Man Quotes

When a man is but a man-child, he says what he thinks.  He has no idea how his words might affect those around him.

Example A;

Mom-  "Oh wow, I really wish I could fit into that dress!  I normally am not crazy about the clothes I see in stores, but THAT is really pretty!"

Clyde- "That's okay, Mom, you can just get a REALLY BIG size in that dress."

I start attractively howling with laughter as I squeeze the boy.  Passersby try to cover up their laughter and snickers.

My husband, however, is no longer a child and has been married for 12 years.  During this adventurous time, he has learned how to word things in a manner that does not injure those around him and thus, also behooves himself.

Example B;

I tried on a shirt I bought and ran downstairs to show it to him.

Stephen- "That shirt looks really nice.  It has kind of a medieval cut to it, which really accents your Venus frame."

DING!  DING!

Yes, folks, we have a winner!

:D

Clyde's Birthday Dinner

Nena and Papa took Clyde (and the rest of us ) out to dinner for his 9th birthday.

He wanted to go to PFChangs for the sole purpose of getting banana spring rolls and he wanted to make sure that THIS year, no one "shared" it with him.

While we waited for our food (Birthday boy ordered adult portion of honey chicken) he opened his gifts...

Money from Aunt Rita & Uncle Allen!  Thanks Aunt Rita & Uncle Allen!!

Okay, back story for the next picture.  For several weeks I wanted to make sure we wouldn't miss getting whatever it might be that he wanted the most for his birthday, so I would ask him, "Clyde, is there something you just really hope you'll receive for your birthday?"

"Yep, one of those Jacob's Ladder thingys."   (Makes you rethink those expensive gifts, you know?)

Iris and Clyde with the Jacob's Ladder she gave him....

He also gave me a complete list of all the Nate the Great Books he has read JUST IN CASE I decided to get him a couple.

Lucy and Clyde with the Nate the Great book she gave him...

Nena and Papa gave him two more things he reeally wanted (this child had the longest list this year...normally his is the shortest!)...an ant farm & Rush Hour!  (he's been playing RushHour fairly constantly)

Sherry & David gave him the much coveted remote control helicopter...

Somehow we didn't get a picture of Stephen and I with him with our gift so Lucy took one for us later at home.  We gave him a refurbished Nook & an Angry Bird pig Nook cover.

Even though all of these things were on his list, he still seemed VERY surprised everytime he opeened a gift  :)

David giving him a proper welcome to his 9th year...

The banana spring rolls...no one TOUCHED them this year ;)  I forgot candles (!!!)  so David held up a lighter for him to blow out...a wind proof one ;)

Group picture!

Thanks Nena & Papa!!  We had SO much fun & the birthday boy had a BLAST!

New Year's Eve

This post should have gone between Lucy's surprise party and the girls' birthday dinner, but the pictures were all taken with my phone, thus got stuck in a weird folder...and for me, out of sight is out of mind....so, here we go.

We told the kids that we were going to allow them to stay awake for the first time to bring in the New Year.  They were WAY pumped! 

At one point I lamented that I had never bought the game Cranium, as I thought that would be a great game for all of us to play.  Lucy asked me how it worked and I told her kind of like pictionary or win-lose-or-draw, except you sculpt things and act things out as well as draw.  Well....the child MADE me a cranium game.  She found these itty-bitty cards that had pictures of things and animals.  They came in 3 different colors so she assigned "draw" to one color, "act-out" to another, and "sculpt" to the last.  We made superb use of the easel Aunt Dyan, Uncle Brent & Uncle Bobby gave the kids!

Early in the evening we introduced them to some safe music videos...including some Weird Al Yankovic.  Then we began Lucy's Cranium...

Lucy drawing...

Clyde drawing...

Iris sculpting...

Stephen wearing his sculpted hat....

Lucy, Nana, & Iris guessing...

Clyde excitedly pointing at me when I guessed "moth"....

I have more pics of Nana, but she might be upset with me as it is ;)

Then we all watched "Hugo" for the first time.  Much fun had by all!

Everyone got kisses at midnight, then went off to bed!

Surprise!! Happy 9th Clyde!!

He finally got what he's been asking for for a year!

Sherry took him out on his actual birthday, January 7th.  While they were out Stephen, Lucy, Iris, and I went to Party City for paper goods, balloons and favors.  Then we picked up dessert.  Then we went to Chik-fil-A and started tying balloons to chairs.

His friend, Will, was the first to arrive.  Drew came several minutes later, then McKellan.  I called my sister and we all hunkered down behind a wall and waited.  After they walked in, we jumped up and yelled "SURPISE!"  And he looked very happy!

They ate Chik-fil-A over angrybird plates amidst very animated conversation!!

Then he blew the candles on his Birthday Pie!

Then he opened presents!!  His buddies each MADE him a card & got him something he REALLY wanted!!

McKellan...

Will...

I didn't get a pic of him opening Drew's card, because he received it later, but he loved it :)  Saving all those cards from those sweet boys!!

Silly group picture!  Why...oh why didn't I make him smile??!!

But what he didn't know, was that we weren't done!

First we all went for 2 rounds of Lazer Tag!!

Boys VS Dads & Girls

Then two rounds of Balladium!!

Boys VS Moms & Girls

I asked him if it was as good as he hoped...was it perfect?

"Yep!"

Sometimes he's a "man" of many words.  But most of the time, he's not ;)  But he looked contentedly wiped out as walked to the car with a grin.

Happy Birthday, My Boy!!  Clyde, you've exceeded my hopes and dreams.  I have the most kind-hearted, loving 9-year-old in all the land!  And he's the first to run to prop up his light-headed Mama!  And he fixes things!  I love you!! :)

Girls' Birthday Dinner

Nena & Papa always have the kids each pick out a restaurant to go to for their birthday dinner.  This year, Lucy & Iris both picked the same local Chinese restaurant, so they had their birthday dinner together.  Iris won't have her birthday for a few more weeks, but we decided to do it in between their birthdays.

We all ordered our food and while we waited, we decided to let the girls start opening their gifts.

They each got money from Aunt Rita...

Lucy gave her sister a Disney animation app for her LeapPad...

Iris gave Lucy a turquoise book light...

Clyde gave Iris the 'RolyPoly' app for her LeapPad...

He gave Lucy a coloring book she had been wanting...

Sherry and David gave Iris her GREATLY DESIRED 'Brave' LeapPad Game...

Okay, so I TRIED to get David to smile or make regular eyes in this picture...I even took multiple pics, but he just wouldn't, so....

They gave Lucy 2 books, each by one of her favorite authors.  She has finished them both already, but will read them each 10 more times.

Stephen & I gave Iris a tote for her LeapPad and a Tinkerbell game (which had not arrived in the mail yet...now it has though!)

Nena and Papa gave Iris the 'PetPals' & 'I Spy' LeapPad games...

Nena, Papa, Stephen & I went in together to get Lucy a nice camera with a card and case.  Nena and Papa also got her some Legos...

Afterward, we had brownies for the girls.  We sang 'Happy Birthday' and they blew out their candles.

Then the kids all crowded around Iris and her LeapPad to play the 'Brave' game, right there in the restaurant floor :)

Great fun was had by all!!  Thanks Nena & Papa!!