Me at 49

 I guess 49 is okay. 

I'd much rather be 50. 

It sounds so much better...it has GRAVITAS.

eh.

I'll just tell people I'm 50 because what I want for my 49th birthday is to say that I'm 50. 

I'm rounding. 

I also want avocado toast. 

And a warm slice of oatmeal cake. 

my people

And a supper snuggly cream blanket.

and, you know, to pretend I'm already 50

Everly the Twelve Year Old

She's a busy girl. We had to hustle to fit a birthday party into her schedule. On the 13th, I picked her up from play practice after school and fed her dinner in the car while we went to pick up her friends for a movie!

 

Last chance to see Wicked in the Theater! We drove to Merriam for the good seats. 

She was even busy on her birthday (Tuesday), so we had a late dinner after she got done with OTO.  (salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, dinner rolls and green beans). 

She didn't have time to decorate it herself, but she was all for lighting her own candles!

We got the far flung kids on the phone and sang our off-beat harmonies. I was so focused on holding the phone up for them to see, I accidentally sang " dear Laney" instead of "dear Everly". DoH! 

The Flynns were there to help make her feel special. Courtney always know just what kind of makeup she will like. 

Some of her gifts didn't arrive on time, so she got the classic printed out pictures in a card. She's excited to have new bedding that matches her walls. 

But her favorite gift was this galaxy projector for her room. It really is super cool. 

Sweet dreams, Everly! 

A Birthday in 2 parts

It's funny, it's not a "friend year" and yet we ended up with all the friends climbing at ROKC. Isn't that what we did last year on our "friend year"?? Ugh. Why am I such a softie? 

It might be because we bought climbing passes last year on Black Friday and they are going to expire. So we might as well go. We gathered the youths and set them free. I tried not to hover. 

I mostly succeeded in being separate and aloof, but, as Anna will bear solemn witness...this group can be a little volatile. Drama is always moments away. 

We did have a few dust ups, but ended on a high note with a game of wiffle ball and some grocery store pizza hot out of the oven. Teenagers are an adventure and everyone knows it. 

The remainder of the birthday celebrations came the day after she turned 14. Ethan and Kassie were in town for Thanksgiving and Mathew was passing through on his way to his new job and apartment in Arkansas.  Having the whole family there is rare!

We started the day with.....Climbing at ROKC! Yes, I bought another round of passes on Black Friday. This time we will use them in a more timely manner, no doubt. We always learn our lessons the first time. 

Everyone but me, Ethan and Kassie went for a climb. Kassie stayed home with a cold, I have the hip of an old grammie, and Ethan blamed his BMI. But we all had fun!

Mathew conquering the practice climbs before heading to the taller ones on the main floor. 

Everly overcomes her fear of heights every singly time we go to ROKC. I think they call that exposure therapy?

Bug climbing in cargo pants!

That's a fine figure of a man 

Megan has gotten in touch with her competitive side this year...she was determined and angry! 

AJ looking the part with her new chalk bag and chalk sock. Very cool. 

We paid to climb, but my favorite part was watching everyone try the grip tester. Mark got the highest, of course, but Mathew and Ethan weren't far behind. We are a competitive bunch! 

And look!! It started snowing while we were climbing! You know what that means....

Bug has got to make the barefoot run!

We snuggled in for some Mario Kart and naps...

We had roast and all the fixings for dinner. AJ didn't choose it. She was adamant that she not select a special dinner because she "just wanted everyone to be there". Which is so lovely. And also leaves me to figure out what to make. We had planned on Poor Man's Burnt Ends, but a lunch trip to KC Joes and an inch of snow made that less of a good idea. We also skipped cake or ice cream because AJ is in the midst of doing 75 hard. So....how about roast? and mashed potatoes and rolls? 

How's that? 

Whatever. It's the presents that matter! 

Original goose art by Bug. 

And her very own guitar!! She's been learning for the last month or two and she's getting really good!

Don't sit down! The day isn't over because tomorrow is December. We DO NOT begin December without the tree. 

And isn't it so darling with the snow??

Darling and cold. And snow gets on your pants and shoes when you try to see if that tree is cute enough to bring home. We are famously fast at choosing our trees. This one was an all time record. 2 minutes flat.  AJ was the lucky picker. 

Aren't we cute?? Now wrap that puppy up and lets get out of this chilly warehouse!

Ornaments will be another day, but we figured we'd get the lights on (twice) and pop up the garland. The LED are, in fact, not warm. They are cold and dead and devoid of Christmas love and magic. Kassie and Megan helped me put them up, rip them down and replace them with the good old incandescents. 

Not a bad birthday, all in all. A bit here and there. Full of family. Jumbled up with Thanksgiving and Christmas and 9 personalities. But we had fun and we celebrated are new 14 year old!

And she will have some Egg Nog ice cream in the morning. It's 75 Hard approved.

I reward myself with a quite moment in the closet. Just me, the space heater and Winnie tucked under my hair. 

The birthday skeleton

When your wife is on crutches, your kids are all at work and at school, you are doing all the work for everyone and it's a Monday, for crying out loud....

You might have low expectations for a birthday celebration.

Because you are 47 now and so very wise. 

When she asks you what you want for your special dinner (as she lays strapped into the that leg machine for hours and hours), you say, "I've really been craving pizza from Minsky's, let's order in!"

When she worries about not being able to decorate, you say, "I don't care about streamers." 

And then you go to work and take care of business and you got to the gym and also take care of business. 

And then you come home for lunch and take your bored wife out to grab a burger and pick up your 12 ft skeleton that is kinda your birthday present because you really never could think of anything else to ask for. And you aren't mad about it, you don't silently pout or punish. Your 47 and there's no time for that. Not to mention, that skeleton is gonna be super cool.

 Megan picks up the Minsky's and Everly sets the table with the special red plate and one of the fancy glasses from the dollar store and there are all your girls. They love you and you are the man in their life and you get the best hand drawn cards in the world. 

We call up Mathew and Ethan and Kassie so we can all sing happy birthday, but despite your wife's repeated attempts to take a screenshot of everyone together, she absolutely cannot stop cutting someone's face out, turning down the volume or clicking the power button. Too many buttons!

Mathew comes to the rescue and offers to take the picture from his phone. 

Its a birthday singing, harmony finding event and then there is a clamor of "I love you!!"  "Happy Birthday Dad!' before the grown kids resume their activites.

It's cake time.  The best cake ever....made by the lady that loves you most of all. 

On crutches. Using her gardening roo pouch to fetch the eggs out of the garage fridge. 

Holy smack, we love you.  You make our world go around. 

Thank you for being our IT guy. You keep everything humming along, setting things right, fixing, automating, improving and loading the dishwasher. 

And not for nothing, that skeleton is very cool. 

We'll worry about where to store him in later. 

Mama Jean Surprise

Just as soon as I unpacked from Girls Camp, we packed right back up and drove down to Arkansas to surprise Grandma Jean for her 78th birthday. She was shocked when her waiter got just a little to snuggly and asked her if he could fill up her water glass. Luckily it was her son, Mat! And right behind him were Jim and Mark and the daughters-in-law. 

 

After brunch, we all went to Sarah's house for a swim party and some cake. No doubt her mama heart was hap hap happy!

All together!