We have survived our very last first birthday and it was an absolute success. We had a full house and then some and even had some surprise guests! My Aunty Janice and Uncle Greg who previously thought they couldn’t make it made it home in time from their vacation. This was the first time since the wedding last April that my MacLean family was able to get together in such great numbers. So we were a little over capacity but it was worth it! Talk has been started about a family get together later in the year to celebrate some of the family’s milestones. 

As a joint effort with Nana, Baba, myself and Fat Sheep we were able to decorate TWO cakes – a potato cake (the “icing” being dyed potatoes… all mashed) and the chocolate one I photographed last night. Adorable don’t you think?

Guests started coming early around noon with Uncle Wayne who came bearing school supplies, baseball bats, gloves and balls… can you believe he even found a PINK one for Trinity! She was pleased as punch. And so much lined paper found on sale! I am so very grateful. The help we receive from family and friends in the way of supplies, knowledge and more are so very crucial to our teaching.

The party was well under way an hour before the stated start. We decided to do things a little out of order as our very lovely birthday girl did not have her full nap. But first the birthday finery… of course with so many people, cameras and heat our Echo was not a fan of staying in it. I did manage a cute picture or two from our own camera and have great hopes of collecting as many images as possible from our special day from all the cameras that were active there. I have plans of dressing her back up in the outfit later this week and doing some pictures in the yard…

After that we gave her a bit of a break with Baba in the backyard visiting some of the uncles… and then PRESENTS! And did she ever get some lovely ones! Clothing, toys, teddies and a very special homemade bookwork courtesy of Karyn AND a matching mini book (from Lauralee) that are just so precious. She really didn’t open anything but was quite complacent in the middle of her mountain of new precious things. Thank you so much everyone for the thoughtful gifts. I look forward to going through them in a more leisurely fashion later in the week.

We had a few family members who had to leave early from the party so we sped along with the cakes. Echo TRIED to touch her potato cake but started balling her eyes out at the end of Happy Birthday… so we pacified her with allowing her to smack around her chocolate cake. In fact, she actually ate a piece! Well, she was FED it bit by bit by obliging guests. We never did light the candle but it was there!

Dinner was amazing, we had our beans (always a hit and now MORE people want the recipe!), hotdogs, burgers, chips… and then my very lovely Aunty Lorraine and Uncle Ken came bearing a fruit platter and a meat platter with crackers to go along. (thank you so much they were absolutely yummy) And thanks to Adam (Cousin Veronika’s fiancée remember?) for running the BBQ for us. Sadly Ken had a work issue crop up and so could not be consistently involved in the party, though he did not miss a single highlight. I am so happy and proud of him for being willing to do the bulk of the leg work and all the day before! Unusual for him.

The visiting lasted a lovely amount of time, with some friends late into the evening. Ken’s folks and my Uncle Wayne took all the bigger kids to the park to play with the new baseball gear (Zander, Gavin, Emanuel, Trinity, Isabella and Alex). In the meantime Echo woke up from her nap to less people and got right in there hanging out with her special beaux Izaac.

Esther, as usual, was late but stayed late… of course I had to get my usual Esther and Ted picture… I am particularly proud of this picture of Ted… note the REAL smile!

I was not able to get pictures of everyone there what with people inside, outside, downstairs… and myself occupied mainly with Echo and not the camera… but I must say – thank you to everyone who was there… Out of my mom’s family there was Aunty Lorraine, Uncle Ken, Uncle Wayne, Aunty Janice, Uncle Greg… all three of my cousins – Katie (who came later in the afternoon but stayed for a visit – it was so nice to see you again!), Elizabeth and her boyfriend Lyle (so glad to get to meet you again!!) and Veronika with Adam (always a pleasure) and don’t forget – Mom and Mike (who is VERY tanned from his bike ride down to California and back).

Friend wise we had Chris and Chris (who came the night before and had to leave soon after the organized festivities – their wedding is a mere 2 weeks away!), Kristen and Fydo, Karyn, Lauralee, Victoria, Kathy (thank you again for stopping in and picking up the hat I won for Trinity – more on that later), Ted, Sean, and Esther and the den Otter family. Talk about a full house! We were so happy to see all 5 of the den Otters. Poor Izaac suffered from some pretty awful fevers last night that turned out to be the result of teething. So there was the potential of he and Xinny remaining at home (after all the thought was originally that he may have had some sort of a bug, seriously he and Echo do like to work together to keep us on our toes!).

The last to leave left at the same time late last night – Esther, Ted and Sean… Esther south and the other two north. I am hoping to plan a weekend when Ted and Sean come back and visit. We do miss them. It is going to be tricky as Ted is heading back to Ethiopia for his younger brother’s wedding and some much anticipated reconnection with family and familiar places. OH Ted brought with him two rather special items – some more of the spice we enjoy (I need to send some home with Veronika on her next visit with us) AND some coffee fresh from a place local to his dad. Of course they had to make a pot in the evening to savour and discuss. We are so spoiled sometimes… at this point our kids are NOT happy unless we make our spaghetti with the spice Ted provides… I am so happy to be able to share with them so much more than just our cultural foods. In fact, when we were stranded in the city after Echo’s doctor’s appointment, the kids were absolutely blown away by Xinny’s dad’s ability to dish out noodles using chopsticks. After all, that is something mommy would NOT let them do with the sticks THEY have found over the years!

Our decorations for the party were a hit and simple too – the Cricut shapes and balloons with some curling ribbon and done! I do so look forward to when I have the money together to get my own. I use Karyn’s still but it only does up to the 6X12 inch pages. I would love the 12 inch one… then I could make the larger banners… in time though, all in good time!

Now there IS the rest of today to chat about.. well the morning anyway but this entry is already a mile long! So an early post and a request that ANYONE who took pictures PLEASE email them to me at rosereinsch@gmail.com… Thank you again everyone and check back tomorrow for another entry!