#17

Today is officially the first day of autumn, but with temps over 100 degrees it certainly felt like summer. Despite the heat, we still managed to have FUN as we celebrated M's 17th b-day. It was a MUCH cooler day in Spokane on the day he was born -- there definitely was a hint of fall in the air. Today it felt more like the 4th of July, minus the fireworks.

M. at three months -- what a cutie!

The birthday boy slept in until nearly 10 o'clock this morning, so he didn't get much school work accomplished today. It was a self-proclaimed holiday, I guess. (Ah, the beauty of home schooling!)

We made a conscious effort to only include family for the kids' birthdays this year. We love including friends, but there is something special about "just family." There was less stress involved, that's for sure!

M. had a few of his favorite foods for dinner: tri-tip, garlic mashed potatoes, Caesar salad, green beans, and sparkling cider. In lieu of cake, he opted for homemade pumpkin pie. (I made several trips to different grocery stores in search of canned pumpkin. Apparently there is a shortage of canned pumpkin. Seriously! I finally found Libby's pumpkin pie filling, which worked out okay; however, the final product just is not as tasty as the plain ol' canned pumpkin recipe. Oh, well! I was ready to make the pie from scratch, but I couldn't find any whole pumpkins either. Next year, I will plan ahead & stockpile several cans of pumpkin! Okay, so there was a little stress...)

Miss Millie designed a treasure hunt for her big brother. It took some time searching inside & out, but he finally located his gifts inside the car. (He was a good sport & played along with the game.)

The final clue led M. to "Beatrice" (the nickname for our Audi's Navigation system). Bea had a message for the b-day boy that was written in the same monotone voice that she speaks in. How can the written word "sound" flat with no inflections? I am not sure how she did it, but she did. ;-)

The American Girl box was a joke.

He wasn't fooled for a second.

We got M. a Garmin Nuvi GPS & accessories. If only he would have had it to help him navigate the twists & turns of his treasure hunt. ;-) Now if only he had a car to go with that GPS... As long as he gets to borrow his dad's car, he's happy.

There are only seven candles on the pie --
the "teen" part is implied.

So, we are now into an "odd year" with all three Smithlings at odd ages -- 11, 15, and 17. The fun of the birthday month is over. :-( Millie was quick to point out that Bartholomew & Jemima will have their 1/2 birthday on the 27th of September, but I won't be baking any cakes or pies for those two. A can of Fancy Feast will have to be enough of a celebration. No candles either.