Skyler's 5th Birthday!

Skyler woke up on his birthday to what might be becoming our birthday tradition... Mickey Mouse pancakes with candles in it (because what kid doesn't want to blow out candles TWICE on their birthday?!).

 A few hours later me & the kids headed over to Arctic Circle for an early lunch, and to of course, play on the toys :)  When we first showed up they were pretty slow & we mentioned to the lady taking our order that it was Skyler's Birthday today, so after she brought us our food, she told us that the Manager had given her permission to give him a free Ice-Cream Sundae for his Birthday!  Skyler seemed excited, but after she left he said, "What's a Sundae?"  I guess we're usually ice-cream cone people :)

Last year we kinda overdid it on Skyler's Birthday by making TOO many plans, so this year it was nice to keep things a little simpler and to just enjoy the moment.  After lunch Grandma & Papa came over & gave Skyler some presents... His favorite thing were the flip-flops, although it took him a couple days to figure out how to wear them :)

Then, after Daddy got home he opened OUR presents... His favorite things were a new backpack for his first year at school & a SCOOTER!  He's been trying to start saving up money for one (because ALL his friends have one!), but he was getting no where fast, so he was SO excited!  He just kept hugging us over & over again & saying "Thanks Mom!", "Thanks Dad!"  It's always fun to see their big reactions to things!

 I attempted to make a homemade cake this year for him, but that's certainly NOT my expertise, so he ended up with a FISH Birthday Cake.  It kind-of ended up looking like a Goldfish Cracker or something, but he liked it, so that's all that matters.  I figure it was a step up from my traditional boring cupcakes!

When we asked him a couple days beforehand what he wanted for his Birthday Dinner, he immediantly responded with, "A Barbecue in the Garden!"  Ever since last year when we dug a hole in the garden & roasted hot-dogs & marshmallows one time, he's been begging us to do it again.  So I guess his Birthday was as good a time as any to do it!  What a perfect ending to such a nice day... All of our little dear ones gathered around in the backyard around a fire together.  So Happy Birthday Buddy!  You add a boyish-charm to our family that just couldn't be replaced!