Thank you for all the orders! Everything has shipped and you should have your orders soon! Sachets sold out very quickly, so I guess I need to make more? I’m excited that playsilks are selling so well. In the past, summer has been slow so I don’t always offer them this time of year. Thanks so much!!!
Beatrix just walked in on me typing and I told her that I am working on a blog post about Silas’ 9th(!) birthday. Her reply was, “That happened ages ago-like a month ago!” Yes, it was a month ago. I’m behind! Since his birthday we have also celebrated Mabel’s. That will be my next post! Hopefully, I’ll get it finished by the end of the week so I’m all caught up on birthday posts. My kids love to revisit their birthdays on the blog!
For the past few years, we have driven to an area along the water in Yorktown, Virginia for Silas’ birthday. It’s kind of funny because the spot we visit is nothing fancy, and it doesn’t have that much going on. We stick to the unpopular side of the road where Silas loves catching fiddler crabs, getting really muddy, and playing in the water. Every year it feels like an awfully long drive for what might not seem to amount to much, but for him, it’s his favorite thing. So we do it! The older boys don’t like to go anymore, but this year Keats went and that meant a lot to Silas.
When we arrived on the stretch of road where we park, we were surprised to see cars and people everywhere. We are usually mostly alone. After weeks of quarantine, I think we ended up going out on the first Saturday that everyone else decided to get out as well and there was no parking. We had to park miles down the road from our “spot” and wait until a parking space opened up. We spent about an hour exploring a little patch of woods, and then went back to look for a spot. There still wasn’t one, so Jonny took the kids down to the water, and Keats and I waited in the van for a parking place to open up. I was very thankful when one did!
The following Monday (Memorial Day) was Silas’ actual birthday, and we celebrated at home with a cake that had too much frosting and made us a little sick (My cakes have not been turning out well this year! Must be 2020!) Silas opened gifts and was pleased with them. I think the most fun gift was a hammock big enough for two adults (or three kids) with a net to keep insects out. It has seen lots of use in the month since Silas’ birthday. It comes with everything you need to hang it and is simple enough that he can do it himself. I also bought him a carving knife and a book on whittling for kids. (Amazon links are affiliate links.) He has already lost the knife. I eventually found it outside and thought to myself that maybe I shouldn’t have bought him a knife, to begin with. It’s sharp! I put it somewhere “safe.” I can’t remember where… Story of my life!
p.s. The two photos of Silas lighting his birthday candle above are the same. Beatrix asked me to push the exposure up on the photo to see what else was in the frame, and it was her making a funny face! Also, the number 9 on the cake is actually a 6 flipped over. I’m not on my candle game this year either!
p.p.s. Here are two of my favorite of Silas’ previous birthday posts: Birthday Boy and Silas is Four.
M moon says
We too have a 6/9 candle. I bought it for six then put it somewhere “safe” for later birthdays. I couldn’t find it for nine. Then I found it later. my mom came for a sixty something birthday and it was wonderful. Then we used it for a ones digit nine. I want to use it some more but it will have to wait. Wonder if it will still be around in five years. I don’t often see my mom on her birthday.
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Theresa Boedeker says
Reusing a 6 candle for a 9 is ingenious. Way to go. Happy Birthday Silas!
Rita says
It’s so nice to hear that you reuse candles, we used 39 for years for everyone over 39 [thanks to Jack Benny] and 9 is a good age. In California it is state history the children study and everyone loves to learn about the Donner Party [who ended up eating each other to survive!] and the 49rs. Enjoy being nine, Silas. In a few more years the work will get much harder, especially math!
Gayle says
Your children are growing up so fast!! It’s always fun to see how they celebrate their birthdays.
karen says
happy birthday! Looks like you had a great celebration. We had a ‘spot’ at a state park when the kids were little and we would go and flip river rock over for salamander sightings. The kids loved it immensely.
Maria says
Happy Birthday, Silas! Nine is a fun age. Looks like a really wonderful day!
sandra says
Wonderful!
Mrs. Eileen in Florida says
Happy Birthday to Silas! Do you feel any older since you turned 9? I bet you’ve grown taller already. Did you realize that this is the last birthday you will be a single digit, since next year 10 has 2 digits. Enjoy your year!!
Nancy says
Do u know the name of those wildflowers? We have them in WI as well?
Bethany says
Happy birthday to Silas! Such great gift ideas – my 8-year-old daughter would be thrilled with any of them. I would probably also get her the knife…and then wonder later whether that was the best idea. 😉 that spot looks lovely, and like it has a lot going on for adventurous, inquisitive kids!
Kate says
Our state’s stay-at-home order has been lifted for a month and it’s still crowded at parks or any outdoor recreation area. There’s no place else to go and outside seems to be the safest place. My husband and I are finally going out to dinner tonight (for our anniversary) and we’re wondering how that experience will be. My husband, as an extrovert, has always enjoyed the noise and activity of crowded restaurants and sitting right in the middle of it all. Me, I’m an introvert booth sitter.
My kids’s favorite homemade cake is an ice cream cake with oreo cookie crust and chocolate ganache drizzled over the top. It’s a diabetic’s nightmare. My daughter usually makes it and I get a stomachache just looking at it.
Joan says
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY SILAS Wishing you a year of happiness and blessings.
Joan,Marilyn and Marion
Catherine Craig says
Thank you for sharing! Personally I don’t think a cake can ever have too much frosting! 🙂