birthdays all around

april is quite the time to be born. especially today!


athena is a gorgeous, imaginative, very talented eleven-year-old.
and my niece!


and ben is all of the above (but let's call him dashing or handsome instead of gorgeous) and a positive genius. with lots of great ties.


he's good at riding little bikes with babies


and he loves meat.
(me doing my best to like ribs. posted in ben's honor)


and my very beautiful friend nicole (you can call her rice) had a birthday yesterday. we became the best of friends over a box of after eight mints eight years ago at girl's camp.
picture stolen from her photoblog.