FIVE CANDLES

Today Naomi turns five.  The morning started out with both Naomi and Tim opening gifts from family members.  Then, later in the morning, the party crowd arrived.

"Little red caboose, chug, chug, chug..."

Tyler wakes up to his five-year-old sister.

To Tim Timmy Tim from Bruce Brucie Bruce and Deb Debbie Deb.



Soon to discover a gumball machine from Papa and Nana.

One dollar per year from the Moffits.

Devon takes a break from watching his father and sister open gifts.

Busting out a tune on a new harmonica.

A nest of hornets conceal themselves from the partiers.

Devon finds shade among the blackberries.

Lucy picks a blackberry.

Declan looks for strawberries.

Silas and Devon compete in wall ball.

Sidewalk chalk artists.

The hands of sidewalk chalk artists.



Taylor rests in a doorway.

The partiers gather as Naomi begins to unwrap her gifts.

Bethany helps Naomi unwrap a gift.

Naomi shares her new window markers.

Window markers from a different view.

Time for lunch.

Mason waits for lunch.

Party girl and friends consume hot dogs, grapes and chips.

David with chip.

Balloon stomping contest begins.

Lucy and Naomi try to pop each other's balloons while Tom and Kari watch the other contestants.

David and Taylor go at each other while Abigail and Devon do the same.



Elizabeth tries to stomp Lucy's balloon.

Amarissa and Emma are the last two standing.  Amarissa ultimately prevailed.

Per Naomi's request, Bethany made a pig face birthday cake.

Bethany lights five candles.

Naomi listens while the crowd sings "Happy Birthday to You."

Suffering from a slight case of embarrassment, Naomi asks Mom to help blow out the five candles.

Time for birthday cake, cupcakes and creamsicles.

Declan and Tyler prefer to participate in a staring contest rather than a birthday party.

TURNING FIVE TOMORROW

I spent an enjoyable day on I-5 today, driving from the southern part of the state to the northern part of the state to attend Naomi's birthday party tomorrow.  Naomi's dad, Tim, also celebrates a birthday tomorrow but the party is definitely for Naomi.

Today we hung out, played games, played music, took pictures, went out for pizza, and came back home for ice cream.





Silas provided entertainment with several well-performed songs on the piano.

Naomi asked if she could borrow my camera and took a picture of Devon wearing my hat.

Naomi also took advantage of my camera to take a flattering photo of me.

Once at the pizza parlor, Naomi plugs some quarters into a video game.

Devon, Silas, Tim, Tyler, me, Naomi and Bethany prepare to devour some pizza.

The pizza was mouth-watering good.


With only about four-and-a-half months left until Christmas, Silas "Wishes you a Merry Christmas" with a piano solo.

Devon and Bethany compete in a two-handed slap fight.

Naomi and Bethany compete in a two-handed slap fight with Silas and Devon watching.

Tim and Bethany compete in a two-handed slap fight.

Naomi sings for the very last time as a four-year-old.

RETURNING HUNTER

Today was the second and final day of Hunter's visit. Like yesterday, we all had a great time together, but the time eventually came to return Hunter to his family. 

About forty of them were camping at Harris Beach State Park in Brookings, so Hunter, Debra and I got in the car and headed to the coast to find them.

Hunter awoke this morning to the Cartoon Network, listening through a cordless headphone set while Debra, shown in the background, made pancakes for breakfast.

Hunter ponders the pool.

Debra, Hunter, Ashley and I enjoy breakfast together.

Nana and Hunter laugh together at some bizarre pictures in a book of visual illusions.

Our final snorkeling session before driving to Brookings.

Airborne.

Placing the solar blanket over the pool after spending a couple of hours in the water.

Stopping at the rest area near the tunnel on Highway 199 to enjoy the beauty of nature surrounding us and to get some physiological relief and comfort.

Stopping for a milkshake at Dairy Queen in Brookings before tracking down Hunter's family at the campground.

Finding the campsite.

Debra and I spend some time on the sand after returning Hunter to his family.

Finishing a great two days while watching the sun lower on the horizon at Harris Beach.

HANGING WITH HUNTER

Hunter and his family stopped in Grants Pass today on their way to a camping trip in Brookings.  After I got to meet some of his extended family, Hunter left with me while the rest of his crew continued to the coast.

This is Hunter's fourth consecutive summer in which he has been able to hang out with us at the house on Hybiscus.  He was here in 2009, 2010, 2011 and again this year.

After Hunter's family took off for the coast, I asked him where he would like to have lunch.  He said, "Mickey D's", so that's where we enjoyed our fine dining experience together.

After lunch, we took a brief detour on our way to the house on Hybiscus.  Hunter wanted to see where I worked, so we stopped by the cancer center where Hunter took the controls of a linear accelerator.

Thinking that Hunter might like to have a mask and snorkel set like mine, I got him a set.  My thinking was right.

Breathing under water.

The mask and the face behind the mask.

Riding the seahorse, or the dragon, or whatever you want to call it.

Riding Papa's shoulders.

Taking a fudge bar break.

Warming up in the hot tub.

Feasting on Nana's spaghetti.

Whipping Papa in a game of Pictureka, without cheating, before finishing the day at the theater watching "Ice Age: Continental Drift" in 3D.

Hunter asked me to take a video of him swimming the length of the pool and back to prove to his mother that he could do it.  Here's the proof.