Falling into fall ...if we want to or not

Whether the calendar says it or not, today is the first day of fall.

For me anyway. Just takes a soft gentle rain falling all day....

I  dug out my jeans and wore them for the first time since April/May.  Enjoyed a big mug of steaming chai tea. Burned a few favourite candles. Planned some crock pot dinners which = comfort food to me.

Fall.

Eh. I'm over it now. Wake me when it's spring please.

And just to review...Max's birthday came and went and was a huge smashing success. He had a fabulous day filled with everything he loves - lots of decorations...telephone calls.....presents (lego, adventures in odyssey CD's and a mario bros dsi game)....treats....a playdate...celebratory dinner....staying up past his normal bedtime. He had it all. Below are a few pics of his special day...

Lots of decorations hung randomly around the house. The more the better. And the more eclectic the better...

I'm not a fan of indoor photos. I managed to bribe him for about 3 whole minutes to go out in the backyard and let me take a few portraits of him. And did I ever have to work to get even that. Part of those three minutes may have almost involved tears. (not mine. even though I might have felt like it! LOL!) I loved the ones I did capture of him. With his crazy brutal haircut and all. (Note to self: do not agree to a different hairdresser cutting his hair the week before his birthday. Or ever for that matter. It's better to wait for our regular hairdresser. Lesson learned.)

Sneak peeking at his gifts before school...

Chatting with his dad on the phone before school. Keith was on his way home from the Yukon and in Vancouver when they were talking...

(rolo topped cherry cupcakes ready to be taken in and shared with his classmates)

Every year since he has been one, we've taken a picture of him on his birthday in Keith's jersey.

Aunt LeeAnne arrived to help celebrate that evening.

So did Aunt Heather and Aunt Vanessa. And apparently all three of them hate getting their photo taken. Or else they were fussing and teasing each other. And I just got sick of getting them to cooperate. Or else I'm just not a fan of indoor photography and quickly snapped and called it good. Probably all of the above.

Great grandpa also came over to help celebrate. There is quite an age gap between the two of them. Max is 8. Grandpa is 90.   :-)

And more guest. Grandpa and Grandma. Isn't it nice how they're all cooperating and looking at the camera when they are supposed to? Bravo and well done! LOL!

Enjoying dinner....lasagna, garlic bread and salad. Simple. And it's what the Maxter requested.

His cake. Isn't it fab? It looked that amazing in real life and it tasted even more amazing. One of the best cakes we've had from the bakery dept of a grocery store. Sobey's here in town. All you gotta do is take in a photo. They scan it in their computer and print it out on a sugar sheet which is applied to the top of the cake. Easy peasie as pie. Very unique to the birthday person and a great conversation piece.

(I requested a piece of the fish so that I could say that I've eaten fish. Didn't get it sadly. So now I still can't say that I've even eaten fish. I am not a fan of seafood just in case you were wondering.)

And a final photo of my little schnigglefritzy eight year old.

We love him to bits! :-)