A Little More Birthday Goodness

Clay's 13th birthday really stretched out this year!  The day before his birthday he got his present from his Gram & Papoo, which was 5-finger shoes and matching socks:

On the day of his birthday he went downtown with a friend to lunch at Farm Burger (we love that place!), and a trip to the candy store (I don't love that place so much, but I'm pretty sure the boys have a different opinion).

While downtown, Clay was jumping over a short brick retaining wall, and caught his shin on the edge of a brick.  Not a fun birthday thing, but now has 8 stitches to show for it (don't worry - no photo of that!)

We waited a couple weeks after his birthday to do the official party - which was to Midnight Hole for some mountain swimming.  It was our first time there, a good adventure birthday party.  A couple other parents went, and a great group of kids!  Pictures don't do this place justice - it was SO beautiful - we'll definitely return!  Even a couple of the parents took a jump into the icy cold, bubbly water! (seriously... it was ridiculously cold).

We returned home for pizza and brownies, while the parents enjoyed serviceberry mead... yum!  Reed missed the swimming because he was at camp the whole week.  He was glad to at least be home for the playing and pizza eating part.
His camp was called Hatchet Camp at Adelbert Farm.  Thanks Pop-Pop for making that fun camp possible for Reed this Summer - he loved it and is now begging to go back for Fall homeschool classes :)  The camp was based off the book, Hatchet by Gary Paulsen.  The kids learned survival skills on a gorgeous farm, as well as enjoyed the farm scenery of goats and poultry.  They got to play in the stream each day and perfect their salamander-catching skills as well!

On the last day, the parents went out and we got to see the debris shelters they had worked on during the week.

Hope everyone is enjoying these warm months as much as we are!