My boy is 6 !

6 amazing, exhausting, adventurous, hilarious, action packed years.
His birthday was this past weekend.
We had his cake and presents a couple days early. The night before we left for a family reunion.
He didn't seem to mind getting his presents early!

Roman in his glory.
He's been begging for a skate board since he was 2 years old.
He had a little one when we lived in Mexico when he was 2 but we left it there with one of the boys. (He used to ride it down a hill face first scaring everyone half to death).
He's wanted one ever since...that and a surf board.
Unfortunately we have neither pavement (or an ocean) where we live.
Fortunately we will be returning to live at the orphanage in Mexico in a few months.
There are cement side walks at the playground and a basketball court there for his skating pleasure...soooo
Time for a skate board.
I guess there will be an ocean there too.
Not getting a surf board anytime soon though.

From my Mom and Dad he got a regular black luggage set. Now for most 6 year old boys that would be right up there with new socks but it was so perfect for this boy. He loves his new luggage! He's been telling me for years that he is going to travel the world "next year" so now he has his luggage and is all set. I'm trying to convince him he should wait until he's done school.
This kid just doesn't play with toys. His wish list in past years has been
a ladder
a spade
a pocket knife
a treasure chest
luggage
guitar
surf board
skate board
a car and a cd player


He has considered himself to be about 18 years old since he was 2.

On Saturday (his actual birthday) we had all the cousins, second cousins, other extended family join him for a pinata.
It was raining that morning so it gave all the kids something to do in the lodge for a little while.
Good fun.
Roman is a kid that doesn't go unnoticed. No wall flower here.
He sat with a new table of relatives every meal I think...sometimes a few different tables per meal.
Some of the people I didn't even know.
He would sit down, talk their ears off, ask them questions and move on.
Funny kid.
Just like his Dad!

Scheduled into the weekend was a talent show but I guess no one figured they had any talent worth sharing since no one signed up.

That is until Roman got wind of it and informed me the night before that....

Roman: "I talked to the guy in charge and I signed up for the talent show"

Me:"oh really?..what exactly is your talent Roman?"

Roman: "I'm going to break dance!"

This kid has watched too many reality tv talent competitions.

I had the "So you think you can dance" intro song in my head the rest of the day.

Roman: "will you be really proud of me if I win the competition mom?"

me: " Well Roman , since there are no other people in the talent show yet....and its not exactly a competition...I most certainly will be proud of you."

The evening show came and fortunately a few other people showed their talents as well. Roman got up there and rocked the stage. My cousin played guitar while he flipped around, danced and posed with his feet in the air. It was SO funny. He struck a total pose at the end and had a big grin on his face.

His Dad introduced him with the disclaimer that he is "completely untrained" ...where he lacks in actual talent he makes up for with confidence and enthusiasm.

We left the "competition" with Roman saying

Roman: "I thought I had it until that Yoga guy....I'll never beat the Yoga guy (my cousins Husband is from Tiawan and is a yoga instructor)

me: "Roman it wasn't actually a competion...it was a show"

Roman: :Well , I sure hope I win the show"

As it turns out the "kid who break dances" got called up on stage the next day and given a prize

At the family reunion we also celebrated my Grandmas 90th birthday! Doesn't she look great ?
I'd say she makes 90 look like the new 70.
Grandma lives independently, walks down to the grocery store to get her groceries, and throws popcorn parties.
She has 8 children, a ton of grandkids, great grandkids, and even great great grandkids that love her to bits.

I'm fully expecting to celebrate her 100th birthday in another 10 years.
She's got some centurion genes in the family tree. Her great grandfather Isaac Danford Breedon was a veteran of the civil war and lived to be 100 years old. That was before hospitals and modern medicine!

Grandma married Carl (my grandpa who I was named after) son of Andrew and Kari
(in Norway named Anders).
They immigrated from Norway and moved out west
to homestead in the beautiful northern forest and lake country. In fact, the reunion was held at the same Lutheran Bible camp that they established back in the thirties. What an amazing heritage. They had 12 children, one of which was my grandfather Carl.
The reunion was for the descendants of Andrew and Kari and all their children.
What a lot of family!

On a side note Roman's middle name is Anders after his Norwegian great great grandpa.
It means "Strong and Courageous".

I love learning about family history and genealogies. So fascinating. Living in Canada we have ancestors from all different countries with incredible stories of faith, culture, dangerous sea voyages , wars, and surviving harsh pioneer lives.

My various ancestors haled from Norway, England and Scotland ,and from some of the original settlements of the United States.

The James Stirling family left Carnoustie Scotland in 1840 and settled in Ontario. His granddaughter and her husband eventually made the voyage out here to the prairies of the west at the turn of the 1900's. We still farm here where they settled and broke new land one hundred years ago.
Those are some roots.