Colin's 11th birthday

Colin turned 11 on August 30! The Saturday before his birthday, he had his friend Robbie go out to eat with him at Genghis Grill and then come back to our house to hang out together for a few hours. On his actual birthday, he attended a Yu-Gi-Oh tournament, ate out at Chili's, and (as is tradition in our house) got to be King for the Day.

Here's Colin and Robbie opening a present (lots of Hero Factory figures to build).

Colin happily displaying all the Yu-Gi-Oh packs Robbie got him - bliss!

Colin, Spencer and Robbie opening the packs and comparing the contents

Chocolate cheesecake!

Robbie and Colin playing (what else) Yu-Gi-Oh on the Wii

Colin generously let Spencer build several of his Hero Factory toys while he was playing games with Robbie. Here's Spencer showing one off.

Later that night, Sam and Asa Hicks came by and helped finish building them, and they all had a massive battle.

The morning of Colin's actual birthday, he got an acceptance letter to Hogwarts, delivered by owl!

Colin's birthday balloons. Mario is fine and all, but Colin would have chosen Yu-Gi-Oh if they'd had it! (:

Colin with his birthday breakfast. (We had to get a new birthday tray, since our birthday monkey plate has gone missing.)

A few days after Colin's birthday, we went to go spend some time with my brother Clark and his family, and my awesome sister-in-law Sandi surprised Colin with a cake - the same one she'd made for my baby shower last year that Colin has enthused about ever since. It was amazing! She even made a little one just for Colin.

Colin loves being 11 - he's now a boy scout and has already gone on a campout (but that's a story for another post . . . someday!). (: We love you, Colin!