How long has it been?

Has is really been that long since I have posted here?!?  It looks like I need to get back to this blogging thing.  I just went through some old posts and have inspiration for some new ones and follow ups on some old posts. So stay tuned!

16 and counting

As of this day, November 25, 2011, my wonderful, beautiful wife and I have been married for 16 years!  I planned it on the 25th so that I do not forget it, since the 24th of November is my birthday.  Every few years either my birthday or our anniversary falls on Thanksgiving.  This year it was my birthday fell on turkey day, so that means our 16th wedding anniversary is on Black Friday of all days!  This would not be of any concern for me, as I usually look to avoid doing things that involve standing in long lines for long periods of time or fighting my way through crowds of sleep deprived shoppers being kept awake with large quantities of caffeine and the joy of fighting over the last of the big sale items left in a store.  So black Friday shopping is not something I have tried or will ever even think about trying!  However, my awesome wife does enjoy these type of activities, and has several friends that enjoy it as well.  So I am writing this Thursday the 24th, to publish it tomorrow on our anniversary, after the kids have gone to bed and the crazy shopping women have all left the house.  It is now the quietest it has been in the house since getting out of bed this morning.  So our anniversary celebration will be quite laid back tomorrow, as Brooke will have had no sleep and we are not even sure at what time of day she will return tomorrow to collapse into the bed.  Over the last few years I have tried to by an anniversary gift for her following the lists of traditional and/or contemporary things to buy on certain anniversaries.  For instance last year the traditional gift for the 15th anniversary was Crystal and the modern was watches.  That is pretty easy.  But this year it is Tourmaline for traditional gifts and Silver Holloware for modern gift.  I was not even sure what either of those were.  Thankfully I have Mr. Google to help me out and after lots of careful research I was able to come up with a gift for her that I know she will love.  For our 16th wedding anniversary I am getting Brooke a.....................  I can't tell you here now, she might read this before I give it to her!  Just know that she will love it and use it often. 

Anyway, now that this blog has gone off in a completely different direction than originally planned, back to the topic at hand.

This day we celebrate 16 years of marriage and are looking forward to many more years to come.  It has not always been easy, I don't think any marriage is, and no one is perfect, especially me, but I know that I feel I have been blessed to have Brooke at my side as my wife for the last 16 years.  I thank God every day for bringing her into my life and guiding us along every step of the way.  This time of year we spend a lot of time thinking and talking about what we are thankful for and my wife is always one of the first things that comes to mind.   

So I am writing this to tell my wife,

Happy 16th anniversary!! 

I Love You!!

Numbers

What do the numbers 15340 and 2191.3 have in common?

Give up?

Here is a hint; Another number related to these numbers is 42.

Do you give up?  Okay, they are all my age. 

As of today I am 15340 days, 2191.3 weeks, or 42 years old.  Whatever way you look at it, I am starting to approach the age in which you could say I am almost old enough to be considered of the age that some would think is almost on the brink of being able to be looked at as someone who is near the maturity level of a person that may be near the time in their life that a few people might think of as being close to old.  Depending on how old you are may determine how close to that you think I am!  (if you can even understand what I just wrote!)  I do not mentally feel like I am getting older, but sometimes my body reminds me of the fact that it is a fact.  Thus far in my life, I have been greatly blessed with an awesome wife, great daughters, many great friends and a good job as well as many other things.  I could not ask for anything more than what God has given me to this point. 

Now on my birthday this year, that happens to fall on Thanksgiving, I have to say that I am thankful for all the things mentioned above and for each of the 15340 days God has given me this far and I am looking forward to the next 15340 days that are coming.

Now my one birthday wish is that all my friends would be able to come celebrate with me, but since my house is too small, all I ask is that you all have a big turkey dinner to help me celebrate all those days that I have been so blessed to have lived for.  I know it will be hard for you all to do this, but all I ask is that you try just for me! 

Thanks!

Have a happy Thanksgiving and may you have as much to be thankful for as I do.

The birthday Tea Party

So Sarah wanted to have a tea party with her friends for her birthday.  I have never been to a tea party, nor have I been part of the planning of a tea party, so planning and running the tea party was up to my wonderful loving wife.  (as most of the girls birthday parties are.)  The tea party was planned to start at 2 pm so we did some family gift giving in the morning before the tea party guests started arriving.

 Here is one of her favorite gifts.  Shoes to dress up in.  She wears them all the time now and feels like she is an important princess.  Not that we were lacking in the shoe department(check out this story), but we did not have lots of these dress up shoes.

This gift was from her sister Moriah and receive the most animated reaction for any gift she received.  Apparently she really liked the hair brush!  It may have something to do with the Disney princess on it.

Leah could not stand to be left out, so here is her picture.

 The table is set and waiting for the guests to arrive.

 All the cups and princess trinkets are in place.

 The goodies were waiting to be eaten.(they were all very good.  I had to do some quality control.)

Just waiting for all the 4-5 year old little girls to get here and start the tea party.  

Now as far as how the tea party went, I am assuming it went well.  I never heard any loud screams and crying and we were not visited by an ambulance.  I do not really know because about the time they started showing up, I made my way to the shop to work on some projects.   I am out numbered enough in this house on a daily basis and knew that a house with nine 4-5 year old girls, a 2 year old girl, several 7-10 year old girls, and a few moms, was no place for me to be!  I have since seen the pictures and it seems that fun was had by all.  And I got some woodworking in too!

Another birthday!

Sarah winning the contest for the messiest ice cream cone eater!

We seem to always be having birthday parties around here.  This time it is for #3 daughter, Sarah!  She is 4 years old today (thats 1461 days if you are counting).  Or if you ask her, "how old are you?"  Her answer will be, "Dis many!" while holding up 3 or 4 fingers depending on what she felt like doing at the time.  I seem to say this with all the girls birthdays, but it does not seem possible that she can be 4 years old.  In the last year she has grown up a lot.  She talks non-stop and loves to sing, dance, and run.  Just like her olders sisters at this age, she is in love with Disney princesses, so for her party we will be having a whole bunch of other little girls over for a fancy tea party with all of them wearing their favorite princess dress.  It should be very fun for all the people in the house under 4 feet tall.  For the rest of us, I am sure it will be entertaining and tiring. 

Sarah still likes to sniff the one corner of her blankie and loves to play with her big sisters or go places with mom and dad.  She is a constant source of funny quotes and actions as well. 

So this post is to tell our 3rd daughter, Sarah Elyzabeth Jayne, that we love her very much and hope she has a happy 4th birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH!