I had a donut cake!

On Charles' 4th birthday we had a very, very busy weekend.  However, we managed to get a few presents together, take the family to see an IMAX about animals - Charles' favorite thing in the whole wide world - and have a donut cake.  Christian was brilliant.  Since Dunkin' Donuts just opened up in town he took Charles alone to pick them out.  Long after the "party" he would tell people "I had a donut cake!" as proud as any kid could be.  I don't even think he remembers the gifts we gave him.

Mardi Gras

I threw a Mardi Gras party (ah jambalaya we love you) and went all out with the masks this year.  Charles was a very willing model.  Just had to snap a shot of this hilarity.  

July 4th Tradition...Plus a little Surprise!

 Aren't they cute?  40 years of marriage and they still love each other, which is no surprise to me, but by the world's standard it's pretty amazing.  What was surprising was the party we threw for them when we were all gathered for the 4th of July.  We had "reunion" shirts made that said "Marriott" on the front, baseball style and then patiently Laura stenciled a number on the back of each shirt - all 40 of them - with the order in which we were born.  Christian and I were #5 and our children were numbered by the grandchildren starting with Melaine as #1 and Joseph #23, I think.  It was pretty cute to see them all running around in their shirts.

 Caroline made a photo book about them and it was so much fun to see pictures of them in high school and college and on their honeymoon.  I hope I can look back at my own pictures in 30 years and laugh with my kids!

Paige and John at the Oakley parade.  Gotta love the Rodeo Queens in the background.

This was our first try at the parade and the kids got SO much candy, they loved it.

Mom in her cowboy shirt that Dad bought for her in Chicago, of all places.

One happy kid - candy in hand!  

Mr. Africa Turns Three

While in Atlanta we celebrated Charles' birthday and I have not seen him that excited in a long time.  He was absolutely ecstatic about the birthday table that Gammy set up, and for good reason.  I wish I had a picture of the grandness of this table - huge balloons, pop-up cards, gifts wrapped and unwrapped, treats, confetti, and above all ANIMALS.  This was a wild animal party per Charles' request and he was pleased as punch.

"That's me!"  How cool is that?  A cake with your picture on it, and edible?!  Oh, the cake on his face is because he took a frosting bite of the cake while we were all distracted.  Is he having flashbacks to his first birthday or something?  Apparently he thought it was part of being birthday boy, and why not?

Every animal Charles sees is christened, "That's Africa" by the zoo master himself (I think it just means "cool animal that must surely come from Africa").  Although he knows the names of every kind of odd animal, he still believes they all live in Africa.  So, I found these foam animal hats for the party - pretty hilarious - so we could really play the part of animals.  Just look at that face - he loved it!