Suprises

Parker's wish for his birthday this year? That it "could go on forever..." he said wistfully one night. So, we did our best. The night before his birthday we let him stay up late and watch a movie with just Dad and Mom whilst eating way too many jelly bellys to usher out his fifth year. The morning of The Big Six, Jer went in to work late by a few hours and took him out for donuts before school and spent the morning in his classroom with him. Grandma and Grandpa picked him up from school and had pizza and home-made cupcakes and balloons and party blowers. The next day, Wednesday, we celebrated with our Birthday Buddies at Menchies. On Thursday we skyped with our other Grandma and Grandpa and they sang happy birthday and chatted about how big he is now. On Friday we picked him up an hour early from school and took the family night skiing. On Saturday we made them "go to bed early" and then we decorated the ski condo with streamers and balloons and then "woke them up" for the reveal and he finally got to open up his presents. And today we stuck candles in the lunch brownies and sang "Happy Last Birthday" to him. All surprises, all drawn out, to make his birthday last a week. Parker noted this was the best birthday ever and he's planning on a birthday week next year already. Everly is on board too. :) And actually, most of our surprises were things we would have tried to cram into a day or two and we've decided that a birthday week tradition has begun in our family. A nice little drawn out celebration is in order for everyone.

 Skiing at Hyak has been a family affair since I was born. We ski with grandparents, great grandparents, cousins, uncles and friends. Friends who have been skiing with me for the last 32 years (!) and now we get to watch our kids ski together. They follow each other around in and out of the same little tree lined trails that we found as kids and I stand back in awe of it all.

 This little snow bunny not only skis on her own, but she also rips it up from top to bottom. I have to skip my turns to keep up with the little lady. When we were nightskiing and she got going REALLY fast on the ice, I told her "You MUST slow down!" and she looked at me in all seriousness and said "Momma, the skis go how they want to go. I can't tell them what to do." People were hooting for her from the chair. :)

 A sunny day! Everyone looking in one try! Be still my heart :)

We "put them to bed" while they giggled for half an hour in anticipation of the decorations. We always decorate the cabin we're at for Parker's birthday with a million streamers and he LOVES it.

 After five days of birthday surprises and patiently waiting, Parker finally got to open his presents. :)