Isaak turns 32 with a taxi brousse and a 4-wheeler

Isaak ushered in his 32nd year of living last Friday, May 16th. To celebrate we had a family dinner with some friends at Gandwana's, a favorite restaurant of Isaaks.

He ordered this gargantuan burger called the taxi brousse (means bush taxi in French...very fitting). It's so big he likes to challenge other guys to see if they can eat it all. It must be a man thing. All the guys there took the challenge, Isaak, Ben and Seth...but only Isaak succeeded! Proud birthday moment right there!

Isaak had a good time. I'm so glad he did! This was only the second time we've gone out to dinner since bringing Steven home....and all I've gotta say is that it's in our best interest, as well as everyone in a ten foot radius of us, to not go to restaurants with sand all over the floor, maybe ever again. Because it will get thrown. On people. Down their clothes. Onto tables. By a little boy who doesn't know any better. Not sure what we were thinking on that one.....*side note-if you cover a really really dark person with sand, they turn gray. Now we know. Important parenting discoveries about your kids right there! =)

We went back to the house following the sandy dinner and Isaak enjoyed a homemade cheese cake with strawberry topping made by moi. First time ever makin' one....and it turned out great! So glad he liked it! I do so love to bake for my family.

And then the following morning me, Isaak, Seth and Rebecca all drove to Koubri, a little town about an hour from our home to ride some four wheelers.

I wanted to do something fun for his birthday, and new that driving fast over bumpy roads and getting muddy would be right up his alley. And he had SUCH a good time!!

Here we are, taking a quick pit stop at the local gas station to fill up before we head out. Yup, this is a gas station. Our guide in the red vest behind Isaak is purchasing liters of gas stored in those glass bottles.

And we're off! I must say, I am very impressed in my talents to ride a four wheeler one handed while taking pictures with the other. That's multi tasking at its finest right there.

These are actually the only four pictures I took. I was too scared I was going to crash and die while I took pictures so I thought it best not to press my luck.

My first time riding a four wheeler all on my own. Proud moment at 32 years old! I even managed to keep up with the boys. If you can call what I did keeping up...I was far enough behind them to at least see their dust trail. We drove for over an hour, our guide taking us through little back roads of tiny villages way off the beaten path. It was a blast. Except for the not being able to see because the dust was so thick I could hardly open my eyes. That was pas bon. I'll just need to remember for next time to wear goggles. And there will be a next time. That was so fun!

Birthday success! To another great year of being alive!