Where a Kid Can Be a Kid.

Lincoln celebrated his birthday with a small group of friends at Chuck E. Cheese's. What a great place for a group of 7-year-old boys to burn their energy. They had a blast! 

Chuck and Lincoln.

Mason, Brendan, and Lincoln watching (and dancing along with) Chuck, who was performing on stage.

Lincoln getting his birthday crown from Chuck!

happy happy.

joy joy. 

 

Kevin, Ben, Brendan, Linc, and Mason listening intently to Chuck's instructions.

Happy Birthday, buddy!

The ticket blaster.
This was a special activity for the birthday kid. 

Trying to gather as many tickets as possible. 

This is Lincoln's birthday crown filled with tickets from the ticket blaster. One of Linc's friend's recommended wearing it in the ticket blaster because he thought a bunch of tickets would collect in the crown. He was right! 

Our party coordinator accidentally left the coveted 1,000 Magic Ticket out of the ticket blaster so she gave it to Linc afterward as a reward. He was SO excited as he was able to use the 1,000 extra tickets to choose a bigger prize in the prize center. 

Dad and Linc at the prize center trying to decide how to spend  the 1,400(!) tickets he got throughout the party.

He ended up with a sword, some slinkies, some candy, and some  other little trinkets.
Cassidy chose glow-in-the dark vampire teeth for one of her prizes. She cracks me up.

I'm sure I say this every year, but I really can't believe how big Linc is getting and how much he grows and changes from year to year. I love you, buddy, and I feel incredibly lucky to be your mom.

happy 7th birthday, Linc!

The birthday celebration began Memorial Weekend with a family party at Yia Yia & Papou's house. He loved having the opportunity to play with his cousins, family, and friends all day. 

Linc on his new BMX bike. 

Opening a new tin of Pokemon cards. Oh yeah.

Yummy Pokemon cake from DQ.

Linc and his collection of Pokemon cards.
He loves the binder he got for his birthday to put the cards in. He carries it everywhere he goes! 

Linc's actual birthday was also his last day of first grade. We celebrated by checking out the new bakery in town. The kids and I tried some yummy treats -- whoopie pie, chocolate chunk brownie, red velvet cupcake, and giant homemade oreo. Delish! Because we had some rainy weather, Linc's baseball game was cancelled so we went to Red Robin for his birthday dinner. 

Lincoln with his new world map floor puzzle, which goes perfectly with the United States floor puzzle that he has. The kid knows more about geography than I do at this point! 

Dad, Linc, and Cass. 

birthday q's: 7-year-old Lincoln.

Happy 7th Birthday, Lincoln! 

We'll begin by posting the annual birthday questionnaire: 

Name:  Lincoln

Age: 7

  

     1.    What is your favorite color?

Red. Why? Because it looks cool.

     2.    What do you like to eat?

Pastitio because it has a sauce that I like.

     3.    What foods do you dislike?

Tomatoes because they’re way too juicy. I also don’t like potatoes unless they’re French fries.

     4.    What is your favorite toy?

Pokemon cards, apps on my new tablet and on mom’s Kindle, Wii (Mario Sports Mix, Just Dance 4).  

     5.    What is your favorite book?

My Weird School series.  

     6.    What is your favorite tv show/movie?

Pokemon tv series and movies.

     7.    Who is your best friend?

I have a lot of good friends like Mason, Sophie, Brendan, Alaina, Ben, Kevin, Sean M. My sister and cousins are also good friends.

     8.    What are your favorite things to do?

Play video games and do sports. I also like to play outside with friends and Cassidy as much as possible.

     9.    What are your least favorite things to do?

Get grounded/time outs, chores.

     10. What is your favorite thing to wear?

Shorts and short-sleeved shirts (Detroit sports shirts especially.  Why? Because I can get fresh air when I wear them.

     11.  Who is the most important person in your life?

My family. Why? Because I wouldn’t have a place to live, I wouldn’t have any food to eat.  

     12.  What would be the best thing someone could give to you?

A million bucks so I could buy Pokemon cards.

     13.  What is your day like? (When do you get up? What do you do all day? When do you go to sleep?)

On school days, dad wakes me up at 6:30, I get dressed and have breakfast before I get on the bus at 7:30. Mom makes my lunch while I eat breakfast. I go to school until 2:25. After school, I have a snack and talk about my day with mom and Cassie. I also do homework if I have some. Then I either play with friends or go to sports/swimming until dinner. After dinner, I might have other homework or reading to do or I play until shower time at 7:30. I read with mom or dad before bed each night and I go to sleep by 8:30.

On the weekend, mom and dad say I have to stay in bed until 7:00. I go downstairs on my own and watch tv until mom comes down. Then I’m usually hungry for breakfast. Sometimes I try to make my own yogurt and cereal (if the milk isn’t full) now.

     14.  What do you want to be when you grow up?

A basketball player. 

three/four-year-old preschool. check.

Check, check, and double check is what Cassidy likes to say when she's completed something. May 17th was her last day of preschool for the year. She started off as a shy, rule-follower. Not much has changed. She still prefers the company of her teachers in lieu of playing with friends at free play time.

We did enjoy the academic strides that accompany the first year of preschool. It's cute to see how her illegibly scribbled letters at the beginning of the year have turned into her printed name at the end. The dining room is filled with art project upon art project, which is something that Cassie really seemed to enjoy. She also enjoyed coming home with her "Great Work" certificates for cleaning up, participating in class, etc. She most certainly benefited from the routine, the socialization, and the group activities.

Way to go, Cass!

Last day of school with her paper flower art project. 

Her final butterfly-themed art project. 

our little princess.

I see the transient innocence in 7-year-old Lincoln so I had to take this picture recently when Cassie was dressed up in princess gear while playing with her princess castle. I know these days are fleeting and they're just so darned sweet that they must be captured.

Belle playing with Belle. 

Mommy's Day 2013.

Mother's Day this year started off bright and early. Matt & I ran in our first 5K. This was no problem for Matt, but was a feat for me as running is not exactly my favorite thing to do. My goal was to run/jog the entire thing (no walking allowed!). I did it and celebrated with breakfast at Dunkin Donuts afterward. Yum.

While we were running, Grandma celebrated her Mother's Day morning by taking the kids out for breakfast. Not exactly a morning off for her, but at least she didn't have to cook!

Here we are at the end of the run.

One of my favorite things about Mother's Day are the homemade cards and gifts, which I keep stashed in a keepsake box so that I can look back on them from year to year.

Lincoln proudly reading the card he made for me. 

Smoochie smoochie.

Cassidy helping me read the card she made.
Be sure to check out the family picture she drew on the back. I believe it's snowmen versions of the four of us. Love it.

The best part of Mother's Day is seeing Matt in the kitchen preparing a lovely meal each year. He's really a good cook. This year, we had grilled Mexican pizzas.

Delish!

The not-so-great part of this Mother's Day was when Cassie came in the door after dad had so generously taken the kids to the park to give mom and grandma a break. This is what she had to show me...

Apparently, she was throwing a baseball to Lincoln and did a faceplant right into the sidewalk. I have no idea how she manages to do these things. She is one clumsy girl! Actually, she seems to be kind of a dreamer and just doesn't pay attention to what she's doing. 

Another pic for your viewing pleasure.
Amazingly, her lip healed in a couple of days and she said it really didn't hurt.
The boo boo's that she's had on her elbows and knees since the baseball incident have not been taken with as much grace. You'd think she'd broken multiple bones with the reaction she gives after getting scraped on the sidewalk.

Young Author.

Lincoln's school does a great voluntary writers program for the students each year. While I'm not sure that writing is Linc's favorite activity, I encouraged him to contribute a story. He chose to write a non-fiction piece about his dad taking him to the Lions game over Christmas break. He wrote about the thrill of tailgating in the bitter cold as well as the excitement of the game (albeit a losing one).

Getting Linc to write the story was not terribly easy, but I know it's something that he'll love to have documented as a reminder of what was clearly a special day for him.

When Cass & I attended the writers celebration with the young authors, we saw the proud smiles on the kids' faces. Here is my proud Young Author below.

Way to go, Lincoln!