear, and said that was their only clue.  Of course, they both guessed right away that we were going to a fire station.  They got dressed and we headed to the van, only to see one of their friends pull into the driveway.  Owen yelled, "Xander is coming too!  This is awesome!"  We headed to the Skyland Fire Station (two miles from our house) and waited as more and more friends showed up.  The boys were super surprised and delighted.  Finally, after all 19 kids had arrived, we started our tour.

The firefighters were friendly and loved having the kids there.  They gave them all hats and stickers and proceeded to give a thorough (hour and a half!) tour of the huge fire station.

Owen and Caelum loved to be with all those kids: all homeschooled as it was 10:00 on a Wednesday, after all.  Everyone had fun and I got to try on all of the turn out gear.

I wish I was more of a Tiger Mom and thought to put my kids front and center in this picture. But at least they are there....somewhere in the background.

After the tour was over, I said, "Who is coming back to our house to play?"  Everyone yelled and cheered and Owen about passed out at this additional surprise.  I had snacks and drinks, but asked everyone to bring a packed lunch.  Sure, this is not the best show of hospitality, but it is cost efficient, and let's be honest, I can't cater to the mix of vegans, gluten-frees, etc. in our group of friends.

After the kids played, I brought out a blueberry pound cake I had hidden in a cabinet as well as garbanzo bean flour chocolate cupcakes with Bobbi frosting (OK, I catered to the gluten-freers a little).  On the drive from the fire station, Owen had panicked and said, "MOM! We haven't made the Angel Food Cake yet!  What will our friends eat?"  You can imagine his delight and surprise at two cakes ready and waiting.

I mean, look at his face.  Presh.

The kids ran around like banshees: ziplining, tree forting, swinging, and digging in the gravel pit. Zach came home for lunch and was there for our cake time as well.  He's the best.

Friends stayed until 3, when I had to kick them out so the boys could go to Kids Camp at our church.  Owen declared it the best birthday ever.  And his actual birthday hadn't even happened yet. 

On his actual sixth birthday, we had pumpkin waffles for breakfast, followed by storytime at our library, per Owen's request.

Owen got lots of extra attention since it was his birthday and Esme was all up in everyone's grill the whole time.  We then went to Chick-Fil-A to meet Zach for lunch.

That night, after Zach was home, it was time for the traditional birthday scavenger hunt.  Let me tell you, it is extra fun now that Owen can read the clues for himself.

As Owen gets his next clue, you can see his birthday dinner menu...TWO chicken pot pies (because he always wants more), Jiffy cornbread muffins, and Angel Food cake.  He's a carbaholic like his mom.  There were quite a few clues, and Owen did great finding them.

When he got to the pile of presents at the end, he literally jumped up and down.  His joy at opening presents is crazy.  I had to include a ridiculous amount of pictures.

Esmé, post chicken pot pies

Caelum playing with the toy he got Owen (along with silly string!)

Practicing his football ref signals from the sports book we got him

Hugging the clothes from Queenie and Mantis

Then it was on to cake time! It took six years for Owen to actually accept that he likes whipped cream, and boy does he.

Owen, we love you so much, sweet boy.  You have grown so much this past year, and not just physically.  When I see your long, lankiness, I can't help but think of the teenager you will be before we know it!  I pray that you will continue to be tender-hearted, compassionate, and friendly.  God has been teaching you big, important things about life and death, and I hope you feel incredibly loved by him and us, and trust in his perfect plan for you.  Thanks for being such a great big brother and wondeful son.  Here's to many more games played, books read, and prayers said together this coming year.

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Caelum is four. Our sweet little bundle of blankets and baby has become a big, bustling boy of four.

I know there's a lot of Caelum's babyhood that is lost in the dark recesses of my mind (see toddler in above picture for explanation), but there are so many sweet memories we've had with him over these past few, FAST years. 

Caelum has always been our rough, tough bruiser.  While I grant his whininess at times, he is a roll with the punches (or deliver them) guy who, when injured, cries for ten seconds then gets back to playing. Caelum: the 9-month old baby teaching his big brother how to go down slides.

Not so surprisingly, Caelum has been drawn to the world of knights and armor. His favorite Christmas gift was a $14 set of armor from Rainbow. Every morning he would get up and put it on, first thing. 

He has the sweetest heart too.  He LOVES his siblings with fervor.  Esmé and Caelum are becoming close friends and play together often. Perhaps that is why she's so good at making gun noises. He has been nothing but sweet and gentle with her, and kindly lets her have his blanket (which does look a lot like hers) or just about anything he has that she wants.

Owen remains his bestest friend.  They play together from the time they get up until they go to bed...and usually for an hour or so after that.  They do schoolwork together and play LEGOS and board games together.

They enjoy wrestling, flipping off the couch, setting up battling "worlds" out of Playmobil toys, and playing basketball, football, or a new one: danger ball.  They are very much like puppy dogs. 

I love seeing their relationship grow and how they interact together. I pray they are friends for life and that each will seek to protect and care for the other (and of course, Essie).

Caelum had a fun birthday.  He came out of his room to a whole lot of balloons in the living room.  He looked down at his body and said, "I look so big!" Grandpa Mantis has a song about wearing one's birthday suit that he sings for everyone's birthday.  On the morning of his birthday, Caelum and Owen were singing it.  Caelum, with the sophisticated humor of a four year old, yelled, "My underwear is my birthday suit!"  The boys thought this was the funniest, most risqué thing ever.  And no, I didn't correct them.

As at all times, we celebrated with food.  Cae chose cinnamon rolls and green smoothies for his breakfast and Waffle House with Daddy for lunch.

We then went to Barnes and Noble so he could pick out his birthday book, and of course we got an M&M Blondie from Starbucks while we were there. He was riding high from the sugar and ready for a treasure hunt when Zach got home.

Zach had made a scavenger hunt which ended with the clues forming a map, leading to Caelum's treasure.  We had given him a telescope and a pirate sword which greatly aided in him finding the X that marked the spot.

Zach came through with a great gift idea for Caelum and Owen: a toolbox with real tools in it.  Caelum has frequently raided Zach's toolbox to get screwdrivers for whatever project he's working on, and now he has his very own set.

We had sweet potato chili and cornbread for dinner (thank you for one healthy choice of food for the day, Caelum!), then a few more presents. Gramma and Grandpa drove in and we had chocolate fudge cake with Bobbi frosting. And, you guessed it, more presents.

 

Having Gramma and "Gampa" there made it really special.  Gramma provided a special birthday edition of her famed Clarabelle stories.

Queenie, Clemsonopoly is getting a lot use around here.

Eating mussels. Cae loved them because he's an old man in a child's body.  You can see how O felt about them.

Caelum my dear, we love you so much and thank God for putting you in our family. When you were three, you asked Jesus into you heart, and now that you are four, I look forward to seeing how he draws you closer to him to the praise of his glory.  I pray that these days don't go too fast and that you'll grow in the fear and knowledge of God, who loves you "even more than I do."