Happy 32nd To Me

When I told my mom what Joseph did for me for my birthday, she said, "Sheesh Girl! You. Are. Spoiled. Rotten." I am. I know I am. Joseph truly is the most giving and loving and thoughtful man I know. I feel more than blessed to have him for always. Thank you Joseph for always making me feel like a queen, and especially for going way way out of your way to make me feel extra special on my birthday. I know that you are going to have to break your back at work today to make up for time lost yesterday. I woke up yesterday morning to a beautiful note taped on my mirror. It made me cry. Then I walked out of our room and saw our french doors covered in 57 sticky notes. The kids had helped and apparently had a blast doing it. Each note had one word on it and a number (thankfully he numbered them). I had to unscramble the words. It formed 4 sentences which were a riddle. The riddle would tell me my birthday gift. Oh Joseph. How DO you think of these things??

I'll get back to the riddle later. :) See if you can figure it out in the meantime! I couldn't without help. Then, he helped get the kids ready for school and announced that he was taking Alex to school and then dropping Bekah off at Gwen's for the entire day, Kaitlyn off at Mayla's for the entire day, and Benjamin off at Alyssa's for the entire day! Thank you girls! You gave a very wonderful gift! What?! I get a free day! Really?! They won't be back until 4 pm?! Yahooooo!? It gets better. Then he announces that he is not going to work either and is staying home to do all my laundry, fold it, put it away, and any other demands I wish, so that I can catch up on my 3 months of blog posts I was behind on! What?! Really?! For Real?! You should have seen him. He was running around the house, folding like a maniac, putting away, straightening, cleaning, made me lunch! Then, after lunch he disappeared and came back with the van sparkling clean and vacuumed and a big bunch of balloons. He then went and picked Alex up from school at 2, stayed there and did his homework with him on the lawn and then dropped him off at a friend's house for an hour to play. I got about 14 blog posts done, the fish bowl cleaned, and I even showered and did my makeup in that time. I was in heaven.

At 4 pm he picked all the kids up, brought them home and we had a family party. He knows I like to have the kids involved in the birthday because they get so excited about it. The night before, he and the kids stayed up and made me cards. I loved them. 

Alex's said, "Happy Birthday Mom! You are as wonderful as the ocean. You are as beautiful as a dolphin. I love you." 

Rebekah's said, "You are pretty Mom. I love you."

Kaitlyn's was adorable and covered in stickers. :)

And the riddle. I could. not. get. it. I finally begged for clues and guessed watch! Joseph tried to ask me what kind of watch. Well, I NEVER in a million years would have guessed a Garmin Forerunner watch! It keeps your running pace for you, so you can basically race yourself and improve your time. It also measure how far you go and some other things that I have not yet discovered. Thank you honey. I am so thrilled to have it and I cannot wait to use it! 

My only regret of the day. No picture with my sweetheart. :( I love you Babe. Thank you for my wonderful day!
Oh wait it isn't over yet!!

After we had our family party, my niece Charla and her son Evan, Alex's bestie, came over and watched my kids, fed them, and put them to bed so that Joseph and I could go out on a real date! Thank you Charla!!! It's been awhile. We went to Cafe Zupa's for dinner. So so so good. Then, we just wandered around Costco looking for the Anne of Green Gables movie series so I could spend the money my mom sent me for my birthday. To no avail. Only Barnes and Noble had it and it was $80. No way. I'll wait for Costco to get it again and buy it for half that! So, instead, I used part of what she sent me on running pants and have a bit left over. Thank you mom!

Then, we rented a movie from the redbox and headed home to relax together after a very wonderfully productive yet relaxing day . . . at least for me. :) On the way home we stopped by my friend, Candice's house, to pick up the sugar free, low fat, pumpkin pie she INSISTED on making me. Thanks Candice. I do not know how you do what you do. It was delicious! Best. Birthday. Ever. I have the most wonderful husband on the planet and the most gracious and dear friends. Sorry ladies!! ;) I also got numerous phone calls, texts, and facebook messages with birthday wishes. They all meant the world to me. Now, I'm all teary eyed thinking about the good good people who surround me from one end of the US to the other. I feel like a very loved girl.