How to Celebrate 7

Here is the now 7 year old Peter!

When celebrating 7 it is fun to wear a felt crown, this one was made quickly the night before.  It is also a good idea to open presents in the morning because 7 year old boys get anxious.

Any cake will do, this one (Peter's choosing) is actually made out of soaked steel cut oats, raisins and a little bit of cinnamon and maple syrup, it is really tasty topped with whip cream.  Be sure to cover younger children's mouths when blowing out candles, this photo was take II so Peter could get at it himself.

Little girls love parties, making their own party hats (out of poster board, tissue paper, modge podge, netting and pipe cleaners) is a good way to keep them busy and involved.

Don't forget a free birthday meal at Northside Grill, it was just Mommy and Peter this time, he brought along his new set of blank Russian nesting dolls so he could plan how to paint them.  There are 6 of them and it didn't take long for Peter to decide they will be painted as football players, in order of his favorite teams largest to smallest, Michigan, Alabama, Boise State, Nebraska, USC, Utah.

No need to go to the toy store for birthdays, ebay and thrift stores have really cool stuff for 7 year olds.  Does anyone know what this is?

This is what Poppy played before the age of video games, this is what the boys (including Paul) played all day.

Other favorite gifts included:  an old pinewood derby car, wooden archery set, old US map puzzle, modeling clay, and a watch.  Here is the clay in action, he sculpted his Opa below.

Here is the US puzzle map in action, I thought it would be good geography practice but really the kids just argued about regional college football conferences as they assembled it.

You may break down and stop by a toy store if the 7 year old boy questions why he didn't get anything "new" like Legos or Playmobil.  Because it is hard to not to give into to such requests after sharing lunch with a 7 year old wearing a felt crown and holding a set of Russian nesting dolls (after all his lunch was free and the other gifts, most thrifted, didn't add up to much).  

And because it is fun to share birthdays with the cousins, invite them to a night at Pinball Pete's.  405 tickets!  That's enough for a 7 year old to come home with a set of handcuffs!  What a day to remember.

Happy Birthday to my sweet Peter!  How blessed we are to share not just a day but many fun (and funny) filled moments with you in our life.