Birthday dinner Dad's Bud style

Dad's Bud is nine! He chose Red Lobster for his dinner. We went for lunch.

 

Dad's Bud is our adventurous eater. If he is interested by it, he will try it. So a couple if years ago he saw an ad for Red Lobster and declared he wanted to give it a try.  Saw the poster for snow crab legs and said, "Hey let's try those." He has no concept of money, when someone else is buying. He tried them, he liked them.

So this birthday we are back and he asks to order a pound of snow crab legs! My eyes jumped out of my head. Dad said sure, it is his birthday! He is thrilled.

 

While Dad's Bud was enjoying his lunch, Little Princess was trying to getting past the fishiness of the restaurant.  Even her chicken chicken alfredo was tasting fishy.

 

And when she looked up and across the table all she saw was her brother in heaven, making crunching sounds she just couldn't stomache.

I tried to trade places with her.

She sat next to her brother, but she didn't have to look at him.

 

Alas, that didn't work.  She could still hear the crunching. 

She left her plate for the to go box and we went to the car.

Fresh air for her, and less noise for me. 
My head was hurting.

 

 

Happy Birthday to Dads' Bud!

Unfortuantely, that is all the pictures I have of his Birthday Day pictures.
Hoping for some family birthday pictures this weekend. 
I was so worn out, I slept the rest of the afternoon.

Happy birthday...to THe Man

Squished between Thanksgiving and St. Nicholas Day we get to celebrate the delightful Man's birthday!  He brings such joy to our lives.  From the time he was a baby his smile has been infectious and just pulled you in to his heart. 
This year I decided to surprise him with a Ninja (Ninjago Lego) cake.  But that wasn't enough in his words.  Gotta have a cake with all the ninjagos.  Well I told him, "I am not Cake Boss" 
As God does when I most frustrated and trying to think of how to make 5 mini versions of the cake I was planning....God reminds me of cupcakes!!! 
So for our immediate family we had these. ;)  We shared with the wait staff at Olive Garden. His pick and one of his favorite restaurants.   The following Sunday, we had the masterpiece creation.  Unfortunately, the men were so impatient to cut into the cake, not a decent picture is had.  :(  MEN and their stomaches. 

He is definitely cool beyond his years as he rocks the angry birds hat and gloves his big sis got him.

 

 

My birthday cake

By Fun Girl and Hockey Player!

 

 

 

The Perfect Gift for a Teenage Boy!

 

With the family gathering coming up fast, Aunt Sharon asked,
"What would Hockey Player like for his birthday?"

 

Not such an easy question to answer.

 

Hockey Player wants new club(s) from Golf Warehouse

 

Itunes gift cards

 

Net for practicing hockey in the driveway.
Now this can't be just any net!

This net has to be strong.

Really strong.

We have even talked about buying him steel trash cans.

This is why ~

He hit the puck so hard he put holes in his first net.

Then Daddy O recommended he hit at the trash dumpster.

Well he hit the puck so hard, he put a hole in the side of the dumpster.

AND...

the puck bounced off and went flying towards the vehicles.

Fortunately no damage to the cars.

Anyhow, a net for this kid to practice is going to pricey.

We have shopped and looked.

 

Hmmm, what else would make a good gift.

 

The kid likes food

 

food

food

food

 

The amount he can consume in one sitting is astonishing.

 

Golf time with Uncle Terry and Grandpa would be cool.

 

Aunt Sharon sighs and says good bye. 

Nothing overwhelming exciting and affordable to choose from.

The kid has expensive likes, hobbies and preferences.

 

Then the weekend came and we celebrated with the family.

 

Aunt Sharon presented him this huge box with various theatre candies

attached to the outside. 

I laughed and said there was probably a small little gift card down in the bottom.

 

Nope!!!

Instead there was food!

Can you see the smile on his face?

This smile says it all.....IT IS ALL MINE!!!!!!

ALL MINE!!!!

 

 

Oh yeah, Aunt Sharon scored.  Scored really big.

In our house that would be called a Hat Trick!

Happy Birthday Hockey Player

Hockey Player recently celebrated his 13th birthday!

Took 2 weeks for him to let us know what he wanted to do to celebrate.

Actually, we had to give him a deadline.

He is our thinker.

He is strong.

He is quiet.

He is witty.

He is patient beyond belief and puts this momma to shame.

He loves God's word.

He is stickler for doing what is right.

He is intelligent.

He likes school and doesn't have to be told twice to get it done.

Actually, he usually starts before I have blood flowing in me in the morning.

He loves to cook.

He has been in the kitchen since he could get around.

He is an all around good kid.

 

He finally told us he wanted to go to Laser Quest for his birthday.

Then we waited days for the guest list.

Another deadline.... We didn't give him a number count, that would have

required much more though on his part.

 

His family birthday was delayed...the family was out of town.

So we had a quiet celebration.

Dinner out.  His choice Outback.

Did I mention he loves food!

Dad and I quietly give him his gift.

A nice card and cash.

Cause everything on his list of ideas was over the top expensive.

So we contributed to his saving up money.

Then he went to youth group and became the walking wounded.

 

We had to delay the Laser Quest birthday per Doctor's orders.

Two weeks later, the cast is off. 

He finally celebrates with his friends.

Two days later we end up at Grandpa's for cake and ice cream.

 

Cake at Grandpa's

Lemon with Lemon icing

His annual favorite.

 

Cause food is important when you are 13.

Pizza and Pop!

 

Carrot Cake cupcakes with Cream Cheese frosting

Another favorite!

 

Reading the cards

Cause that is what you do as a guy.
Give a card and moola

Better than shopping.

 

The guys hanging out and Little Princess holding her own.

 

With Malachi in the party room, hanging out and being,

well, quiet. 



 

Life Requires a Sense of Humor....

Fortunately for Fun Girl, she wasn't home.

My allergies are bad.  Ragweed is my nemesis this time of year.

Mostly my eyes are affected.

I step outside and they swell and water.

They itch.

They get tired. 

I spend a lot of time like this.

Cold Compresses to reduce the Swelling.

Often, I doze off for a while as well.

 

 

 

So when I needed to show the Dad what needed to be done in the yard/garden,

I had to take serious steps.

I refused to shower first....

cause the shower would remove all the gunk from my being that makes me sneeze and wheeze.

But what about my eyes?

My sunglasses weren't going to be enough.

So in my jammies, I ventured out.

Then I heard giggles and my IPhone.

Iphone in the hands of Hockey Player.

He is no longer my sweet quiet child.

He is onery, squirrely and obnoxious.

I turned my back and laughed.

Dad reminded me it was his birthday.

So I turned around and smiled.
How cool is that!! 
I told him that would be his birthday present.

 

 

And since you can't tell in the above photo, we had to take one of the feet.

mismatched flip flops.

 

 

Fun Girl's response:  "I Can't Believe you Went Outside!"

WHat will the Neighbors THinK.

UmmMMM We have OnLY LivEd hErE for 17 YeArS.

I think they have seen it all from us.

 

Then I told her, I would blog it.

Her response,
"If you want to embarrass yourself that way!"

I love my FUN GIRL and HOCKEY PLAYER

 

Painting by Bebe the Rhino

If you remember my post about Fun Girl winning a trip to meet Bebe the Rhino.

This is the super fun painting Bebe did with her lips.

We chose colors the day we visited and they did their best to make it work.

Super Fun!

 

Human passports, Bebe the Rhino, Sweet Sixteens

Back in the Spring...clear back in May

Dad's Bud was learning about Endangered Species for Cub Scouts.

Then I heard there was an Endangered Species event at the zoo.

So off we went. 

Since, I wing things. 

I don't always ask questions,

just kinda jump in with both feet...

we start exploring.

There's a table! 

Let's go check it out.

People have papers getting stamped...

We don't have a paper.

I don't really want to walk ALL the back to the front of the zoo.

I ask the person at the table about alternatives.

She offers to stamp the kids. :)

 

Yeah !

Next stop the Rhinos.

There Fun Girl who is trying to enjoy herself, signs up in a drawing.

We do the activities. 

I ask a few more questions.

Collect all the stamps and get a button with Bebe's picture

 

Kids are excited  

AND then we race to find the other exhibits cause the zoo closes in an hour.

 

THE Man becomes our passport.

Each exhibit station for Endangered Species, he gets stamped!

 

 

 

All is good till I want to get a picture of our Living Passport!

 

 

That's better

 

 

 

 

and some more!

 

 

 

 

In exchange for getting all our stamps we get a button with a picture of Bebe the Rhino

 

 

Then we go home.

Driving and the phone rings... but we don't answer in time.

It is the zoo.

An hour later, another call from the zoo.

Apparently, Fun Girl's name was drawn in the drawing.

She won a trip to the zoo to meet the Rhino.

She and 3 others.

Then they asked how many were in her family.

7

(Who would she pick? is running through her mind)

But before that was an issue, they graciously extended the offer to the whole family.

Not only that, but she also won a painting to be done by the Rhino.

When could we do this?

Hmmm, were they available on say Monday morning?

(This was late Saturday)

Cause what would be cooler than Fun Girl getting to feed and meet a Rhino on her 16th birthday!?!

Not every girl gets to do this.

 

So Daddy O makes some arrangements to be off work and

 

 

two golf carts met us at the entrance!!

 

 

 

Meet the Rhino we do !

 

 

Happy Birthday Fun Girl

(I happen to think this is quite the FUN event for a Fun Girl)

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, I did feed the Rhino

But this was me taking the picture...

I am up and close...

but I have the camera...

so there is no pictures of me...

We didn't think of it, till later.

Oops!

 

 

Counting to 375....

Catching up some from earlier in the year, when I wasn't blogging faithfully
351.  Fun Girl winning in a drawing
352. Gracious zoo personnell extending her winnings to the whole family.
353.  Watching my children feed a rhino
356.  16 years with my Fun Girl
357.  Watching my children be the best of friends and enjoying relationships with one another
358.  Cupcakes
359.  Birthday trip with Fun Girl
360.  Getting to know her friends a bit more
361.  Hanging out with Little Princess while the Teens shop
362.  Water Parks, Girls and Giggles
363.  Whether they are 10 or 16, they are girls and kids and fun to be with
364.  Comfortable hotel beds.
365.  Another birthday for Big O Daddy O
366-369.  More Awana awards to add to our collection

366. Dad's Bud

367.  The Man

368.  Little Princess

369.  Hockey Player gets his Timothy Award.

 

To get a Timothy Award the student/clubber memorizes 423 verses over the span of 4 years. 

(4 books, one for each year)



370.  Cousins at Ft. Larned learning together

371. Learning about Wool Coats in early summer = HOT HOT

372.    Period Dress at Ft. Larned...coming off break.  What doesn't belong?? LOL

373.  Cousins being sworn in as Junior Rangers....even if they are "too old"

374..  Cousins being like Gorillas

 

 

375.  Cousins shopping and trying on shoes.