Best Birthday

Hey y'all -

I have to say, even though I'm getting older, my birthdays are getting better.

In the days leading up to my birthday last Saturday, Laney had started baking birthday cakes - I mean, "baking" "birthday cakes." She came to me last Thursday and said, "I baked you a love cake for your birthday." In case you've never caught the recipe for Love Cake in Southern Living, it calls for 3 cups of assorted Play-doh, one sorting toy, foam letters to taste, one dressy bracelet and two ball point pens for garnish (optional).

Using my mom powers for evil, I also had Laney practice how she was going to wake up her dad on the morning of my birthday and whisper, "Let's go get my mom some birthday doughnuts." The practice paid off, 'cause she totally came into our room at 6am on my birthday with a "spontaneous" doughnut suggestion.

Grandma Sue had pitched me the idea of having a small birthday party at our house: she would handle everything for the party and Thor would hang out with you two and I could go shopping.

I can not TELL you the last time I went shopping all by myself. It's been so long that the bar has definitely been lowered in terms of what counts as a fabulous shopping getaway. This is the text message I sent my boss:

In this moment of untethered retail euphoria, I most definitely missed my friend and former shopping co-conspirator Karen, so I texted her everything I tried on so she could weigh in. Almost as fun as having her there.

I got home just a little before the party to discover that Laney had frosted my cake, and Grandma Sue had made a huge spread of spring rolls and chicken wings and seared tuna and I don't even remember all the stuff she set out.

Then, it was time for the guests to arrive. For a 37 year old's party, the place sure was infested with preschoolers.

All the grown-ups were sitting on the deck, drinking margaritas and enjoying the last warm day of the year...

...when Laney came out on the porch in her pink tutu bathing suit and declared, "I'm going to go swimming now." After that, it took about three minutes for all 7 young'uns at the party to get in the hot tub. It was hollering and mayhem and semi-nudity, and it basically looked like an episode of MTV's Spring Break. 

We got everyone dried off, and it was time to start Family Game Night. We played Pictionary, with varying degrees of success:

If you guessed "Monster in a garden," you're right!

Then, we all played an interactive dance game on the Wii.

The spouse vs spouse dance-offs were the BEST.

I came in dead last. There was a 6 year old there who trounced me. Dad Seth beat me while holding his kindergartener in his left arm.... so literally, he beat me one-handed.

The littlest boys were more interested in planning to invade Canada, or whatever else was going on at this meeting of the minds:

The party started at 4p, and after what seemed like just a few minutes, I looked down at my watch and discovered it was 10:00pm! I said, "Y'all have got to go home!"

It was such a great day - thanks to everyone who made it the best birthday ever.

Love,

Mom