Sprinkles! Sprinkles Everywhere!

"I want breakfast at Mammie's house for my birthday dinner!" 

That is what Caleb said to me a couple of months ago when he was asked what he wanted to do on his birthday.

   Every year we do a combined party in between their birthdays, but on their actual birthdays, we have a few tradtions: sprinkle pancakes (usually with strawberries), a family activity in the middle of the day and a family dinner with grandparents and any available aunts and uncles. We went to Red Robin for Liam's second birthday, back in August and planned on a restaurant for Caleb's. He usually picks a Hibachi restaurant, but this year, he wasn't having any of that. He looked at me and said he wanted a big family dinner with everyone because he loves his family so much, Who can say no to that? Oh, and Sprinkle Pancakes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. What!? I made him eat somethig different for lunch, but he did get two meals of his pancakes and bacon. 

I can't believe he is 5! Next year he will start Kindergarten! Where has the time gone?!?! I really want to bore you with 5 years of pictures, but I won't do that. Ok, maybe just a newborn shot!

It was love at first sight, that is for sure. He has not stopped amazing me since. 

I hate how grainy this shot is but I didn't have time to adjust my settings before he blew out the candles and dug in. 

   Honestly, this was a pretty easy dinner to orchestrate and good too! Although, I doubt I'll be making pancakes any time soon. I made around 150 pancakes that day. The 4 of us, plus 8 grandparents and 4 aunts and uncles that could make it (there were 4 that couldn't) and miscalculations on how much one batch makes led to a lot of pancake flipping.  

1. pancakes fit for celebration. / 2. & 3. Blueberries before and after the syrup making process. / 4. browning butter for that fabulous granola. / 5. Prepped pancake batter.  / 6. A mountain of Oatmeal Cookie Granola. 

1. For appetizers we had, pigs in a blanket, sausage balls and a granola station. 

2. For dinner we had pancakes, sausage, bacon, hashbrown casserole, breakfast casserole and fruit.

3. We also had a coffee bar or a gourmet chocolate milk station if you were a child. 

When I asked everyone if they could make to my parent's house instead of a restaurant, they all volunteered to bring things. My mom took care of all meat products and the faux peach bellinis (not pictured) and the hash-brown casserole. One set of in laws, brought breakfast casserole that is a Christmas family tradition. My other set of in laws brought fresh fruit (gots to get something healthy in there), although had I thought about it, I would have had my father in law make his sausage balls. He makes the BEST sausage balls! I could eat my weight in them and I normally HATE them. Finally, my other set of parents brought the coffee bar. When they asked what they could bring, I naturally said coffee since my Dad runs a coffee bar every Sunday at church. Of course, they went full coffee bar for their oldest grandson. I made pancakes and the granola, plus fixings for the parfaits. 

  

 At this point, he was wired and there was no calming him down, but he knew he was loved and that is what really matters. Plus, I think we all spent less than we would have had we gone to a restaurant to eat. 

xoxo, 

Ashley