Ben's 10th Birthday! Part 1!!

Ben turned 10 on the 26th! We were going to have his birthday party the day before, but for various reasons, we needed to move it to next weekend. Sooooo, in the meantime, he was treated to a few special things! 

On the Saturday that would have been his party, he was treated to his birthday breakfast choice #2.

(Caroline's danish was #1 which was made for his actual birthday on Sunday morning!)

So he enjoyed egg scramble and homemade waffles on Saturday morning! 

 Then, Mommy took him out for a special outing! 

He has wanted a "real" cowboy hat for a long time! 

So we went to our local western wear store and found just the right one!
(Mommy stopped for a latte and when the barista heard it was Ben's birthday,
she gave him this . . . .  :-) 

The two pictures below would have been even better had he had his new cowboy boots on! :-) 

 Then, on Saturday afternoon, he talked us in to opening 3 gifts from his younger siblings! 

 Some legos and this cool cap! 

 AND . . .not pictured is a gift opening from PapaBob and Meemom and us . .
a two-fer ;-)  . . . . an air-soft gun combo gift!  (A rifle and a pistol!)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Then, Sunday morning on his actual birthday . . .Caroline's danish!!! 

 And opening of a couple more gifts from his friend Joseph!

And a little boating on the afternoon of his birthday!

And a double-digit-birthday-rite-of-passage . . .

jumping into the freezing cold Cowlitz River! 

 Then, swimming in the larger part of the lake! 

His party is still coming up on Saturday and guess what the theme is?
Western/cowboy, of course!
He wants a "cowboy boot" cake and we'll make the cupcakes with the cowboy hats on them.
And we still need to make his special birthday dinner this week!