SIX

1. What is your favorite color? orange (this is new.. maybe a month ago)

2. What is your favorite toy? my game on the computer

3. What is your favorite fruit? watermelon

4. What is your favorite tv show? Green Lantern (Still don't get this because he's never really seen it)

5. What is your favorite movie? Nemo 

6. What is your favorite thing to wear?  Agent clothes

7. What is your favorite animal? a leopard

8. What is your favorite song? "It's All About You, Jesus" (used to be Queen's, "We Will Rock You... weird how things change)

9. What is your favorite book? The makes that I, Jackson, make

10. Who is your best friend? it's hard cause I have lots of friends and lots of them are best.  "I think I should all say of them are the best friends.  Hard to tell"

11. What is your favorite snack? Cheetos

12. What is your favorite drink? Chocolate milk

13. What is your favorite breakfast? waffles

14. What is your favorite lunch? cheeseburger

15. What is your favorite dinner?  cheese pizza

16. What is your favorite game? Giant Bird game

17. What is your favorite thing to play outside? catching lizards

18. What is your favorite holiday?  Christmas

19. What do you sleep with at night? nothing

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? an agent (sometimes he says "ninja")

21.  What do you love about dad?  He lets me stay up and watch shows while mom is gone in the night.

22.  What do you love about mom?  She makes good meals.  But I love water balloons.  Even I like to work on my desk.

The Night Before....

 That morning the kid woke up before us all as usual.  Kinda a bummer that mom and dad had been up all night with Cole and were too beat to greet him bright and early.  At one point I heard him tell Andrew, "Dad, why has no one said Happy Birthday to me except mom?".  Ry quickly said, "Happy Birthday" to which Jackson replied, "No one but mom and Ryan."  I couldn't believe he was saying that because it was reinforcing how old he's getting.  We've had such little kids for six years, it's weird getting into the place where much more is expected and noticed.  Man, the pressure is on!  He's was much happier when Paige sent him a text with Bella, and then he heard from Grandma Shopping, Bri and the Fazeli's.  The recognition was making him so happy.

 It only got better at church when all his friends wished him a happy birthday and they sang to him in Primary and he got his birthday baggie from the Bishop.  From church we headed to grandma shopping and grandpa grandpa.  We were all so grateful to grandma shopping for the all work, time and energy she put into making Jackson's day festive.  This little man loves a party.

 I love our annual picture because he's always so loving!

 The night of his birthday he would not go to bed until his entire "office" was set up.  Grandma got him supplies needed for a proper office and Jackson wanted to make sure everything was in it's place before sleeping.  I don't know where he gets this from :)

Some of his best quotes from the day:

Best day ever

this is totally awesome

oh man that's what I wanted

I just love today

This year for his birthday I did not want to go all out.  We always said "5" would be the big birthday and it was.  I asked Jackson what he wanted to do and multiple times he said he wanted to do water games.  Thank goodness it was so hot - Jackson made his guest list of his "closest friends" and said brothers and sisters could come too.  He even went so far as to starting to make thank you notes for each kid until he realized it was using up all his paper.  He did a real good with his guest list because it was so manageable and required no editing.  The only downer of the day was our pool got a leak a couple days ago and we didn't realize until all the kids started piling in... they didn't seem to mind.  It was 100% craziness the first 30 minutes after arrival.  It was a Monday afternoon and after sitting in school all day, they were ready to have fun (I totally want to do this in the future instead of during a weekend)

 Cole was still struggling from allergies and teething so he hung out inside and rearranged the kids' shoes.  I don't know why he has such a fetish but he loves giving people their shoes and he loves cleaning them up and putting them in our shoe bin.

 The water balloon toss was kinda funny because no one tossed well and no one caught well.  I really don't think one balloon was caught.  But again, who cares, they had fun!

 PINATA TIME!  Ok, I kept calling this gathering a "play date" because I didn't want the pressure of throwing a "party".  But the pinata is tradition and so yes, it leaned more on the "party" side but that's ok.

 Thank you Vallarta for your durable pinata!

 I think Allie had the best form - it was so awesome Jackson even tried it out at the end when he was trying to finally bust it open.

 Everyone was so kind, so generous and truly made Jackson's day.  We don't purchase toys around these parts and so this kid didn't know what to do with himself and all his new gadgets.  It was very exciting.

 Best Buds!

 Can you feel this kid's birthday joy?

*Thank you Nikki for capturing such an expression!

 The kids played for about 2 and a half hours and really did entertain themselves.  Best party ever - so easy!  I was impressed that two mom's from school allowed their boys to come hang out.  Steven came home with me after pick-up and Darin was dropped off by his mom.  I can't say I would have allowed Jackson to do this but I'm glad Steven and Darin were allowed because Jackson just loves those boys.  One day Steven even showed up to school with a picture he had colored for Jackson.  I love that I can work in the classroom and know firsthand of their relationship and character.  I only pray Jackson continues to pick good friends throughout his life.

Everyone was beat when the last guest departed but man, what a great day.  Jackson, I can't imagine life without you - you are a stud!

*PS.  I just love that Andi sat here the entire time I worked on this post (and talked to Tori) diligently working on a puzzle all on her own.  We're so excited to see what she does with her life.