Birthday Celebration

It’s hard to believe how fast our kids grow up!  I can’t believe our youngest is already ten years old.  Our youngest.  All three of the kids have now celebrated a birthday in North Dakota.  We aren’t birthday party people.  On their birthday, we try to make it about them without making it too much of a big deal – we cancel school – if it falls on a weekday, but if it falls on a weekend they get to pick which day to cancel school; they get to pick what’s for breakfast; we release them from their daily chores; we tend to do a little extra for them – do something for them so they don’t have to get up; we cook/prepare their birthday meal with their food requests; we have birthday cake; and open presents. 

Mackenzie’s favorite dishes include creamed spinach and mac n’ cheese.  This birthday she requested those and seafood salad. 

Her only request for the birthday cake was that it be a triple chocolate cake.  So, I just decorated it with some simple borders.  Her cake last year was a little more work, but I enjoyed doing it just the same. 

Since money doesn’t grow on trees and our sources are limited, the kids know there is a set $ amount we spend each year.  Well, Mackenzie didn’t receive much on her birthday because she had received her gift earlier.  Last year she got a camera and she has done really well with it, but a week before our trip home the screen got damaged – not sure how.  We couldn’t afford to just replace it so we offered to buy her one, but it would be her birthday present.  She understood and agreed, but she wanted to know if she could have it early because she wanted to be able to take pictures on our trip.  Done.  So on her birthday she did receive a few little things, but things she likes – engraving art kits and a small gift certificate to Hobby Lobby.

Mackenzie got to celebrate her birthday many times this year.  She celebrated with family while we were home in Ohio and then with family while we were visiting family in Iowa.  So, don’t think she got the short end of the stick by getting her birthday gift early because she got more than enough from family!

I think she had a wonderful day. I can’t believe how big she is!