It's your birthday

Friday the 29th was James' 36th birthday. Because we are such sophisticated people, we went out BIG TIME. Papa's Pizza here in town sent him a free buffet coupon for his birthday, so we loaded up the young 'uns and off we went! The weather people were threatening us with talk of ice and snow, but that didn't keep us from piling in the vehicle for a birthday celebration, the likes of which have not been seen since, oh, last year on James' birthday.

Looks like we went to a CLOSED restaurant, but only the section with the video games was closed. So we went in there anyway after we ate, of course.

I told James to make sure he didn't complain about not getting to do what he really wanted to do for his birthday. He got to HUNT, and it's not even deer season anymore!

As we were getting in the car Avery said, "I thought we were going to have Daddy's birthday there." Having been a part of only fun activities, neat presents, and lots of sugar at most birthday celebrations in his three years of life experience, I can see how he might have been confused. I had to explain that sorry birthdays are one of the trade offs for gaining the freedom that comes with adulthood.

James and I did enjoy a fun Saturday morning together in honor of his birthday. Alison and Carlton graciously kept the kids so we could enjoy a leisurely breakfast at IHOP and a visit to the new triathalon store in Gainesville. At the restaurant I went ahead and threw some food on the floor, turned over my water, and used every napkin in sight to clean it up, just so things would feel a little more normal. We actually had a very nice time talking and a very big breakfast, both enjoyable.

Next we spent awhile in a new store opened for triathletes or those wishing to become triathletes, or those interested in at least one of the components of a triathalon- swimming, biking, or running. They have some cool equipment that measures how you put pressure on your feet, and a camera that views how you move on the treadmill. That way they can fit you with the right shoes for the job. So for James' birthday, I got a new pair of running shoes. He and I enjoyed hanging out and it was fun seeing what it's all about, even if I am merely a poser. Hopefully I won't be for too long, as I'm going to attempt to build up to actually running on our treadmill here at home. I'm hoping there is some magic in those new shoes that will help.

I thought the kids did a nice job on Daddy's birthday cards. Here's Shannon's:

He had to ask Daddy how to spell "Happy Birthday," but he did write it himself, and drew the E.T. Himstedt family on the front. He's still perfecting his humans.

Here's the inside, which I believe really got to the heart of what James is about. From a little man to a big man. This was his first attempt at drawing a gun, his idea, and I think he did pretty well.

Here's Amelia's, and I thought it was great, especially considering she wrote and spelled everything herself.



And here's the latest photo of me that I had made especially for his birthday:

Ha ha ha ha ha! Hee hee hee hee! Ho ho ho! Hoo boy, that's a good one. Actually this week somebody on Facebook thought it should be "Replace Your Profile Picture With A Famous Person People Have Said You Look Like" week, so this was mine. Jamie Lee Curtis 20+ years ago. In the past people said I reminded them of her. I think it was just the hair back in those days, since at one point I had a very bad version of this hair do. I won't post that picture for your hilarity *here.*

Ever have a weird week where several people in your circle or the circle of someone close to you pass away? Last week was one of those for us. Between family friends and folks at church, five deaths touched us last week. The most notable in our circle was that of Chuck Connor, the founder of Christian Missions Unlimited. This is the missions organization James, I, several of my family members, and no less than fifty from our church have traveled with to Brazil. Chuck's vision was to build churches for Brazilian congregations that needed them, and at the same time provide opportunities for folks to do short-term foreign mission work. Because of him, lives were changed forever in both north and south America. He was a friendly, genuine, and compassionate man, who loved God deeply, and this world is a little dimmer for his loss. James and some guys from church went to his funeral in Montgomery, Alabama Thursday.

Sunday morning we woke up to a winter wonderland. The early service and Sunday School were cancelled but the kids and I went to the late service. James headed off to Greenville, SC for a camp fair.

These pictures don't capture how pretty the ice was on the trees, but you can kind of get the idea.



On the way out the front gate the mountain was so beautiful with thick ice all over the trees and the sun shining through. I was pointing it out to the kids, expounding on how wonderful God's world is and how great it is that He is so creative. The windshield wipers scraped over the dry windshield and Avery interrupted my thoughtful monologue with,"Hey, did you hear that pooting sound? What was that pooting sound?"





It's been a good week for kid quotes.

At lunch one day I was chastising Amelia about burping at the table. She was snickering when I was finished, so I asked her if she needed some help with taking me seriously. She said, "Oh, that's just leftover laughing from something else."

Shannon came downstairs with a giant claw toy Avery got for Christmas, and was holding Amelia's stuffed cat in it. In an ominous voice he said, "Say goodbye to your little friend." Stuff like that cracks me up because I don't know where they get it, since we don't have TV coming into the house. On cue Amelia said very dramatically, "Oh no! Don't drop her into the river!"

I was outside with the kids this week (on the one nice day we had for a change), and Shannon said he wanted to do something with just me. I asked him what we could do, and he paused, looked up in the sky for several seconds, and said, "I know! We could clean together. It would be like a date!" Man, if that doesn't just get straight to the heart of what I really love to do most. Back before Christmas the kids were on a game website and saw an advertisement they had to tell me about. Amelia said, "Mom, there's something you really need on your Christmas list. It's called New Tide Stain Release, and you add it to your regular detergent to lift off the toughest stains. It would really help you." Shannon was beside her, nodding earnestly. I was actually touched that they thought to tell me about it because they thought it would make my life easier.

I was getting Avery out of the car yesterday and he said (out of nowhere), "I just sang the angry ABC's." So of course I asked him how that was done. He clenched his teeth, narrowed his eyes, and sang them in an angry voice. I'm not sure which cracked me up more, the song itself or the randomness of it.

We have a rubber duck in the bathtub that sports a fireman's hat and jacket, and holds a firehose. We've had it forever, but last night during bath time Shannon picked it up and said, "Is this a fire duck?" I said I guessed so, and he said, "It's a fire quacker!"

Elizabeth is learning to communicate very well, and has really taken off with talking this week. She repeats everything, but has a lot of original thoughts as well. She also LOVES to eat. She cleaned her plate one night last week, pointed to the middle of it, and said, "Uh oh, uh oh!" I asked her if she wanted more and she clapped and said, "Yay!" That's how she lets us know when we get the right answer. "Want a bath?" "Yay!" (clap clap). "Want help with your shoes?" "Yay!" (clap clap). It's pretty cute. A few words she says very clearly are "pizza," "milk," and "wanwich" (sandwich). It pays to learn the food words first.

Gotta start a new week in not nearly enough hours for me, so I'm off to bed. I'll be facing the COLD morning first thing at the barn in a jacket with a broken zipper. The old barn jacket finally bit the dust. Or maybe the zipper finally busted because it has consumed so much dust. A bummer anyway, because I am cheap, and spending money on something that will be covered in dirt and spotted with green horse slobber and poo is not easy for me. Anybody got an old (read, "free") jacket they want to donate?