Happy Birthday Hubs!

My sweetie had a birthday yesterday, and you know how he wanted to spend it? Grilling with his family! What a love.

So I fixed up a batch of Bessy's Zesty Garlic Herb Marinade for him to grill (and I cut up the gross chicken myself...blechhh) and some other yummy goodies like sweet potato fries and skewered asparugus for the grill and what we are now calling Better Than Anything Cake and we had yet another party!

That didn't leave much time for presents, so the kids helped me decorate the newspaper/wrapping paper and our handmade cards are just priceless:/ (Mine says, "happy birthday love" "it's the thought (and the weekend)that counts"). It didn't really matter because Friday morning last week, M woke up and said, "Daddy, guess what we got you? A weed whacker! It's a surprise, shhh, don't tell!" And if Hubs hadn't told me, it would still be a surprise...in my mind anyway!

Then Hubs' family came over and we hung out on our patio, celebrating again the blessings of God, eating, drinking, singing, unwrapping, and playing t-ball together. Yes, three grown men vs. three four year olds. It's a hoot!

His real present- and mine, too- was 48 glorious hours without the kids this weekend. It was the first time we've had two days off of parenting in 2 years. We got to do fun stuff like eat at restaurants, hold hands, sleep in, and drink an entire cup of coffee before it got cold. After a busy day on Saturday, we opted to get sandwiches and go back to the hotel (rather than wait an hour and 15 min to get a table at a recommended restaurant).  We took them to the beach, where we watched the sun set behind the cold front rolling toward us while a photographer tried to take wedding photos for a bride and groom. Hubs told me not to stare (because I totally was).

I told him I couldn't help it. I think every bride is beautiful, and even if I don't know her, I want her to feel as beautiful and as special as I did 11 years ago. I told him I wish I could re live that day, be his bride again. Because it was the best day of my life.

I said the kind of things your heart is always feeling but your mouth is never saying because it's saying things like, "Kid, take your tongue out of your nose!" And, "who tooted? Go use the potty right now!" And, "take your baby brother out of the fridge!" And, "stop! We only pee on trees at our own house!"

Parenting 3 kids under 4 doesn't leave much time for schmoopiness, no, no. But I will love you, honey, to the end of this crazy life of ours. Happy thirteenth birthday together!