Birthday week

This was Sam's idea/creation for a birthday cake...
so fitting for my yin & yang boys!

This year, Hamp spent his birthday on the basketball court helping his JV team to win in Vail. He was happy to be with his friends and playing ball and not at all impressed with my efforts to call attention to him with a birthday balloon! Later in the week he passed his driver's test with flying colors...

Sam's enthusiasm for baking didn't end with the cake - he also made dozens of cupcakes for the middle school dance. Between gymnastics, math club, weight lifting, pep band and the dance - Sam had plenty of after school fun this week!

I swear he only ever makes that face when I ask him to smile for a picture....
despite appearances he was pretty happy to get his "official" birthday gift - registration & insurance for his car!

Our dear friends were kind enough to hand down a car for Hamp - a '97 Nissan that has seen some road wear but also has great tires and is perfect for a town car! He's pretty excited to not bum rides off friends anymore...

But Hamp wasn't the only one cruisin' around for his birthday...
The week culminated with a snowmobile trail ride at Sunlight Mountain for all three of us!
It was a perfect day of sunshine and speed and snow.


On top of everything, we quietly noticed the 5-year anniversary of losing Jason.
While Hamp was playing basketball (again!) and Sam was playing in the pep-band I was thinking about how much Jason has missed these last 5 years.... and how happy and proud he would be with how his boys are growing up. He would have loved the snowmobile ride and the birthday cake and would have beamed with pride as Hamp drained a 3-point shot and Sam played his trombone.
Most of all, he would have been so proud of his boys driving off together in that little car...