Sunday, July 05, 2015

My Boy is Seventeen (plus, The Fourth!)

"Seventeen" is a big birthday. One more year before "eighteen." It makes me a little sad, but we had a really fantastic day. I couldn't ask for a sweeter, funnier, cleverer kid, and spending the day together, celebrating another year of growth, change, and fun was precious. 

Here he is with the card Katie made for him. She's pretty clever too!

I made crepes, at his request. With raspberries, whipped cream, chocolate chips, and caramel sauce.



Opening the card from Granny and Paba. They gave a very nice gift!

 And chocolate is always a hit!


Katie got a big hug even before he unwrapped her gift -- he knew it was something special and extravagant!




It's a Pokemon dragon. I assume it will hang from his ceiling and I will bump my head on it when I put laundry away. At least it is soft!






This year, for a change, he wanted an ice cream cake. He picked one from Dairy Queen, and it was delicious!



Our friends who moved to Raleigh are back for the weekend (they came over yesterday afternoon to enjoy the Fourth of July festivities and fireworks with us, too!), and Travis was invited over today for a game of "airsoft war." Because nothing says "happy birthday" like slipping around in the mud and being shot with plastic pellets. At least if you are a seventeen year old boy!


Then a movie and dinner! Travis picked the new Jurassic Park movie. I was skeptical, but those dinosaurs just keep getting fiercer (and wonderfully real looking!), and it was "edge of your seat" exciting!


Travis picked a place we've never been before for dinner -- a Mexican place -- and it was fabulous! We all enjoyed our dinners very much.

Travis got a spicy dinner which came in a large volcanic stone pig! It really was delicious.



You know a meal is good when you have to take pictures of it!


Once again, he says "the Best Birthday Ever," so I'm happy!


And now, working backwards, how about some pictures from yesterday? We had a really terrific Fourth of July, too!

The parade. Possibly longer than ever. It was a little cool for me, but pretty much perfect. Trucks, tractors, bicycles, horses, etc. A fine parade.



Katie's friend came over in the morning,for the parade, and spent the day. They had a good time.

Even with a different partner, though, her performance in the wheelbarrow race was... well, modest.


They did better in the sack race!

 And here was one of the highlights of the day! Katie and friend played the ring toss game so many times that the woman running the thing said they could have a bunny prize even without getting the ring over the duck's neck. And it is a very soft, sweet bunny!
We told Katie that she could not have the rabbit, though, but that if her friend was allowed to keep it she could visit it. And, very fortunately, her friend was allowed to keep it! (And, as it turns out, Katie is somewhat allergic to rabbits, so we have a proper excuse, aside from meanness and lack of a hutch!)


Travis and Katie in the egg toss contest.

This year they tried a new strategy, which involved Never catching the egg. Not once. Actually, since they are both pretty bad at catching, this was very well suited to their gifts. And it worked! They won! Here they are, with the winning egg.

And here is Ed, with a snow cone.




And here's later in the afternoon. Other nearby communities held their fireworks a couple days early, so we got a particularly big crowd. It was fun.


You can't really see, but Travis is out there, socializing. I thought it was photo-worthy.

Before the real show got started, the boys set off fireworks in our yard. Everyone still has all their bits.


And here I am, looking gawky and silly, but my friends look glamorous enough to make up for me.

And from a distance, so you can see that we are neglecting the children playing with explosives behind us. (But really, Ed is paying attention to them. Or, anyway, he might be.)


The girls very sensibly have set up their blanket at a prudent distance.



Katie and her friend were not the only ones to win a bunny! Our Raleigh friends have a new pet to take home, the lucky things!


It was a lovely day!

2 comments:

The Foil Hat said...

Happy Birthday, Travis!!!! How is it possible he's 17???? I love the picture of you and your friends - you don't look gawky or silly at all. In fact, you look a lot like me and my friends last night - ignoring children with explosives and having fun. I'm torn - A bunny is a kind of excellent prize but, a cast iron pig serving dish? Why do I not have a set of those? Great pictures. Looks like a fun 4th!

Melora said...

I know, Amy!!!! I'm sure I'd be inspired to cook exciting, exotic meals if only I had an iron pig to cook them in. (Don't tell Ed, though. Because he'd call me on that one and Get me an iron pig!) And it Was fun.