Bees and birthdays!

On Saturday Dan's friend Martin came over to learn about beekeeping.

Here are Brian and Dan dressed in bee suits.  It was honey-collecting day!

Maya and her magic tricks.

Centrifuging to get the honey out.

Also on Saturday we celebrated Gabe's 10th birthday!  (His actual birthday is on Tuesday.)

And Nathan's 3rd birthday!  (Nathan's actual birthday was Saturday.)

Throwing water balloons ...

... to try to hit a target drawn on the driveway ...

Of course, it turned into throwing water balloons at each other ...

Daddy and Mama ...

We went to a birthday party for some old friends later that night, and Dan bought himself one of these shirts, like the one he bought for our friend Mark.

Brian and Joe ... moving on to the next activity.

Birthday cake!

Singing Happy Birthday.

Blowing out ten candles!

Nathan found himself in a good position to take a bite out of the side of his cake ...

... before anyone could cut it!

Max still thinks that every birthday is his birthday.

Joe, babysitting McGruff.  He isn't a problem, except for the fact that he just silently wanders away after a random scent!

Happy birthday to my big boy!

Max and Nathan both tried to claim this bucket.

Next activity was launching water balloons.

The kids took turns launching them.  They shot off like rockets!  One almost hit our neighbor's car as they were driving down the street!

McGruff, having fun at the party.

Giant bubbles were next.

Thanks to Mom for planning all these games!

A big one!

Here's Daddy, visiting Gabe and Max from a hovering bubble in the air.

Today Maxie told me, "The doggy has a tail."

I said, "Yes, he does.  Do you have a tail?"

Max answered, "No.  I have a butt."

Today was also Mrs. Roach's memorial service.

If you want to watch it, I believe you can do it here:  http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/23062639

Well, back to another 4-day workweek of 8-5s for me.  I have actually found a couple of my favorite people working at St. Luke's The Vintage (the coolest manager ever from MHTWH, and my old orientee, Peggy, whom I trained directly from nursing school).  I have to learn how to do some new things (drawing all my own blood, and performing 12-lead EKGs), but I am excited about the challenge and the new learning opportunities.

Goodnight!