Happy Labor Day Weekend.

First,  he had a party in Maryland with his grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins.  For this party, he asked for a CARS theme:

Next, he had a Pump It Up party back home with all his friends.  It’s been an amazing year of transition.  Last year we just had family over and now he’s having a party with twelve little boys running around.  (There were some sisters there too, including his own.) It really defined the year for me in terms of how much he has blossomed into this fun, social little boy. 

For his “Pump It Up” party, he wanted an AIRPLANE theme:

Monday was finally Daniel’s birthday.  Our birthday tradition is to ride the train at the mall in the morning and then get a Happy Meal.  He asked for a COOKIE MONSTER cake. (He still loves Sesame Street although we are all anxiously awaiting the new Fall season so we can watch some brand new episodes.)   Daddy made Daniel this awesome cake.  (He’s good like that.)

(Meanwhile, that beautiful Airplane cake?  Mama did that.  Mama picked up the phone and ordered that one from the specialty bakery.  Yes I did.)

Daniel’s big birthday gift was an art table for his room.  

He loves coloring and painting and cutting and stickers so he was thrilled to have his very own space to be creative. But he was also happy that the table came with TWO stools so Annabel can color next to him if she wants.  

He loves his sister and his family so much.  He loves being at home.  He will sit on the floor and play and make up names and scenarios for all his cars and trucks and trains.  He still loves anything that moves.  Another one of his favorite gifts was his brand new car booster seat.   He was so excited to test it out and he talked constantly about how he could see better and how comfortable it was and how he has “Cup holders, Mama!  CUP HOLDERS!”  He is such a big boy now.  He has cup holders.

He really is a big boy now.  He starts back to school next week and he seems really excited.  He loves structure and organization (like his Mama),  but he is also silly and fun (like his Daddy.)  He has this really smart sense of humor and he questions everything.  His new thing is asking me to spell out words that he shouts out.  He will go on and on and on and I hate to stop him but sometimes it’s from sheer exhaustion.  He loves to learn.

The only time he gets frustrated or whiny is when he tries to exert his independence.  Or when he has to clean up his room.

He loves books.  He loves food and is still a great eater.  He’s more independent now and will ask for what he wants rather than being served something blindly. He loves to help cook and bake, especially with his GG. 

He is curious about everything and he has an adventurous spirit.  He loves going on trips.  He loves “new hotels” as he calls them.  He loves all the big rides at the fair.  He always wants to go over the big bridges.  He is OBSESSED with bridges and gets giddy with excitement if we get to cross one.

He is so smart.  I fear the day that he finally outsmarts me is getting closer and the day that he was born and placed in my arms for the first time is getting farther and farther away.

Happy Fourth Birthday, Bean.  I love you.

2. Eric Stonestreet from Modern Family winning Supporting Actor in a Comedy.  It was a bit of a shocker, but so well deserved.

3. Jewel singing “Shape of You” during the “In Memoriam” segment.

4. Modern Family winning Outstanding Comedy Series.

5. The girls of Glee.  They were all my “Best Dressed”  (Thanks to Just Jared for the pics!):

Lea Michele

Dianna Agron

Jenna Ushkowitz

Amber Riley

Jayma Mays

Fingers crossed.

Now I’m off to watch all the fancy dresses on E! News Live from the Red Carpet. 

It’s really great because her kids and my kids are super close.  We love that they are cousins and friends too.  They run around and play and color and dance and swim and are mischievous together and it’s just the best.

The first night there we had a fun make-your-own mini pizza dinner. Then my sister said we are having S’MORES for dessert. 

“Um, when did you get a fire pit in your backyard, Sis?”

NOT NECESSARY.  All you need are three ingredients and a microwave.  Hey, this is my kind of dessert.

(I don’t cook. I bake.  A little.)

My sister said the s’mores were her daughter Maddie’s idea.  So here is the super simple recipe for:

MADDIE’S S’MORES

* Take one graham cracker square

* Place two squares of Hershey’s Chocolate Bar on the graham cracker square

* Place four mini marshmallows on the chocolate

* Top with another graham cracker square

* Nuke in microwave for 20 seconds and enjoy!

The kids just loved them!

Don’t you just love the chocolate mouths?  And that’s Baby Luke having just the graham cracker. (Next year, Buddy.)

The adults loved them too.  They went great with our white wine and game of Balderdash that night.  Have you ever played this game?  It is downright addicting. 

Just like the s’mores.

Elin Nordegren breaks her silence now that her divorce is final from Tiger Woods.

I still wonder what the heck he was thinking.  She is a beautiful mom with two beautiful children.

You can read the PEOPLE Magazine story HERE.

We make this trip ALOT.

But there was something very different when I pulled into my parents’ driveway this time.

The tree in the front yard was gone.

The tree was getting old and my parents were worried about the super large branches actually falling on the roof of the house so they had it removed.   Well, everything except the stump.

That’s getting picked up and taken away next week.

It reminded me of The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein which, IRONICALLY, Daniel got from his godmother as an early birthday gift.

I love that book.

I love trees.  I think it has to do with my love for old things and shade.  I love a big, old shady tree.

I’m not overly obsessive.  I wouldn’t protest and live in a tree.  But I MIGHT hug one.

My kids know how much I love trees.  We’ll be driving in the car and Daniel will point to trees all the time and say, “Mama, you like that one?  You like that tree?  You love trees, right Mama?”

I do love trees.

My dream is to have a birch tree in my front yard.  They are just so pretty.  I have the “Silver Birch Forest” screen saver photo on my laptop computer.

It makes me happy.

So it’s a little sad that the big old tree in the front yard of my childhood home is gone.  

But it makes sense.  It was a giving tree. 

It gave me and my brother and my sister some great memories.

And now it just gave one to my son.

Thanks, Tree.

Britney is now confirmed to make a cameo in an episode of GLEE this Fall.  The entire episode will be dedicated to her and her music.

I hope they perform this song.