Our Family Birthday Party

A week or so ago, my kids got this idea in their head that they were going to throw Nick and I a birthday party. They set up play food for the party, and wrapped up "presents" with their blankets and some clothes pins. Then they begged and begged to make a birthday cake in their easy bake oven. As life sometimes goes, several days passed before I had the chance to help them make the four layer birthday cake they had in mind. During this time, the play food ended up getting cleaned up and put away, and the presents they so carefully wrapped got unwrapped and likewise placed back in their homes. By the time I got around to helping them make their cake, their party had, by all measures, been completely ruined!! Nevertheless, being the nice mom that I am, I told the kids that I could help them make an even better party. We worked for quite some time to bake the four layers for the cake in their oven. Then they frosted their cake with cool whip and covered it with sprinkles. When they were done, they gathered some games while I took care of getting some new presents ready to open. Finally it was time to commence our family birthday party. We played the kids' games, laughed and sang, and then had cake.

Here is a shot of the kids getting ready to blow out their candles.



One of them actually blowing out their candles.



And then one of just baby Mase taking a turn. He was simply tickled by the whole experience.



When the cake was all devoured, (it didn't take long!) I pulled out several huge boxes and surprised the kids by letting them do the opening.



Inside was a set of personalized luggage for each child. They each got a suitcase, a toiletry bag, a back pack, and a lunch box.



They were all delighted with the gift, which was actually an early Easter present from Nicholas and I. (It was early because we were going to need it for the five week trip we would be making in just over a week.) Suffice it to say, by the end of the night, the kids had forgiven us for ruining their party and for turning the event into a whole family birthday party.