Birthday Boy

While we were visiting in St. Louis, Kimball celebrated his 6th birthday.  I was sad that Joseph couldn't be with us, but I was glad that we could celebrate with family.  Even if we had been home, Joseph worked from 2:00 until 9:00 that night so Joseph would have missed birthday festivities anyway.

For breakfast my mom made Kimball a peach and cream cheese danish.  It was really yummy and I quickly got a copy of the recipe.

Birthday boy at breakfast.

Blowing out his breakfast candle.

Waiting to open his presents.

Please note that Rebecah is in almost all of the pictures.  She loved being in on the action.

Creationary Lego game. 

This was a brilliant purchase by Naga!  Kimball had been building all sorts of neat
creations all week with Heather's K'nex so he was very excited to get his own set.
I'm very impressed with how well Kimball can build the creations by just looking
at the pictures.  The original K'nex instructions weren't very easy to follow and I
quickly gave up, not Kimball.  He is awesome!

Lego building set.

Magic Tree House books

Puzzle

More Magic Tree House books.

Talking with Joseph via Skype while opening presents.

The Titanic Research Guide for the Magic Tree House series. 

After we finished reading all of the Magic Tree House books in the series Kimball decided he wanted to read all of the non-fictions companion guides.  We have learned a lot by reading these guides.  I'm glad Kimball is developing a love for fiction and non-fiction.  Kimball had been begging me to check the Titanic research guide out from the library so we could read it, but I knew Heather had gotten it for him for his birthday so I kept finding excuses as to why I couldn't get it from the library.

Kimball greatly added to his Magic Tree House collection.  It is his goal to own all 50 of them.
He is well on his way.  I think we are up to 23 with 4 research guides.

Kimball and Heather.  Kimball is holding the books that Heather gave him.

We had lunch at Pizza Hut, just because it is yummy and it was a fun birthday thing to do.

 After our lunch at Pizza Hut, Kimball and I went on a date to the Mastodon State Historic Site.  After we read the MTH Research Guide:  Sabertooths and the Ice Age, Kimball wanted to know more, so I thought this little museum would be a fun activity for the two of us on his birthday since it is near my mom's house.

In front of the mastodon exhibit.

Showing how the mammoths, mastodons, and modern day elephants all fit together.  Mammoths came first,
followed by the slightly smaller mastodon and then the smaller still modern elephants.

Birthday cake.  Kimball had a chocolate zucchini cake with cream cheese frosting.  I think the colorful sprinkles
really made the cake fun and matched with the birthday decorations (not pictured) and the candles.

 Kimball asked for a birthday party this year, but it was hard to pull off since we were on vacation and school will be starting in just a few days.  We did invite a family over for cake on Kimball's birthday  who has a boy Kimball's age.  Kimball had Ethan are kind of growing up together even though we live states apart.  Over the last few years Kimball and Ethan get together and play any time we are visiting.  Playing with Ethan is something that Kimball always looks forward to and asks about when he knows a visit is planned.  I didn't get a picture with Ethan, but Kimball enjoyed having a friend over to help celebrate his special day!

The cake was yummy.  This is a picture taken after Kimball's birthday when we made
homemade ice cream to go along with the cake.  The homemade ice cream was AMAZING!!
 We all decided that it was the best homemade ice cream we have ever eaten.  I'll have
to make it again soon because I can't stop thinking about it!

We had a great time celebrating Kimball's birthday.  He is a great boy.  He is full of energy and it is hard to contain and channel that energy, but he adds so much joy to our family and I wouldn't want my life without him.  It's hard for me to believe he is old enough for school, but I know he is ready and will do great.