Celebrations

 

Family celebrations are always reason enough to pack up for the weekend

and make the trek south.

 

Passing through the mountains that divide central and southern CA.



 

This is what our cargo looks like for a quick weekend trip.

 

The first event of Sat. was to celebrate this little guy.

Since he has a big brother to keep up with, he is daring, adventurous, and has

an amazing vocabulary.

 

The party started with pizza at the park but due to clouds and wind, it moved

indoors where the house was filled to capacity.

 

The bigger kids were so helpful at present time.

They were constantly reminded to back up and to not try to help unwrap the presents.

 

 It had been only a month since the family was together so Ethan and Rudy

quickly became friends again. 

Plus, he found that Uncle Rudy would respond positively to his requests.

How can you say, "No" when someone sweetly requests to go outside

 or be given another treat?

 

The second event of the day was a graduation party.

Yes, in January.

Sometimes that's how homeschooling works.

 

For some odd reason, the cake pops were the only picture of the food laden tables

that I managed to get.

 

The beautiful graduate.

 

{T & A. Cook}

 

Ethan was giving Uncle Rudy a workout. 

 

 

Since the practical thing to give a graduate is money but my kids declared that

it is way too boring to give someone a card with a check in it...

They took the cash,

rolled up each dollar,

and stuffed each one in a balloon.

Each balloon was blown up and placed in a large plastic gift bag

 (which we didn't remember to photograph).

The graduate was so thrilled to pop each and every balloon to eventually get her gift.

 

After a nice Sunday dinner together, we returned home

with a backseat full of kids who had too many late nights

with cousins and were no help with the driving.