He decided that he’s not that into parties anymore and wanted to celebrate in a quieter sort of way.  He asked for one particular family to come to dinner at some point and to have a night where we ate sundaes and watched an episode of Downton Abbey.  On the morning of his birthday he went riding, a very happy thing.

She either wanted a tea party or to go bowling, because you know, they’re basically the same type of thing (?).   Candle pin bowling- totally alien to Steve and I who were raised in the land of Ten-pin, but completely natural to our New England born and raised off-spring and very five year old friendly.  It looked like bowling was going to win out until Galen pointed out that if we had a tea party, there would be a whole captive audience here for them to put on a show.  Those two are little hams and together they are twice as bad.  They can’t resist a chance to be the center of attention.

Bowling was scratched and a party was arranged.  There was a menu, a strict dress code, and a show…a sort of puppet ballet.  There were many rehearsals, sets, props and costumes made.

He was put in charge of lighting…

At the end of the show Màiri emerged from under the table/stage as the “Fairy Princess” who delivered gifts (little wax shapes made by Màiri and Galen the week before the show) to all of the guests.