Happy birthday, Mom!

On Wednesday, January 30th we celebrated Mom's birthday! (64th, it was...shh...)

Jaja and Timo in their matching sweatshirts!

Here's to you, Mom: a kind, generous, hard-working, gentle and godly woman! With a great sense of humor, too. (Oh and who can forget, she is the creator of many delicious meals!!)

For dinner we had pork tenderloin; au gratin potatoes, sauteed spinach and mushrooms; tofu salad; and croissants; plus ice cream, hot fudge sauce, strawberries and blueberries for dessert. 

Even more special this year was having 3 siblings and our families all together to celebrate and sing a raucous "Happy birthday"! Afterwards - at Mom's insistence - we participated in a birthday tradition: the balloon game. Race down the room, grab a balloon from the bag, and sit on it (on a chair) until it pops. Go, go, go! Here's Mom directing traffic and giving a pre-game pep talk.

Asher and Gemma sat quietly to listen to the rules and observe all the crazy adults in action. Unfortunately Gemma burst into tears when the balloons started popping. (We are still discussing the experience three days later and helping her get over the trauma..."And Gemma was crying a lot. What was that game, Mommy?")

Ready, set...

But that's as good as it got for the men - because the women were victorious in the game this year!!

Here are a couple of random shots from life this week. 

Tummy time for Timo. Just after I took this photo, he rolled over onto his back. Hurrah!

Bathtime for the siblings. Gemma was helping wash/brush Timo's hair with an old, very soft toothbrush.