Double Digits

Today is Jade's 10th birthday. Last month she celebrated with her best friend here in Morocco before she moved back to the states just this past weekend. But now it's her actual day and we're going to celebrate as a family. Except her dad is away working in Cameroon. Not to worry, we've made a birthday photo diary to capture the day.

09:00 We went to pick up our mail at the Peace Corps and Jade had birthday packages. YOU HAVE MAIL!

09:30 We went to the grocery store to shop for last minute things like birthday candles.

10:30 The girls came with me to belly dance class. They played dress up with the skirts and veils in my dance bag.



1:00 After we ate lunch we opened a super awesome package jammed with cereal, treats, mac and cheese and other assorted goodies from our friend (and 1st grade teacher to 3 of my kids) Deb. We love her! Thank you!!!



1:30 We drive to Megamall to go ice skating. So yes, we have a mall (although the name Mega is misleading) and yes, there is at least one ice skating rink in Morocco.

1:31 I realize Ember has never ice skated before.

1:32 I remember Ember's super power is determination and she'll be fine.

1:33 Um, maybe I should have made everyone wear pants.



3:30 We got home and made cupcakes with butter cream frosting.



5:45 Jade cooked up her favorite pasta grandma sent from America. The kids have become very patriotic this past year, especially to Auntie Annie. You know, pasta maker and wife of Uncle Sam.



6:15 We finished dinner and each of the 5 of us decorated 2 cupcakes to make duh dah duh, a cupcake cake with 10 candles for Jade to blow out. See I've got some math skills.



6:30 Jade crawls through the spanking machine. This is our family tradition. Come on, every family's got something weird. And yes, the kids make us go through it on our birthdays too.



6:45 Jade opened her gifts.



7:15 Jade made tickets for everyone to watch the birthday movie she chose.



9:00 Goodnight. Tomorrow the adventures of Jade, the 10 year old begin...