15

No, this is not a break for the local Army Recruits...this is McKay's 15th Birthday gig. This is the third year running that he has wanted to have an 'airsoft war' to celebrate. The weather held out for the most part and so it was a go! After getting their supplies ready and set up, we fueled them with the food that anyone would want to insure a good performance: Pizza. ick.

After loading up on carbs, the boys get out to do what they came here to do....

Luckily my sister and her husband have 5 acres of property and few neighbors. I am pretty sure that if we did this in our little neighborhood that the local police would've thought they hit the jackpot. Of course, they'd have to leave the Dairy Queen to come check things out. Yeah, I said Dairy Queen....it's a small town for cryin' out loud!

Menacing right? Uh, right. Makes you tear up.

And here they are tired of posing and ready to get on with it!

Can't keep serious for long! Plus, look at their baby faces! So funny!

Someone had to 'monitor' the goings on. I, uh, needed to tend to the kitchen, oh and the television.

McKay and his bud Max several months ago constructed a 'Potato Cannon'. Did you get a good look at the length of the barrel on this thing? We tried to get launching pictures, but it they didn't work out. Now remember I said my sister's property is 5 acres....it's a good thing because this puppy can seriously LAUNCH! Can you say 'fast food'? Okay, not so funny. I'm not going to quit my day job--don't worry.

A fire was started before dark so it would be blazing for the s'mores!

S'mores always manage to hit the spot.

Here's Max & Hyrum loading up on marshmellows.

Charles wrapping up the final touches.

Januaria taking pictures. Caught ya!

I'm the 'marshmellow supervisor' and my sister's hubby Scot is working the assembly line.

What a goofball McKay! Geez...where'd you get THAT from?

Max & Charles representin'. Legit.

The most important part of the s'more? Yeah you got it. In fact, screw the marshmellow & graham cracker....just chocolate please.

Opening the gifts wrapped with duct tape, electrical tape, pink wrapping paper, flowers...you name it. Funny stuff boys!

Wrapping up the evening and seeing what they can burn in the fire.

And we manage to escape with no 9-1-1 calls and no injuries. Uh, that we know of...

And total props to Sophie who is surrounded by all this testoserone every minute of her life. It's no wonder her stuffed animals are loved so dearly. Uh, and are flown around in Star Wars ships.

Now, McKay was gone all day on his actual birthday sooooo.......while he was away, there was some fun had with his room!

He loved it of course!

Since he's 15 what else would he want for his birthday? Cash of course! But we did get him something small in addition.

Yup, a razor! A passage into manhood. He can now shave the 10 hairs off his upper lip! SWEET!

Sophie being herself!

So classin' it up, I realized I had no candles. Classic. Thus we have a number 4. Awesome.

I cannot imagine my life without this kid. He makes me laugh and he's a great older brother. It doesn't get much better than life at 15.