Handsome Honey turns 35!

We had a Joe Cool birthday this year for Shane...

This year, we are supposed to "not do much" for our actual birthdays and instead use our allowance to get a sitter and go away for a night. But there's this stressor, you see. Shane's birthday comes first. I set the tone in gift giving. But what if he gets me something really cool? Really insightful or meaningful? (because he has, on many occasions!) Then I'm left in the dust with a dumb birthday for him, no chance for redemption. So I had to play it cool, and yet get him something decent... And something I could afford, HA HA HAAAA!

Here's how it all went down.

First, a birthday treat of gingersnaps and an old-fashioned vanilla malt milkshake, which Aidan especially adored.

Then, we noticed sirens and billowing black smoke and went outside to investigate.

I burned the last batch of gingersnaps while watching someone else's house burn down. Not a very good learner, eh?

This is without the zoom, so you get an idea how close we were. Not too close, thank-goodness!

We began to wonder if it was a meth house or something. This thing did some serious burning!

So after this dramatic little interlude, we went back inside for gifts.

Aidan got Papa some crunchy larvae covered in cheddar cheese. Me, Shane and Julia tried it, but the boys would NOT!

Julia got Papa a double guitar stand, but before Papa opens it he does a little guessing routine that the kids love! You can see we had to be creative in "wrapping" it. If you wrap it, it's easy to guess!

Lucas got Papa a stellarscope (in his lap), which is like a small, portable planetarium. You set it to your hemisphere, lat and long., and season and it shows you constellations in your night sky. Lucas also made Papa some more mustaches, which he loves. Can't you tell? It was funny to watch him thank Lucas with watery eyes. ;)

So Papa Shane is 35 and better than ever in so many ways. Even though we are always tired, it totally tickles me that we have trouble getting to sleep EVERY NIGHT because we want to just talk and talk. Sometimes we hold hands at breakfast. He always tells me thank-you for every meal. And he always tells me I'm gorgeous, and I'm all for nixing the laser surgery for his eyes. What woman could ask for more? He works hard, but not too hard. He likes to have fun, too. He thinks that now is the time to enjoy life, not later. Yet he is wise with finances and future planning. He likes to take the kids with us on trips and he even does the dishes on the weekends to help me out. He seems to feel as lucky to have me as I know I am to have him! In only 9.5 years we've come this far, I can't wait to see how the rest pans out.

And finally, to quote an old birthday card he wrote me: "And yes, I do celebrate the day you were born!"

PS: if you have not clicked the link on the side bar and viewed Calysta's projects yet, you MUST! I'm dying of impressed-ness!