Bowling for Five

Well, the twins are five. Crazy. 

Their birthday was a few days before their party, and they had a hard time fathoming how that works. I think in their minds, you become the next year old when everyone sings and you blow out the candles. We had quite a few busy days in between their real birthday and their birthday party.

April 29th, their birthday, was a Tuesday, so they started off the celebration with Gammy bringing over their favorite drink-- Pellegrino with Bai. They drank the drinks with straws and toasted each other. I made a treasure hunt for them with clues all over the house to find a a gift from us hidden under the couch-- a real goalie stick. They've been wanting a real goalie stick for quite awhile now, for their "real" hockey games in the house. Yay.

Birthday drinks

Birthday breakfast sandwiches

For lunch on their birthday they wanted to go Macaroni Grill with Gammy and Aunt Julie. They ordered a big bowl of spaghetti and meatballs and the waiter brought two pieces of chocolate lava cake.

Spaghetti and meatballs and BREAD

It was pouring rain for about an hour before we went to lunch and while we were at lunch and then for a few hours after. We had to catch the bus to go to engineering class at the community center after we had lunch, so that was an adventure with three boys in pouring rain. We made it to their class without being as drenched as I imagined we would be.

Our dear family friend Margo from out of town came over that night, played some Wii with the boys, and watched baseball with us. Cal was convinced that she spent the night because he tricked her and turned the lights off and she fell asleep. We went with it.

The next day we did what I have been dreading / looking forward to / sad about / happy about / unsure about for quite some time-- registered them for kindergarten! When we walked to the school to get registration forms the week before, Clark had asked to dress as Spiderman. We got some grins from passersby as we walked the three blocks to the school. The front office staff was elated to find out that Spiderman and his twin brother would be attending school there next fall. "How lucky for us!" one of them said.

Registration packets!

Saving the light pole?

Concerned citizen Theodore isn't sure about Spiderman's
ability to take him safely down a slide.

It all ended up fine.

All registered! The elementary school doesn't know what is about to hit it.

A couple of crazies

The next day I found a tick on Clark's head while in line at the pharmacy. I bought tweezers and took it out, and it was horrible and scary and horrifying. I don't even want to write about it anymore. Also on Tick Day we had tee-ball practice in a muddy, muddy field, which resulted in Brian cleaning off all the gear in our tub. Oh, and checking for ticks again.

Something much better that happened the following day is that we went to the National Zoo for a friend's birthday. We ended up having such a good time that I told my friend who brought us to drive home without us and the boys and I stayed for another hour and a half and caught the metro home. That was the first time I'd tackled the metro with all three boys by myself and it was a piece of cake.

Several brightly-clothed animals gathered for cupcakes at the zoo.

Shockingly, a tiger escaped and was found lurking behind a garbage can!

Thanks to some excellent photography, the tiger can be seen here up close.

We got to see a Giant Panda eating bamboo... and this statue,
which was not as cool.

Teddy enjoyed his stroller-view of the zoo.

Orangutan crossing! Sooo cool 

A mischievous lion joined the tiger at the panda exhibit.

After a Saturday full of tee-ball and a tee-ball pizza party and tee-ball fundraising, we had a Sunday of Brian and I playing softball on our coed team, and then the boys party-- a duckpin bowling party! (Duckpin bowling is with smaller balls.) It was the least stressed I've ever been about one of their birthday parties. I sent the invitations, made the cakes and cupcakes, made a birthday banner, and sent Brian to buy plasticware for the cake. That's it. Not as creative as I like to be, but easy. Bowling alleys are not good places for picture-taking, but we managed to get a few pictures.

The birthday bowlers

Cal poses

Here's my banner

Wish I had known the party room wall was painted like this...oh well

Cakes, giant cupcakes, and mini cupcakes

They each had a bowling lane cake with pin and ball candles

Bowlers refreshing themselves

Lighting the bowling pins candles...

Making wishes...

One of Calvin's approaches

Little Teddy was awesome, though not quite ready for competition.

Clark Aaron and his namesake...Uncle A

And another Uncle A selfie

It was quite a week of celebrations and events...well, and the tick. I'm proud of myself for getting this post up so quickly. Life is moving so fast these days!