January 22nd

On Jack's actual birthday yesterday, we were snowed in due to blizzard conditions.  I wanted that day to be special too because that's what we do.  So I made a cupcake cake - just homemade yellow with chocolate frosting - and Matt made some homemade caramel corn which we decided we should not do very often if ever since we could not stop eating it!  It was delicious! We had special meals for Jack.  Pizza lunch and chicken dinner with ramen noodles for a snack since that is his favorite thing.  And after lunch we did his thank you cards and then all just relaxed on the couches and read or played games.  It was so nice and so after supper, Jack said "but we really didn't do anything."  So I told him to pick some things we could do together.  He picked 7 things since he's 7.  This is what they were.  Some of them we timed to only 7 minutes so we could keep it moving.  I think he did a good job picking games with variety.  

1. We all played basketball in the basement.  

2.  We jumped on the guest bedroom bed.  This is one of the kids' favorite thing to do lately.  Who needs a trampoline?

3. We played Wii Mario Kart.  

4.  We played Wii bowling.  This one took awhile.  

5. We played flashlight hide and seek.  Ava and Jack pretty much yell to each other where they are hiding once the other one is done counting.  

6.  We played flashlight tag which was kind of hard in a small space.  

7.  We read books.  He got some books for his birthday from the Billy and Blaze collection that I had read when I was little about a little boy and his horse.  I'm hoping it will encourage him to read more.  Also when they go to bed, they can keep their little lights on and read for a while.  

Then we enjoyed a little more popcorn, and we each watched a show.  By then, we were exhausted!  We have one more fun birthday thing this weekend - a play date with his buddy Noah and then grandma and grandpa get to come.  The fun never ends!