Random blatherings

Stuff... It's been awhile since I wrote a real update to the blog. I thought I'd write up a rundown on life around here.

June 3rd: We celebrated Mike's birthday here at home, just the four of us. See my previous post for more on that!

June 4th: Mike's actual 40th birthday! I actually didn't see him much that day at all. He worked and then went out with his mom after that. Later, his dad took him out to the Claim Jumper for his birthday. He brought home a yummy dessert to share!

June 7th: Party day! We had Mike's big birthday party here at the house. There were 19 of us altogether and we had a blast! We barbecued and ate and socialized and had a great time. Later on, all the kids watched a movie in the play room while the adults played Smarty Pants on the Wii. How much fun was that?! It was SO nice to be able to get together with a big group of people, have a great time, and not have ANY drama! I was just saying to Mary recently that it seems like everyone has grown up... for the first time in a long time (this past year actually) we can all get together and have a good time without it ending in drama or tears. It's really nice. Anyway... I bought a picture frame with a wide mat and had everyone at the party sign the mat. Then I glued some "40" confetti to it and it came out great! Mike posed for a really cool "old fogey" picture and it'll look great in the frame!

Oh I failed to mention... prior to the party, in the very early afternoon, we took the kids to see Kung Fu Panda... super cute, hilarious movie! Two thumbs up from me! And as a total side note...

This really is a SIDE NOTE... but it was an observation I made while watching Kung Fu Panda... there is a turtle in the show... he's the... um... what's the word... leader/king/ruler/emperor... not sure which. Anyway... he is SO FUNNY TO LOOK AT... every time I saw him, I thought of my TUTU! When we were little, I remember her walking around the house in the mornings, before she put her dentures in. Her bottom lip would cave in and she'd talk funny... and this turtle in the show reminded me of that!

June 8th: Mike went and did some home teaching in the afternoon with his companion. Then we spent the rest of the afternoon and evening together as a family. We exchanged a couple of shirts Mike got for his birthday and he ended up getting some really cool shirts. Then we walked around the mall and grabbed a bite to eat... and then shared a Cinnabon for a little treat. YUM!

June 9th: Mary and Jay came over with the kids. We barbecued burgers again. Jay made some very intense bleu cheese burgers with toasted onions and Heinz 57 sauce... I have to say... Ooo La La!!! They were GOOD. Then we played a few rounds of Sequence. Jay left for awhile to take do some night photography in Seattle while we stayed behind and continued playing until Mary and I put everyone to bed. It was fun! I'm so glad they live close again!

Looking to the future...

Tomorrow is Evan's birthday! My baby will be 5. How did that happen? Where did the time go? I STILL don't know what we are doing. I think we are looking at having a party on the 21st. We got him a bike for his birthday and I know he'll love it. We'll have cake and ice cream here tomorrow night with "just us".

I have to work all weekend. I swear my work weekends keep coming faster and faster! Seriously though, I am BEYOND grateful to have every other weekend off now. It's been so much fun getting to be involved in family togetherness without having to plan in advance, take vacation, or just plain get left out.

June 21: Tentatively, we are planning a party for Evan's birthday.

July 3rd: Tentatively planning on camping. But now I think I might have to drive out Saturday afternoon and miss out on Thursday and Friday... or else go on Thursday and drive home Friday and go back Saturday. We'll see. I have the feeling that that Friday (the 4th) I'll have to work. If it was any other day during that weekend, I'd call in sick. But I just can't call in on the actual 4th since it's a holiday. SIGH... I have an email in to my work scheduler to see if she can confirm what I'm working.

Our plan is to go back out to the peninsula... Forks, La Push, Mora. We went two years ago. The beauty is absolutely breathtaking!!!

July 19: Not sure if I can make it work or not... this is totally a "maybe"... but some good friends of mine are getting remarried in Hawaii and have invited me to come. I originally told them "no", knowing there was no way I could travel again after just having returned from Utah. But now my mom thinks that maybe she has enough airline miles that she could give me to come for the wedding. It would only be two nights... I'd fly out Friday and fly home Sunday night. The wedding is on Saturday. I have no idea if I'll do it or if it's even feasible. But we'll see.

Other things...

Gardening and weather... where is spring? Where is spring? Where is spring? Aren't we supposed to get SOME sun in the spring? Aren't the temps supposed to be in the 60s as opposed to the 40s and 50s? It's frustrating. My garden is not faring so well right now. The plants are still alive and still green, but they are not growing. From what I've read, this is a common occurence when the temperatures sit in the 40s and 50s (and I'm sure when there is NO SUN). I've had my garden in the ground for roughly a month and there has been NO GROWTH. Like I said, it's all alive and green... nothing dead or gone... but just stunted. Where, oh where, is the sunshine? Supposedly, summer is officially here in a couple of weeks. I sure hope the sunshine and warm weather comes with it.

Well, I guess that about sums up things for right now. I'm still chin-deep into my Twilight obsession. I'm more than halfway through Twilight for the second time. It's more fun to read it again the second time. I am finding lots of interesting things that I either missed before or that simply hold new meaning now that I know what the future of the story holds. I'm not in a hurry to "find out what happens", so I'm enjoying the literary details a LOT more. I seriously think this book will wind up being classified as a "classic". I sure hope so anyway. The fourth book, Breaking Dawn is coming out August 2nd. Today, the author revealed that her book signing tour will be very short for this book... only four cities. But they will be HUGE events... she'll be doing something with a band and it'll be sort of like a concert with other festivities. Tickets will be $20. For the first time in my life, I want to attend a book signing! The good news... one of the four cities chosen for the tour is Seattle! There will be a huge event at Benaroya Hall. Tickets go on sale June 21st and I just may need to try and get one. We'll see how that goes.