Happy Birthday Lucas!

Friday I worked a half day and left after noon to pick up Baylor and head south to Tara's to spend the weekend and go to Lucas's birthday party.  We got there early and I planned to use the time to go to Hobby Lobby because while I don't like some of the things they stand for, I do love their store!  Tara texted me that she was going to Target and when I told her where we were she came there instead.  We did a bit of shopping and then headed to Target to pick up a few needed items for the party and check on the cupcake order. Which was a good thing as they had it wrong.  Baylor picked out a few things at Hobby Lobby and Target.  The Hobby Lobby items, a camo blanket with a moose stuffy holding it and a wooden wiggly dinosaur, I told him he would have to wait until Valentine's Day.  At Target he found a Bewilderbeast on clearance which he played with a lot over the weekend.  When Tara had to pick up Lucas we headed to her house to wait for her.  We ate Bob Evans take out for dinner (yummy beef roast, mashed potatoes and carrots and dessert!)  Baylor introduced Lucas to How to Train Your Dragon 2 while the adults spent some time together talking and enjoying our time together.  

In the morning Tara and I left to pick up the cupcakes and balloons and set up the party at the Purcellville Volunteer Fire Company. When we got there the kitchen was filled with firemen and I was a bit worried about that when the coordinator said this is the party space.  It could be quite busy in here.  But we did not let us stop us from making a plan and getting to work setting up the perfect Paw Patrol party.  

Being a teacher she has access to a lot of cool tools and equipment and fellow teachers who know how to use them.  She had a lot of Paw Patrol stickers, images and a large Marshall for a pin the the badge on Marshall game.  

Julie arrived with Lucas and Baylor as the other guests were arriving.  This was his first big party with kids from his school so there were a lot of neat little people there along with their parents.  

Of course, I was happy to see my neat little person!  We had snacks ready at the table so the kids had something to do while we waited for everyone to arrive which worked out well.  And we took some crazy face selfies!  

When all the little ones were there they were gathered up and prepped for a tour of the firehouse.  

Baylor stayed near the back next to me so at times it was hard to hear everything but we were able to follow along.  

This was one of the first pieces of fire equipment that was pulled by the fireman to the fire.  There was not a lot of water in that tank so I hope the fires were not very big.  

All the volunteers have a locker where they keep their personal items.  He showed the kids his jammies and he had Star Wars and Transformers flannel pants. If they get called out at night they just put their gear on over their jammies.  They have a one one and six off so most nights they get to sleep at home. He showed them their sleeping quarters and the kids loved seeing them.  

The guys that were in the kitchen earlier were sitting in the control room.  

And then we listen to him tell us about the equipment. After that it was a free for all for the kids and adults.  

The curved and shiny bell made for the best face reflections.  

Baylor really does not remember his second birthday very well which was also at a firehouse but he loved the equipment now as much as he did then.  I had fun chasing him around and seeing all the bits and bobs that make their job easier.  

Before going back to the party the volunteers demonstrated how they put on their gear, what they look like and sound like when they are in full firefighter suit. 

Their breathing gear makes them sound a bit like Darth Vader and they have to keep moving or the start beeping.  Which in a fire situation is a great way to be found!  Because you only stop moving if you are in trouble.  

Back at the party and pizza there was the general chaos of children and balloons.  Which often leads to hurt children.  Which this time was mine.  But until then balloons, running and chasing was total fun.  After the crash, it was the worst game he ever played.  

Then they played Pin the Badge on Marshall.  As usual there are kids who genuinely try to get it in the right place and then their are the kids with their tricks to get it in the right place to win.  And one learns off the child in front of them.  

After the game Baylor wanted to go back to the equipment bay for another run around.  Which was fun until we wanted to leave and the doors were locked.  So we knocked on the window of the control room and they let us back in.  

And finally there was the candle and singing for the birthday boy.  And cup cakes for the rest of us as well.  They were delicious and I wish our Target had a bakery. 

After the party we packed up the remains of the party and headed home.  To open the presents!!!  There was really no time at the party and it was nice for Lucas to be able to focus on his gifts.  Well, with the help of Ryan, James and Baylor of course.  They have a bit of a drive so wanted to extend their visit by staying at the house for while.  The boys had fun together like they did last year.  Lucas received a lot of nice gifts and it was fun seeing the gifts his classmates bought for him.  

Like a robot and a mini drum set.  Which everyone loved!!  

After the boys and their mommies left we had a light dinner and Julie kindly offered to stay with the boys while Tara and I explored an AMAZING international grocery store Coco's.  We were like tourists in a foreign land picking up everything, smelling it, googling it, giggling about it and with one fruit tasting it. (it was not good apparently)  I found so many items that made its way to my cart.  But not the ghee, which is something Bob uses a lot.  But I could not see spending $8.00 on shelf stable butter.  

Tara found Julie brand items and I found Gloria brand beverage, apparently with purple corn, limes, pineapple, cinnamon and other fruits.  

The store was amazing. The freezer section was amazing. The fish market had bins of iced fish that the buyer could select themselves.  

Or if you liked tilapia, you could pick out a live one from the tanks below the lobsters.  It was smelly and crazy and amazing!  

And cheap, three bunches of cilantro for $3.00. Insane!!  

We made it home and Baylor was asleep on the couch with Julie.  I took him upstairs to bed.  He was more over my face when I reached for my phone but he moved over by the time I had it turned on.  But this was where he stayed for a while.  

In the morning we had coffee and breakfast and the boys opened Kinder eggs with little trucks inside.  We tried a sapote but it was not ripe so while it smelled amazing it was not edible.  We stayed until lunch time and headed home.  When we left there was no snow but the ground became whiter the further north we drove.  Here is VA, no snow.  

Maryland had small dusting of snow.  

Southern Pennsylvania had a bit more

Further up past Gettysburg had even more. 

And our house was covered in fresh snow that arrived on Saturday evening.  But it was good to be home and we had lots of wonderful memories from our mini vacation in VA with good friends!!  

Monday was more snow and I worked from home with my work laptop on one side and my personal one on the other.  

I used my Udon noodles to make a beef and veggie stir fry for dinner!!  It was amazing!  

And for work on Tuesday I brought in some fun snackies I had picked up at Coco's.  The Italian Gratin O!Karto was the taste winner.  

The spicy prawn crackers were much better than the regular crackers.  Too much like eating a shrimp shell!  

The Sweet Corn tasted just like eating straight from a can of creamed sweet corn.  

After school Baylor played outside in the snow again and it had softened up enough that he could make a snowman.  Riley was out and they both built a snowman and decorated them with rocks and tree branches.  

And while getting the mail, I got it in the face.  Nice one dude.