good times: ben 10

Ten years old. Double digits. I remember turning 10 back in 1980 (I remember listening to Casey Kasem's Top 40 year-end countdown that year and Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall" was #2--funny things we remember, isn't it) and what a big deal that seemed then, so when Ben kept saying over and over what a big deal this particular birthday was for him, I knew what he meant. Like most birthday's these days, it is celebrated over a number of days.

First of all, we celebrated with cake and presents the night before his b-day because the mornings are too crazy trying to get ready and out the door to school, and because Daren was going to be gone the next day to the fire station. He didn't mind this at all. Jake even drew Ben a cute little note and picture for the occasion.

His actual b-day was somewhat uneventful because it's his busiest day of the week. I mean uneventful as far as a b-day goes. Except for the ipod he got that morning. (He typed in little reminders on my phone for weeks leading up to his b-day so I wouldn't forget that is what he wanted.) He had school, art class and a piano lesson that day, so he was kept plenty busy, but at least he got to take his favorite chocolate donuts to share at school.

My present to him came the next day. I had the best time going through old pictures and making this book for him. It also made me realize what a pain it is not having all my pictures on my computer in digital form. Ugh. All the looking through books and scanning and putting the pictures back. At least the twins' lives are all digital!

And then came the party. I had bought this bouncy castle rental off of Groupon.com, but with all the crazy weather we have been having I was waiting for a descent Saturday to open up, so when I called on Thursday, May 5, to see what they had open in May, they practically laughed me off the planet because they have had every Saturday booked until September for weeks. But then, she said that they did have a cancellation for this coming Saturday, meaning in two days. I debated for a half a second and then booked it. I made this invitation in about 5 minutes, sent it off to Walgreens, picked them up in an hour and delivered them to Ben at school that afternoon to pass out to all his classmates.

It was totally short notice, but Ben had a good turnout anyway. He really wanted a party with his school friends, and it is a really great group of kids his age.

I should have known, though, that when I brought out water bottles that a water fight would break out.

Carson, below, looks so cute and innocent, but she is the one who got the rest of them going, and for the next two hours they had the best time soaking each other.