Way Behind!

Well, this was the birthday weekend to end all weekends! Nearly everyone in my family had a birthday from the 3rd to the 7th! It was a wild weekend filled with preparation and execution of one giant birthday party for all who are physically in Tennessee.

Micah led the pack with birthday #11 on March 3rd. Pappy followed on March 5th with number 65, and our grandmother in Florida also celebrated on the 5th. I believe she is 85 this year! On the 7th, we had Sarah's 5th birthday, and she shares her happy day with Grandma Ginny, who turned 75, and with my Uncle Doug. We also celebrated the 7th birthday of my niece, Kelsey, who will actually turn 7 on the 25th. This month is only going to get crazier, so we decided to do them all at the same time for the sake of "simplicity."

Micah seemed to enjoy his birthday! He got a new Gamecube, as his old one had worn completely out. His dad got him the newest NBA game to go with it, and he also got him a school gymbag to carry all his gear to school. Micah had wanted an "official" VBA bag for some time now. He also got a new wrestling ring for his little wrestling figures. Uncle Doug gave him a new basketball, which Micah loves. Micah also got a lot of "green" from the other aunts and uncles and grandparents. In the way of clothing, he got some new Tommy jeans, a new Yugioh shirt and boxers, and some sleep pants (p.j's).

Micah is so cute because he is in that "in-between" age. One minute, he is a very mature kid, like when he is participating at church. Then, he can come home and pull out his action figures and games and play like a kid. He has quite an imagination, but both Tim and I are grateful that he no longer feels the need to flush his action figures when they have been "bad." It is saving us a ton on plumbing. We also rejoice that when we go to the freezer, wrestlers are not sharing the space with the meat.

Sarah is a cutie, too, at this age! I have had a ball this year watching her excitement with her gifts. Her favorite this year was, as predicted, the Barbie jeep. It is the cutest little thing. Both she and Hannah can fit in it, and she can drive forward and reverse at 5 miles an hour. So far, she has only gotten to test it in the den, as it is cold and rainy outside. Hopefully, she can take it for a more extensive test drive very soon.

Sarah got so many cute things this year. She got a lovely "art kit" from her aunt, uncle and cousins. It was lovingly hand-painted and just stuffed with a wealth of activities for her to indulge her creative side. I am sure she will have many happy hours with it. She got a magnetic Tigger from Uncle Doug, some cute clothes and money from the grandparents, and more greenery from the other uncles.

She also got her own Gameboy this year and a couple of games to start with. Dora the Explorer and Barbie will give her lots of happy hours. She also got some Dora dolls, some ballet dolls, and a set of Care Bear dominoes. Hannah will love playing with those!

Each child got to pick where they wanted to go for their birthday dinner. Micah chose Demos', a neat place in the next town, and he got his favorite dinner--a 6 oz. steak with baked potato and cheesey bread! Sarah chose to go to O'Charley's, as she loves their macaroni and cheese, of all things. She also likes their salads, the baloons, and the way the guys come out clapping and sing to you. I actually remembered to take the video camera and tape it this year. She was so cute.

Sandwiched in between all the birthday celebrating, we had a shower to attend for Brooke and Drew. My brother, Drew, is getting married April 16th. It is fast-approaching...5 weeks now, I think Drew said. They got so many nice things, and they are really lucky because they already have their house set up and going, and they try to go home and unpack the gifts as they get them. Sunday night, as they were unpacking my shower gift---a blender---they found that it had been previously used and then packed up again and taped to look like new! I was so disappointed. I bought it off their wedding registry, and apparently the store had taken it back from someone and returned it to inventory. Lucky me---I came along and picked THAT ONE. Hopefully, the store will graciously exchange it for them. They have a darling house that they have decorated so nicely, and I know they are going to be happy when they finally get married and settled into it.

So now, the birthdays are over for a bit. We have one in April and two in May, but that will be kid's play compared to this month! However, impending oral surguries for Sam and me, the boys' A. C. E. convention, Drew and Brooke's wedding, one more shower for her, and numerous other little things will undoubtedly keep me "way behind." I guess I will catch up in, oh, about 18 years or so when Hannah is grown.