Better Late Than Never!

 Even though Kai's birthday celebration was our trip to Chicago for the Furfest with Olivia at the beginning of December, she still wanted an easy celebration at home with more friends, sometime after we returned from Costa Rica. We made sure to make her birthday special in Costa Rica too, but when your birthday falls between Christmas and New Year's, you don't always have a choice as to what you do, you kind of just do what your family has already planned, as is the case for Kai. So I was fine with having some friends over for a meal and just allowing them to hang out. My kids all really value their friends and social lives, so I try to honor that.

We finally got around to having her friends over last Saturday. It was after our 3 snow days, so it was nice for them to have a chance to get together. Kai brought together friends from 3 different groups, some of them meeting for the first time. They all got along very well and now have a group text together. Three of her color guard friends (2 of them happen to be in the Arts Academy with her), 2 of her old friends, and a friend who was from our ward, until they changed the boundaries. 

Birthday Friends!

She wanted to have Puerto Rican food, mostly because she loves tostones so much (fried plantains). I was a little surprised she still wanted the pork because she's not really that fond of meat and 3 of her friends who were there are vegetarians. Jason made sure the rice and gandules were not made with chicken broth and Victoria invited two friends over last minute to enjoy the food, including the pork, as well.

Jason's getting really good at making this pork!

The rice and gandules are so decilious, even without the chicken broth!

Kai's fav- tostones! (And there's roasted cauliflower there, which was also a hit!)

I had to laugh at the nibbles Kai put out- candy and raw veggies. Pretty much her favorite things to eat in addition to tostones.  

Victoria's peeps.

Kai made a fun cake and they ate, hung out in her room, and even walked over to the nearby park (more likely trudged in the snow, none of them well-equipped with boots and coats). 

This says "Ranboo". He's a Youtuber. 

They all thought the #1 candle was hilarious.

Again, it was so nice having a sunroom for such a gathering!