Happy Birthday and First Day of School

So someone's birthday wish unexpectedly came true, when Enzo & his mom were kind enough to invite Brennan camping the last weekend before school started.  He's been begging to go for at least a year, and didn't quite buy that our stay in a tent cabin at Safari West qualified as "camping".  I couldn't go - I had to work - and there is NOT A CHANCE that Daddy is going to sleep in the woods with 2 kids on his own.  So he got to go solo.

Lucie was very put out.  I didn't tell the kids where we were going on the drive up - partly to make it a surprise, and partly because I didn't want to hear about it all the way to Bothe Napa State Park.  She helped the boys assemble their tent, and then started asking where she was going to sleep.  It was a little bit heartbreaking.

Just to make sure everyone got left out, even Roux - the boys apparently adopted some neighboring campers' dog for the weekend.

Not to worry - I had a plan.  It had to be something pretty big, to make up for being left out of camping.  Something as big as...

RIDING A REAL PONY.

And not pretend riding, on one of those carousel things, with tethered ponies walking in bored circles. For real riding, with a helmet and proper saddle and holding the reins.  It was just like being in Horseland!  (What's Horseland, you ask?  Why, an animated TV series that aired 2006-2008 about a group of preteens who spend all their time training for dressage and show jumping competitions with no adult intervention whatsoever, and gossiping.  It also features a talking collie that sounds like someone doing a bad Sean Connery impression.  We're big fans.)

The riding lesson was followed by a stop at Teeny Cake in Novato, where delicious cupcakes were consumed.  By the time we arrived back in San Francisco, all was forgiven.

Big brother came home, tired and dirty.  A shower and a good night's sleep later, it was Monday 8/17 - time to turn 7, start 2nd grade (and PreK), and FINALLY get dropped off at the same time and place.

While having one drop-off (& pick up) may have been the highlight of Mommy's (& Daddy's) day, the real important stuff was opening gifts -

-and having family dinner, Roux included, on the patio at Zazie.  Even if it was a little chilly.

The birthday celebration continued next weekend, with a "Games in the Back Garden" Party.  The theme and games were Brennan's picks, with a few additions suggested by me, given my concerns about filling 2+ hours playing Shoot the Can and Pass the Parcel.

I discovered that wine bottles, food coloring, rope, and duct tape can be combined into a reasonably festive ring toss.  Also, if you rebrand "keep this balloon from touching the ground" as "Jedi training" - via the addition of a toy lightsaber and a stopwatch - you have the full commitment of 7 year old boys. Everyone claimed they had fun, and at the very least, went home with a flying Ninjago thing and a belly full of cupcakes.

Welcome to 7, Brennan!