Mantelsonndeg + Birthday party

So yesterday was a very exciting day, for more than one reason:  Not only was it Kate's birthday party (a little late as we didn't want to drag poor Uncle Sean and Aunt Heather to a crazy kids' play place on their trip to Europe), but it was also Mantelsonndeg.  What's Mantelsonndeg, you ask?  It's the day, literally "Coat Sunday" when the stores in Luxembourg are open on Sunday so that people can go out and buy their winter coats.  As the stores are always closed on Sunday, this is very exciting and hordes of people descend on the local shopping centers to buy their winter clothing.  While, unlike some people, I still can't get used to Sundays with nothing open (seriously, nothing!!), I resisted the temptation to join the crowd and get some good deals on winter clothing.  No discount is worth fighting that mob, let me tell you!

Instead, we headed over to Arlon, Belgium, to a local kids' play area to celebrate Kate's 5th birthday with 14 of her little friends.  A good time was had by all, I think.  The kids played, ate pizza and cake, parents chatted and drank coffee -- what's not to love?

Here are a few pictures from the day:

The cake

The guests

The happy birthday girl

Blowing out the candles

There was one person who didn't really enjoy the party -- Will -- and not just because he was surrounded by "annoying" 4- and 5-year-olds.  A couple of days ago he took a nasty spill off some play equipment and ended up with a badly bruised, but thankfully not broken, arm which he has to keep in a sling for a week.  So what fun is a play place when you can't play?  Poor Will!

Wouldn't it have made a better story if he were injured fighting over a coat in the Mantelsonndeg crowds?