Ethan turns 13th - Happy Birthday!

A call first thing this morning from Hamilton, NY! Grandma and Grandpa sing to Ethan, wishing him a Happy Birthday!

A letter from Grandma Judy (and a call later in the afternoon). He loved getting the phone calls!

Evyn drew the design on this card and had a wonderful greeting on the inside! All original! I was very pleased myself, because it was also a school assignment from last week. To make a card for someone. Wish you could read the words. It really was well done. (In case you can't see the drawing, it's a dragon.)

Amber bought Ethan a pack of gum (kiwi pie) and also gave him a lollipop and $1. The cash was to go toward his savings for an iPod.

Can't go wrong with a Magic deck I guess. Ian helped me pick it out. It has an angel on the front card, and it just so happened to be the one card he was hoping for!

Right after Christmas I had to go to Target for something and they were having a sale. The kids really like this game, Munchkin. I had intended on saving this game until this coming Christmas, but was unable to get to the store I wanted to shop in for a different Munchkin game. So, Ethan ended up with this one. Here's the rub ... he already knew about it as he had already seen it. I think he was with me when I purchased it and I asked him to forget it. He even asked me about it a few weeks ago. I told him, forget you ever saw it, okay? He had a big smile when he opened the gift this morning :)

Yesterday Ian and I went to Fred Meyer to pick up some cake making supplies (for another friend's cake) and I wanted to duck into the toy department to see if they might just happen to have Munchkin, which they didn't. But we saw this Angry Birds game. The kids really like to play this on the iPad/iTouch/iPod. So, with only a look between us, we knew we had to pick it up. Ethan couldn't wait to start playing the game, but Sandor arrived and it was then time for the Magic game to start.

Sandor also came bearing gifts. He gave Ethan a storage box, a new die, and two cards with which he'd have to learn how to employ for his deck.

Sandor told Amber to make Ethan a crown, that the birthday boy had to have a crown. So, she made him a crown, which he wore through most of the games today.

Our birthday boy requested vanilla cupcakes with lemon frosting. I still had frosting left from the Valentine cookies I had made, so that was perfect. However, I did add a twist and made a lemon filling. Each of these cupcakes had a hole in the center filled with a lemon filling. Amber piped the frosting on top.

Ethan had been so intent on playing he had forgotten to eat his sandwich, which I didn't know. I brought out the cupcakes with lit candles only to find he'd just started eating his sandwich! He had a bite in his mouth, so he "blew" out the candles by wafting his hand in front of them. It worked!

Lastly, the gift I have been striving to complete. A sweater hat. I have a book I borrowed from the library with lots of neat knitted hat patterns and the kids all selected a few choices they really liked. This is one of the ones Ethan selected. It was fun making it for him.

Fisherman Knit Sweater Hat -- ha-ha!

It's wool! I instructed him, no tossing this into the washer and dryer! It should keep you plenty warm!