snake party

Elliott wanted a Ben 10 party, but guess what- no Ben 10 party stuff anywhere. So we made his invites with stickers. And then we used some more stickers on the treats and water bottles. But that was as Ben 10 as it got. Because this year, we ordered a person to come from Scales and Tales...
He showed the kids things like tarantulas (I got a shiver just looking at this picture!)
And fat lizards with tiny legs named Sausage. (He let Elliott be his helper since he was the birthday boy.)
Mean lizards that he had to trick with a double hand wave before he could bring him out so he wouldn't get bitten.
Turtles that needed a paper towel diaper at all times so the holder wouldn't get nervously peed upon.

Long red snakes...

...that climbed up E's shoulder and hat...

....and that he tied in a not, and the snake got out of.

A baby alligator. (This guy had a scar on his hand from being bitten by one once!)

Giant snakes!!!

And then he had the kids get ready to hold something big. Here they are showing their muscles.
And he brought out this GIANT boa!!! The kids were in 7 year old heaven!! They were so excited that they got to touch this one. But then Jeremy the presenter brought out all the safe reptiles for the kids to hold!! Wow Wee! Double heaven!

Elli

Ollie holding Sausage.

Elliott and Noah- best buddies.

All the kids loved this sand snake- it just sat there and wasn't as scaly and slithery.

Linc could have cared less the whole time, but we got him to touch the snake for a second.

The snake wrap.

This snake was 12 feet long and weighed 120 lbs. It was really cool and so nice.
As soon as he took this tarantula back, I did the creepy shiver dance. It looked like it was ready to pounce on me! (No kids got to hold this.)





Present time!

In the 2nd group pic- is that a pile of grass in Ollie's hair?

In the 3rd pic, is Benny doing some sort of dance? The celtic elf dance?

Elliott decided to have donuts instead of cake. Which worked out well since our oven wasn't quite baking at the time.

It was a great party- better than we expected and one that we will never forget- that's for sure!

I just had to take a million pictures this day! So please enjoy some more in this photo collage.

party at home

Elliott requested lasagne for his birthday dinner. (Thanks Linds, for cooking it in your oven!)

Why did Adam let me take this picture? The balloons were moving the whole time so I couldn't tell...

Linc thought Elliott's presents were a great seat.

7 year old Elliott!

He got some Ben 10 stuff and a national geographic picture book that he loves. Happy Birthday Bugs!!

Elliott turns 7

My sweet little Buggies turns 7 today! He is such a sweet and good kid. He's the perfect little boy in my eyes (but I am his Momma...) He is very kind to everyone around him- except maybe his brothers sometimes (is there a way around that?) He is very responsible and helps me with the little boys, carrying stuff to and from the car and getting things when I ask him. He is trying to be a brave first grader, but still asks if he can stay home everyday. Hopefully he'll get used to that. He is really starting to read great and write a lot better. It's amazing what 2 weeks of school can do for a kid! Here are a few of his favorites right now:

Mac and Cheese, Soup and Bread bowls, baked potatoes and gushers.

Drawing and coloring.

Reading "just one more book".

Playing with friends at our house.

Playing with his cousin Benny.

Watching Ben Ten (and talking about it non-stop.)

Playing the ipad.

Riding his bike.

Wrestling with Mom.

Having Daddy throw him in flips and land on our bed.

Taking care of Suki- making sure she has food and begging to give her wet food.

Asking everyone for stories from when they were little.

Playing, playing and playing.

Happy 7th little Elliott. Seems like just yesterday...

Newborn

1 year (with cousin Benny)

2 years (looks a little like Linc, no?)

3 years

4 years (with cousin Kenzie)

5 years (with cousins, Ryder and Trevan)

6 years

7 years old! Happy Birthday sweet boy!

(Yes, yes I do like plaid shorts on boys, why do you ask?)

just for the smell of it

(Oliver's party cupcakes from a few months ago.)

I love smells! As long as they're good. Today I walked into a cupcake store- the sweet tooth fairy- and it smelled so delicious! I wanted to eat the air, but everyone in there was kind of sophisticated, so I didn't. I would work there just for the smell. My paycheck could say, "20 hours equals 1,000 free (deep) inhales. Mmmmmm.

At the flooring store I worked at (and Adam still does) we always smelled like new carpet- which isn't that great. It's new smelling- I'll give it that. But I'd rather nuzzle into someone's neck who smells like cupcakes and frosting than nylon and polyester carpet.

Another place I would love to smell, I mean work at, is a floral store. Have you ever been in one? It's like roses mixed with every other yummy smelling flower. Oh so divine!

And another place I find myself lingering is those toasted nut places. They have one at my movie theater now and we always fall for the smells and buy something. I don't even love the nuts- they are good, but sometimes just not worth the calories to me. But I swear they pump those smells out into the air and that is their best advertising. YUM.

If I could find some home scents that smelled like these- I would jump for joy and maybe even invite people over once in a while. And I wouldn't be surprised to see people lingering outside my house afterwards, waiting for just a whiff.

(DEEP nostril flaring INHALE.)