The Donkeys

Ok. Picture this. My 18th birthday. In the middle of an eons long family car trip. My parents decided that riding stinking donkeys down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon would be a great way to spend my big day. When they asked me to sign the liability form (b/c I was 18 and they couldn't sign it for me) I nearly refused. Many, many hours later, painfully perched in a chair, hoping I'd washed off all the stink in the shower, I had to sit through the waiters at a very formal restaurant singing "Happy Birthday" while my family quietly smirked. I'd made them promise they wouldn't sing to me.

I couldn't wait to be dropped of at college a few days later. Now, I'm thinking I'll have to remember this one when I have a snarky teenager. Take 'em down a few notches.

29th Birthday

Yup. I'm 29 today. Still John's hot young wife for one more year.

Let me tell you the highlights of my day. I woke up early to let John finish preparing for a big interview. (It involved an hour long presentation of a marketing analysis. Really major interview.) Then off to the Laundromat to do the many loads that have piled up while I've been searching our boxes for the socket wrench set. (The washing machine is broken and I think I can fix it if I can just get the agitator off!) When Ethan and I got back, we had a blah lunch and tried for naptime. Ethan wasn't having it today. He kept insisting that TV and jumping on beds were acceptable quiet time activities. Then, just before Edward woke up, I discovered fire ants in the living room! Edward's already been stung while outside with dad, and he likes to try to catch ants (snacks that make you work for them!), so I knew we needed to avoid the living room (and attached kitchen) until at least dinner time. Without a car, there was no where I could go. (Everything really is bigger in Texas. Including the distances between things.) So I called up a neighbor and headed over for a few hours. John finally made it home and we had pizza delivered for dinner. Then he left again (darn callings!) and I put the kids to bed myself. I watched an episode of Torchwood while waiting for John to get back. (Probably the best part of the day. I love that show.) Then we ended the day by pulling out all the furniture from the walls and spraying the whole downstairs for ants.

Not my favorite birthday ever. But maybe not as bad as the stinky donkeys on my 18th.

Happy 3rd Birthday to Ethan!

Ethan has been talking about his birthday for ages. And after two of the other kids in his four person preschool class turned 3, he had become an expert. He knew you opened presents, had a party, sang the birthday song, and ate cake. So today, we did all of those things.

We started with a breakfast of his choice (egg-in-a-hole and bacon). Then presents. (Our house is exploding with all the toys his grandparents sent and it's not even Christmas yet!) After that he spent a few hours playing with the new stuff while John and I cleaned up and got ready for church. Church was fun b/c the nursery was visiting the primary today and they sang "Happy Birthday" to Ethan. (His little friends loved it and told their parents about when they would get to stand up front.) Afterward, we had some of Ethan's preschool friends (and their parents) over for dinner and cupcakes. It was really nice and Ethan was happy he had a "party". There were also phone calls from family and lots of surprising the boy with shouts of "Happy Birthday!" in there too.

Now he's sugared up and overtired, so all I hear is screaming coming from the bedroom where John is trying to get him into pajamas. Even if we have a miserable evening, it was worth b/c Ethan had a fun day.