Luke's Day vs. Mom's Day

Luke’s Day: Yesterday was Luke’s OFFICIAL birthday, thought he tried to be the “birthday boy” all week, and he had a FULL day. His Daddy woke him up and he got a mini-latte, then we packed up and headed for town. Daddy didn’t get to go with us this time – he had to work. We went to Inflatable Wonderland, where Luke and his closest friends ran, jumped, yelled, and rolled through the inflatable playground for about 3 hours! We broke for lunch in the food court of the mall and had dirt cake, which is the standard birthday request from all of my boys – don’t have to worry about decorating a cake for THEM! ( I really decorate cakes for the moms, anyway, and this one is over it.) He got some tools, and some clothes, and a real-looking pretend cell phone, and Mawmaw even got him some wood to work on, which is one of the very things he requested.

After we got the whole brood of 12 kids loaded up, we headed home to meet Bub and rushed over to Levi’s baseball practice. Luke got to play on the playground there for another 2 hours, so he was pretty played out! We went home and had homemade pizza, also his request, and more dirt cake, then let him open his family gifts. He got some cool games, a poker set (he loves the aluminum briefcase the chips are in!), a book from Levi, and a misting sprayer fan from Jake. Levi and Jake spent their very own money, without complaint, on gifts, and picked them out. Very cool. He also got a trampoline as a combined gift from us and grandparents, and we actually bought it, but it wouldn’t fit in my suburban WITH the kids, so we had to take it back in! Craig will have to pick that one up! So, the only remaining gift he had asked for, the Transformers Pinata, was our next endeavor. Craig had it all rigged up on a pulley, but it kept getting tangled, so he ended up holding it and letting them hit. I was just WAITING for my Funniest Home Videos moment, but he managed to remain uninjured. It probably wouldn’t have won, anyway. As funny as the parent-getting-hit-with-the-pinata-stick videos are, they are just too common. Go figure. So, they beat the piñata, then tore it open and divvied up the candy.

The kids were all exhausted and sugared up by then, but they REALLY wanted to play a game, so we played Luke’s new A to Z junior. It was so much fun, we played it three times! (It was short.) You have an electronic pad with the abc’s on it, and each letter is lit up. On your turn, you have to shout out as many words as you can in a certain category, like ‘things that are green’ or ‘baseball teams’, and you hit each letter when you use it to begin a word. You only have 30 seconds, then it’s the next person’s turn. On YOUR next turn, you get a new category, but only have the letters remaining from your last turn to use. The first team to get rid of all their letters wins. I’m taking it to the next game night, we had so much fun! After the game, it really WAS bedtime! Everyone got tucked in and kissed and hugged, and Luke’s uber-fun birthday was over. We were all pooped!!

Mom’s Day: This morning, Bub and I loaded up the boys and headed into town for piano lessons. Jake had his thirty minute lesson, then we drove the boys to New Braunfels to Mawmaw’s house for the night. She’s giving me and Craig a night alone, since the boys and I will be out of town next week. I didn’t fight that one! Dad and I headed to Huisache Grill for an early lunch, where we had spinach salad with creamy gorgonzola dressing, trout almondine, mushroom risotto, and herb roasted vegetables, and it was as GOOD as it sounds! And it was quiet, with no fighting, or spilling drinks, or whining!

Next, we headed down the street to an antique mall to toodle around. I found the cutest vintage dress – the kind I’ve always dreamed of finding in an antique shop – in MY size… and I was a good girl and put it back. Sniff, sniff… (Hey, how would I explain that kind of splurge at the Financial Peace meeting tomorrow?? I might get stoned!) It WAS adorable, though – black and brown, from the early 50’s I would guess, just below the knee. Anyway, I got out of the store spending ONLY FIVE dollars on a book of English poetry. Did you read that, Honey??? FIVE dollars. It’s amazing what the envelope system will do to your shopping habits. You actually keep money in them! Well, at least until the end of the month. Dad found some old records in mint condition to add to his collection, so we were both happy… and ready to go, before we got into trouble!

When we got home, I had planned to clean the house and sew, but… my silent house was screaming at me… TAKE A NAP!! What could I do, but obey? I hit the couch and was out. I ignored the washer’s beeping, which was supposed to be my alarm, and kept snoozing. When I woke up, 1.5 hours later, I decided that the house was clean enough for now, and I should get a snack and blog. So, here I sit. I have finished my bowl of homemade ice cream topped with coconut-pecan frosting, and I’m blogging. Tonight, the honey and I will relax and watch a movie, and enjoy each other’s company without having to holler and referee. Will we miss the kids? Of course. Right about the time we crawl into bed, I always wish they were snuggled in their own beds, sound asleep. But, not until then! I’ll get up with renewed energy in the morning and do the cleaning and other chores I’m neglecting now, and enjoy it a whole lot more!

So, whose day was better? Mine or Luke’s? Well, I have to say I’ve enjoyed them both, but I’m kind of leaning in the direction of mine… silence breaks the tie!