[wherein I may lose my pacifist street cred.]

Can you bear with a post about a really fun birthday party for a 6 year old?

Yes, I know it’s Tuesday, but my Fannie Farmer plans were interrupted this week.

(No, we did not let Mr. and Mrs. S. down, but Saturday was one of those days that moves inexorably toward a Pizza Night and we–well, my mom, actually–brought them some of the deliciousness from Brick Oven, along with a sneak preview of birthday cake.)

So, thanks in part to the Magic Tree House books and to several by Margaret Hodges and some illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman (especially Saint George and the Dragon and The Kitchen Knight) Aidan loves the Middle Ages.

Or, as he prefers me to say, “Medieval Times.” Why?

“Because it sounds like there’s evil in it.”

Exactly.

Last year, Mr. A. had a terrible, awful, no good, very bad birthday, having spent it in the ER of Stony Brook University Hospital with a broken leg. So we decided together to make up for it by having a great medieval-themed birthday party.

“We’ve got to eat chicken legs off the bone, Mom. That seems medieval.”

Come on, how could I possibly say no?

We pinned the tongue on the dragon:

Need I point out how handy it is to have an artist for a Grandpa?We had a battle axe throwing contest (oh, yes, the artist-grandpa doubled as Lancelot)And some balloon-bamboo jousting astride a noble steed:Some young folks were dubbed knights of the Round Table:(Are you wondering where we got that throne? It’s from the church basement.)

After all were knighted, they slew a terrible dragon, who, surprisingly, was filled with a selection of organic candies and tiny toy knights:And then ate him in effigy:(I baked and frosted–Grandpa decorated.)

Huzzah!