Our Big 3-0

As per tradition, our birthday celebrations this year spanned several days. We lucked out quite a bit, given how short a time we've been in Albuquerque, to be able to go on TWO dates and have at least two other people offer to babysit as well. Huzzah! We went out to dinner on Tuesday night and we saw the third Hobbit movie on the dollar theater on Wednesday night. Let me tell you, it was fabulous getting out just the two of us for the first time since we moved here.

Also a tradition, I purchased St. Patrick's Day shirts and forced encouraged everyone to wear them on my birthday. Pretty sure I will inflict this on them throughout their childhoods, including when they're teenagers. We switched it up a bit this wear with a mix of green and white.

We had a meeting at Audrey's school that afternoon, for which Chris left work early. It was the first time we had everyone all together...and Simon had a nasty blowout right when I pulled him out of his car seat (and I didn't have any extra clothes in the diaper bag other than a onesie...). At least I got all the kids together before that.

While some portions of birthdays as an adult are decidedly less exciting than birthdays were as a kid, we still celebrated well. A wonderful sister in my ward dropped off this surprise cake and the kids got free balloons from Old Navy.

My gifts this year included a new Aggie license plate frame (my old one snapped in half in Georgia), a Dr Who/Stargate t-shirt (BEST SHIRT EVER), and pictures and a fan from the kids. Oh, and my totally awesome sweatshirt that says "I may live in New Mexico but I Graduated from Utah State."

I have fewer pictures from Chris's presents because...well, I forgot to take any. He opened one present from the kids in the morning--an Avengers lanyard. They were super excited to give it to him because he wears a lanyard to work everyday, and this one has his favorite superhero on it, Iron Man.

They were so enthralled watching him open it.

He also got a copy of the book The Power of Everday Missionaries, which he's been talking about for a while now, and a 1000 piece puzzle of Family Rules. He had a really good day at work, too, with Duke City doughnuts and winning several games of Bughouse.

Even without Old Spaghetti Factory or Egg Harbor Cafe, we had good birthdays.