Birthday Adventuring

Okay, when I said we were having a birthday week, I actually meant a birthday month.  This past week has we have moved away from Victoria, vacationed in Sandpoint, Idaho, and tried to put our lives back together in Calgary again.  So, this next week will be a catch up week to get us to all the exciting things we're doing all summer.  I've got some reviews, a giveaway, and some potty training adventures ahead!

So, without further ado, let's talk about Eli and his incredible, adventuresome, triple wicked awesome birthday adventures!!!

On the day Eli turned four we woke up early for some "Birthday Mush." This is a tradition I had forgotten about until my sister-in-law mentioned that this year was the first time she didn't do "Birthday Mush."  As a kid we always ate oatmeal for breakfast on our birthdays. If we ate our entire bowl we would find that the birthday fairy left some money for us at the bottom. If we didn't eat our entire bowl, all the money would disappear!  So, on the morning of Eli's birthday we started the tradition in our own family, and sat down to some "Birthday Mush."  And let me tell you, the birthday fairy was generous this year and Eli (and even Silas) really cashed in. 

 Then Eli opened his birthday present, which he still insists on wearing as much as possible.

 Jared went out to the car for a few minutes, and when he got back he found a pirate map on our door step!  Naturally we frantically got dressed and headed out to see if there was pirate treasure where X marks the spot. 

 We'd never been to the beach that early, or at low tide, and it was a whole new adventure!  The pirates knew what they were doing when they hid their treasure. 

 And there's the X!

 Just where the map said it would be.

 Real pirates don't need shovels, let's find that treasure!!!

 There it is.  Golden (which happens to be Eli's favourite colour right now... that's right, golden) chocolates!!!  This pirate even conceded to sharing a bit of his treasure, for fear that it might disappear, just like the money in his mush.

With our booty in hand we loaded in our car and drove to what we called, "The Sea Star Beach."  At low tide you can go and see whole groups of sea stars stuck to the underside of rocks.  Eli LOVES sea stars, so it seemed a natural thing to do on his birthday!

 There they are. 

 Okay, so there were also hundreds of those nasty snot like things. Guess what they are?  Anemones!  At high water, when they are all opened up they are really quite beautiful.  But at low tide they kind of deflate and really grossed us out.  If you touched them though they would suck up all tight and stick to you, so at least they offered some entertainment!

Sadly Jared had to go to school during Eli's birthday celebrations, so we went home for a nap and waited for him to finish. 

When he was home we headed back to  Fisherman's Wharf to see if we could see some real pirates.  The pirates were apparently off pillaging some village, because they were nowhere to be seen, but we did see our seal friends again!

 Eli spent some of his birthday mush money buying some fish to feed the hungry seals. 

 

 Our meal was worthy of any pirate.  We ate real fish and chips right in the harbor. 

We checked out dead fish under the docks.

Then we imagined what it would have been like had the pirates been around to take us on a pirate adventure.  It would have been pretty awesome, we imagine!

When it was all over we headed home to bed, to dream of pirates, and seals, and all other exciting things. 

It was wonderful.  I love my Eli so much and am grateful for the last four years and all he has taught me.  Here's to many more wonderful birthdays and adventures with my boys.