Beautiful Moments

If you need a precious moment, go see Londyn's beautiful baby pictures and say congrats to Alyssa and Ben!

My parents visit was fabulous and wonderful. Every moment was cherished, knowing that those moments are coming much farther and fewer between than before. The hugs were a little stronger, the words a little kinder, the tears a little saltier.

Tuesday night we celebrated my Mom's birthday. They flew in in the evening and my sister surprised them at the airport with 55 red roses for her 55th birthday. We met them and caravaned to Olive Garden where we had a room reserved. Hubby stopped by to pick up balloons and a cake and met us with sleepyhead LG. We were more or less making it a surprise before my Mom turns to me in the car and says, "Are we celebrating my birthday tonight?" I say "Yeees." and she says, "I didn't know that, I just guessed." It was then I realized we hadn't said anything on purpose. Oops. It was wonderful any way and Hubby surprised her with the balloons and the cake that had Happy 110th written on it because he couldn't remember how old she was turning. Funny that he unconsciously doubled it. I told him it would've been better if he had put 24th. My Dad added to the laughter and good company with a card for all of us 'family' in Texas that had a picture of a very concentrated baby's face that said "I miss you so much..." and inside it said, "I could POOP." That is SO my Dad.

Wednesday my Dad took the boys fishing and my Mom and I had a shopping day. We raided Costco and afterwards we had a fabulous relaxing lunch at Panda Express outside on the cafe tables in the beautiful 75 degree weather. We picked up my sister and hit Pier 1 and World Market for ornaments. I buy the kiddos ornaments every year relating to their favorite thing that year. This year I bought LG two puppy ornaments as he adores all animals and a Santa Claus ornament as he adores Santa Claus. He's already been to see Santa Claus twice this year, telling him he wants a tiny snowboard and a snowboard guy. He still wants to go see him again. Tonight he was out of bed asking for water and singing, "Oh Santa Claus, santa claus." For BG I got a motorbike ornament as his request for Santa Claus was one of those tiny motorcycles they have. Isn't he getting too old for Santa Claus? Heh. We have told them he's just a story that people like to do but they refuse to believe it. Oh, yes, and LG made sure to tell me that Santa Claus reminded him to leave him milk and cookies and asked me to remember to remind him to make Santa Claus milk and cookies.

I will have to finish the recount of the visit later. It is Hubby's and my fifth anniversary tonight and we are sitting on our computers having a quiet night, so before we fall asleep I am off to spend some time with him and maybe a movie or two.

Update: Finishing up Wednesday, we ate at the Cheesecake Factory that night which was delicious as usual. I walked next door to the bookstore near the end for some space and me time and then came back.

Thursday we had our Turkey dinner at Le Madeline's with the back room all to ourselves. It was wonderful. No cooking, no cleanup. We didn't even sit around and lounge too much. After our dinner we came home and the boys and their cousins and I made a gingerbread house, or 'candybread house' as LG calls it which was a perfect thing to do on his birthday. We did a pretty good job if I do say so myself and I do. We went up to the pool for a little bit after that and played pool and shuffleboard. We came home and watched Robots, made frozen pizza for dinner, and then went and watched Yours, Mine, and Ours at the theatre. Then came home once again for ice cream before we called it a day. Whew. I'm tired just typing that. But it really was wonderful and not exhausting at all.

Friday we celebrated LG's birthday at Austin Park N Pizza. We were there from 1pm to 11pm with a birthday cake and present break at a nearby restaurant in the middle. The kids had a blast and have asked to go back every day since.

Saturday, my parents took off and I was less sad than I thought I would be, but not in a bad way. Just in an accepting of this is where I need to be way. It WAS a fabulous visit, we couldn't have asked for anything more.