Happy Birthday, Joshua!!!

Six months late...I can't believe I didn't blog Joshua's birthday.  I realized this as I put up pictures about Grace's that I didn't think I had done Joshua's...and going back and looking, I hadn't.  Thank goodness he isn't checking out the family blog (he's not online really ever yet...a few more years before we have to worry about that, I hope).  Anyway, with the craziness of the month after his birthday (Brian's end of the semester, Brian in the hospital, end of school year stuff for the kids...) it just didn't happen.  So, without further ado, here is the
Ninth Birthday of Joshua Ammon Lee!!!  **I tried to do this yesterday, but Miss Grace got upset that I was at the computer (she was tired of playing Star Wars guys with her brothers) and turned off my computer...as the photos were loading)

The Transformer Birthday Cake...

The Birthday Boy

Fishing pole from Grandma and Grandpa (I believe this was in an earlier post when the boys & Brian went fishing at the pond across the street)

Do you think we have a Star Wars fan in the house?

The Gang

So hard to believe that he is NINE (and a half) now!!

With his cake...I think it's the same guy (Optimus Prime) as is on his T shirt

Blowing out those candles...

Group hug - they sure love their big brother!

Nathaniel is FIVE!!!

Yes, our little boy is growing up.  Hard to believe that he starts kindergarten tomorrow.  He's quite excited about that.  A week or so ago, he was suddenly getting very worried about the whole kindergarten thing.  But after visiting his classroom last Thursday evening, meeting his teacher, finding his cubby and seeing several friends from preschool, he decided he wasn't afraid anymore.  I hope he enjoys it.  I hope he has fun. I hope he makes friends. I hope he learns and grows in his classroom just like I did.  Yes, his kindergarten classroom is the very same classroom where I started school - in 1978.  Not the same teacher, however...I don't think his kindergarten teacher was even born when i was in Kindergarten.  My teacher, Mrs. Cassady, just passed away this past spring at 94 or so.

Saturday was his birthday.  He wanted French Toast for breakfast - Daddy made that. For lunch he'd wanted peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but Grandma and Grandpa got out some hot dogs and he decided that was a better idea.  For dinner he wanted homemade pizza. We had cheese & olive and barbecue chicken. Dessert was homemade ice cream (chocolate) and a Buzz Lightyear cake.  This was the most complicated cake I've decorated...my shoulder still hurts!  But it didn't turn out too bad considering I've never had a decorating class or anything.  He loved it.  Told me it was amazing :)

The birthday boy!

Opening presents...they had a system. He opened the cards and handed them to Joshua, Joshua read them and then handed them to Grandma.  Grace tried to get him to open the presents faster by "starting" them for him.

Blowing out the candles

with his birthday banner

Wearing his new tie from Great Grandma Donna and Great Grandpa Ken

Playing Cars with Joshua Sunday afternoon...in their matching Bumblebee Transformer shirts (I think Joshua got his for his birthday...and we found one on clearance last week for Nathaniel!)

The two youngest after Church...Joshua didn't hear me call him outside for a picture. 

the lego tower he and Grace build Saturday morning while waiting for him to officially turn 5 (10:31am)...even has a landing pad for the helicopter on top!

He got some clothes and some Transformers (now he doesn't have to share Joshua's) and some Cars (from the movie Cars cars). He was a happy boy.  Grace wanted to open everything...we told her she has to wait just under a month until it's her turn - I don't think she quite understood.