The Big Five

Abby turned five in July. She's been really into unicorns lately, so she wanted to have a unicorn/pony party. Well, after seeing other kids' birthday cakes through the years, I decided that I should try something different from the regular old round cakes I make every year. Yes, I succumbed to the pressure. I found directions online for a unicorn cake. Here's the finished product:

Not bad if I do say so myself. And it tasted delicious. Thank goodness for boxed cake mixes and canned frosting!

Moving Fourth

For the first time since Abby was born, we actually went out to celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks and everything. The Cedar Park celebration was very family friendly--the kids even got to sit in a fire truck and got their own fire "helmers," as Will calls them. 

I highly recommend this outing to anyone who has kids and lives north. Much better than trying to fight the crowd at Auditorium Shores, where there's basically nothing else to do but sit and wait. 

Although, if you go, let me tell you about the best place to park so you can leave more easily. We got stuck in a bit of traffic and figured it all out while we were waiting. Now, we'll see if the same pattern applies for next year . . . 

Family Reunion Time

We went to spend our traditional long weekend at the lake in Oklahoma, but had anything but our traditional experience. I summed it up pretty well on our Sunday School blog:

What I learned in Hugo, OK (Pop. 5536)

• Even though I'm a laid back mom, playing in a campfire pit CAN be dangerous. Someone could end up with ash in the eyes, for example.
• Firepit ashes can scratch the cornea.
• When in doubt about a medical condition, you can ask for help from the Wal-Mart pharmacist.
  
• A small town can actually have a fabulous eye doctor.
  
• It's a good thing I carry my health AND prescription insurance cards in my wallet.
  
• The best way to get eye drops into a toddler's eye (besides while he is sleeping--yeah right!) is to lay him down and have him close his eyes. When he opens up, the drop goes right in!
  
• Mom really does know best. And by that, I mean MY mom even though it sometimes makes me mad.
  
• Family vacations make me tired. (Well alright, I already knew that, but had to reiterate).

In addition, we got to check out the local, happenin' scene in Boswell during Rodeo Days. We just missed the morning parade, but got to partake of the free barbecue. Later that night, we endured high-speed wind, rain, and thunder. And that's about the extent of our entertainment options in Hugo, OK. It's a good thing the cabins had plenty of spoons.