Happy Belated Birthday

I am the world's worst birthday party thrower.  I don't care about themes, prize bags, or raffia decorations.  I know, being crafty, I SHOULD care, but I just don't.  This year, I asked a friend to make the cakes, and they were totally awesome. 

Cakes of chocolately awesomeness:

My hastily thrown together event went surprisingly well.  It was horribly HOT, we were at the park for 2 hours and then strategically retreated home to sit in the A/C.  I know, I know... I'm RUINING birthdays for my children by being a Grinch.  Don't tell them, though, because they had a great time. :)

Here's Habtamu receiving a bag of things that he'd left at our friends' house... his own hat and his own sunglasses.  He also got a baseball game for the Wii.

Here's Yordanos receiving every Hello Kitty thing on the market... thanks Grandma!  Lee said, "Somewhere, Hello Kitty is walking around with no clothes."

And here's one of the happiest sights for my children.  Grandma and Grandpa arriving... laden with food and gifts.  Grandpa let the children dig out one handful of coins from his change jar and keep it.  It was something his Grandpa used to let him do from time to time.  It's amazing how much change can be held with the right motivation.  I think both kids got over $12.

For my daughter, her baby cousin is the BEST THING EVER.  I rarely get to hold my niece.  

She's pretty much as cute as these babies... my "little" ones.