Ben is SIX!!

Okay, so his birthday was over a week ago.  But I wanted to wait until all the festivities were over until I blogged about them.  Then the week ran away with me.  (I finished teaching my kindergarten class!!!)

Anyway I told Ben that he could have 3 friends for his "party."  He requested a transformers party with a treasure hunt.  Easy enough.  I found online and slightly modified a treasure hunt to lead the crew to the Transformers cake and the main gift I made for him, a fort for under his bed.

He was allowed 3 friends for his party because this pack of Transformers was a 3 pack.  One for each kid.  That helped Ben feel better about my NO Presents policy, since he knew he was getting a Transformer from his cake.  It also took the place of the traditional "goody bag" which is something I loathe.  You end up coming home with a bunch of junk that is so cute and party themed, but that you don't really want cluttering up your house.  Anyway, I digress.  After the treasure hunt, the played happily in the fort until the parents came to pick them up.

Birthday party win.
 
On his actual birthday Derek took him to breakfast and Toy's R Us to pick out a gift.  He chose a talking Transformers sword.

Then he had to go to the piano recital for his sisters.  His least favorite part of the day.

McDonald's was his dinner choice.  Then off to bed.

He was really disappointed when he didn't get any more presents on Sunday morning.  (In fact, his birthday turned him into a grump for several days.) But Sunday evening, the Norton's showered him with love & gifts.  Overall it was a great birthday.  He has slept in his fort everynight I would let him since his birthday.

This cake had me up at 5 am to decorate it before I subbed for Ben's teacher that day.  Ugh.  I was so worried about how long it would take.  It was actually really good, a Duff "Tie Dye" cake mix.  The frosting was store bought.  Bleh.  But the best I could do with the time that I had.

Only the best in drinks, ha!  Ben chose grape soda to go with the English Muffin Pizzas.  Note to self, the Multigrain English Muffins are too sweet to be pizza crusts.  But we ate them anyway.  

Party Crew!

In Party Mode.

The FORT!  (This was a pretty spendy project, since I bought myself a new sewing machine to make it.  I bought a pretty cheap one though, so it could have been worse.  I have already used it multiple times since this fort.)

Sock Monkey from Grandma Debbie

Matchy on the Birthday (on our way to Piano Recital).

The girls got him a Panda and a fidget spinner (he already broke one fidget spinner, so we will see how long this one lasts).  

Happy Birthday Benny Boy!  This week Ben also finished the Picture Book of Mormon.  He has been reading a few squares a night, increasing in number so that he could complete his goal of finishing by the end of the school year.  It was sweet to be there with him when he finished.  The first of many many times you will read this great book!