It's My Birthday and I'll Blog if I want to!

So, I don't usually draw any attention to my birthdays because I don't like being the center of attention. I don't really get caught up in the "age" thing. Birthdays are really just another day around here for me personally. And, I hate spending money on my birthday too. So I don't get overly excited and don't have high expectations...my kids birthdays, that's another story. I try to make things special for them.

This year I had a really good birthday. It wasn't anything spectacular, just really enjoyable and the happiest one I can remember in a long time. Maybe it's just because I'm normally such a grumpy person. Anyway, it started Friday night when Lauren, McKenna and Brooklynn spent the whole night (like 4 solid hours!!) working on my "birthday surprises". No fighting, no arguing, no bugging me...the peace was heaven on earth and EXACTLY what I asked for every time the kids asked me what I wanted. Little did they know, they came through for me, just a day early. On Saturday, I woke up to this cute little surprise...


I know you can't really read it but it says "I 'heart' you Mom!" in silly string and yarn. The kids thought it would be fun to spell that out on our lawn in silly string but ran out after the "I". So they improvised with yarn. (Made it easier to clean up...the "I" is still there!) I think that might have been my favorite thing.

Then I got to open my presents which were all wonderful. I especially appreciate that Chris went to Wal-Mart at midnight and stood in line with 200 15 year old girls to get me "New Moon". What a sweetie. He told me he thought he'd just run in and grab one off the shelf and be out. Ha ha! You have grossly underestimated the cult that is "Twilight". He also bought me this little beauty which I have had my eye on for about a year and a half when my other one broke. Before you judge and condemn him for buying me a vacuum, you have to understand, I'm practical. So after 17+ years of marriage, he can safely assume that I will be genuinely pleased with a vacuum. And I was!

After presents we went to a Eagle Scout Fundraiser breakfast so nobody had to cook and I didn't have to clean a thing! Lovely. After breakfast my sister stopped by to bring me a present and my friend Matney brought me a birthday cake which was so sweet of her because she had to get up pretty early to make it. (Thanks Tay...and Matney!)
So this is the picture you get when you ask the 6 year old to take it. She cuts your head off. I was pretty sure she had cut off at least my head and had her take another one but it was out of focus so this is what you get.

Next we headed out to watch my niece, Latu's, first Rugby game. We had a lot of fun and they kicked some serious butt! I went knowing nothing about Rugby...except for having seen "Forever Strong"...and left with a new appreciation for protective padding. Good job Latu!



After the game we ran a few errands and then Chris and I left for dinner. We tried a new place called Thai Drift and L.O.V.E.D. it!! I highly recommend it. We had it again for lunch today...and I finished mine for dinner too. I'm salivating just thinking about it again.

All in all it was just a nice day and I didn't have to cook or clean or do anything. I enjoyed all the gifts, cards and well-wishes from everyone. And just because I can...I'll humor you with this picture of me. You have to understand two things. One, my children will grow up and look through all of our family pictures and believe that had they not grown up in our family they would have thought they didn't have a mother. I HATE having my picture taken. In recent years, I have tried to do better, but I still hate it. The mirror is bad enough. Second, the only pictures we do have, I'm making this face. Enjoy!

This awesome hat was made for me by my talented sister. I told her when she gave Brooklynn hers for her birthday that I thought they were so adorable that I wanted one. Chris however, won't be seen with me in public so I can't wear it when he's around. But I did wear it all day on Sunday in the house. He told me to shut the curtains. Thanks Lisa, I LOVE it!