Birthday Girl Time

Lydia is 11!

Dad took the entire day off to celebrate with us.  These three spent most of the day painting ceramics at Paint Your World via Lydia's request.

Ahh!  That cap gun is sooo loud.  Gabe still up to his old tricks.

Took them all out in one blow.

Good frosting.  Who knew butter cream could be so simple and delicious?  Butter, honey, raw melted cacao, and a bit of sea salt.

Lydia chose, planned, and helped bake the cake.  Against All Grain chocolate layer cake with improvised whipped cream/marscapone filling and butter cream frosting.

Yum with some raw cream, egg yolks, and maple syrup ice cream on the side.

Brother, with his creativity at work, created a treasure hunt with clues or more accurately, "blues."

Dad helping to decipher the "blues."

Reading a card from Grandma and Grandpa.

From Grammy and Grandpa.

Gabe knows what this gift is, although Lydia is not so sure.

Strawberry hullers, otherwise used as chicken pin feather removal tools.  She made herself scarce during the chicken plucking process a couple of weekends ago!

Dad delighted with his gift.  "All gifts from now on are going to be about work!"

Can pluck chickens double time.

Oh brother!  He can be so exasperating with his fiddling fingers in the unwrapping process.  See below.

11 years tall.

Found these on sale at Coastal this summer.

You can see Dad's theme is for real.  No more excuse of not having a rake.

Lydia was delighted with her labled rake.