My firstborn will officially be eight years old tomorrow. So, today we celebrated by eating at the restaurant of her choice (the new McDonald's). I think Tash was embarrassed that his wife lugged the camera into McDonald's to take pictures. Oh, well. I'm one of those crazy scrapbooking women. Here she is trying to whistle in her straw.

Here's her little sister enjoying a Happy Meal.

This is my favorite and I think I'm going to sell it to the McDonald's Corporation.

This is the gang posing for mom to take a picture, yes, in McDonald's.

And...the play area, of course.


Amos is at that lovely stage where I can't get him to stop and look at the camera for more than a split second, and...he never gives me a genuine smile.



Then, we proceeded to our next stop. This was a surprise for the kids because they have never gotten anything at Build-a-Bear. They like to look, but we've never let them get a toy. Amos chose a bear and Zeni chose a mini Jack Russell terrier.

Maren had to check her JR terrier to make sure it was stuffed properly.

Amos was very excited about his bear.

Then came the Clean & Fluff.


Birth certificates and official names.

Maren named her dog Jackie (original, huh?) and we named Zeni's puppy Jack, of course.

Amos decided to name his bear Jon.

The kids had a blast and made for a great afternoon.