Dear Evan,
You are ten and I can hardly process it. Your birthday fell on our first week of school and on a school day, at that. But after school, Honey came down and let you pick a restaurant for lunch.
Steak n Shake. Not the closest nor fanciest spot around, but that's ok. They make a mean burger. (You ordered grilled cheese.) And I am SO glad that you are not yet too cool to wear that hat. I was dreading you saying "I'm not wearing that" but you didn't. So ten can't really be that old now, can it?
Then we visited the Lego Shop at Pleasure Island because that's how far the nearest Steak n Shake was.
You designed some stuff and Honey bought you a keepsake Lego mug with your name on it. She also brought you the Hagrid's Hut Lego set and a light saber and Lego man holder when she came.
That night the neighbors had you over to swim and surprised you with ice cream and singing.
You had also requested to make your own cake earlier that day so we sang again when you got home from the neighbor's.
(You were in a bit of a hurry to stack and ice it.)
And that was just your actual birthday. This year you struck gold because Boonie also gave you his old ipad- a huge hit, obviously. I don't even have an ipad, son! But a reader like you (middle of Harry Potter #4) deserves it! And a card came from Grandma and Grandpa with spending money... which you brought with you to.... <drum roll>.....
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Which was your party and gift and everything from us.
You brought your Harry Potter-loving friend, Aaron along and we had a MAGICAL day.
I think this was the first time in my life I've ever seen you eager to pose for pictures. You and Aaron actually grasped the importance of keepsaking! It was monumental.
Platform 9 3/4, Hogwarts Express.
Downright giddy.
Chocolate frogs display.
Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans Display
Pumpkin Juice
Butterbeer
One frozen, one cold
Only the best-tasting cream soda you've ever put in your mouth is what it is!
I love that two girls behind you are wearing Hogwarts attire and don't even work there.
We went on this twice and it was the absolute highlight of our trip: The Forbidden Journey. AMAZING!!
Honey Dukes Sweet Shop
Like a kid in a candy store- oh, wait...
I've also never seen you enjoy shopping so much. You personally chose to purchase: a wand, butterbeer, pumpkin juice, a chocolate frog and Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans.
Another highlight of our trip was visiting Olivander's Wand Shop for a demo on how the wand chooses the wizard and I prayed the entire time we were in line (though some might consider that sacrilegious) I prayed and prayed you would get picked for the wand demo... AND YOU DID! Only because the first kid picked didn't speak English but it was still a very sweet moment for a praying mama.
Daddy and I had a happy day with two big kids!
And you boys were so polite and well-behaved. What a great memory. Especially of you two eating the Every Flavor Beans and squealing in disgust the whole way home as you encountered "earthworm," "rotten egg," and "vomit." That pretty much embodies a ten-year-old boy, doesn't it?
I'll wrap it up with a recent school writing you did. I just wanted to show you what kind of questions rattle around in a big, ten-year-old brain:
You have made every day the best adventure, Evan.
I love you TO THE MOON AND BACK.
-Mama xo
