Happy Birthday, Ethan Conrad!

He's 10, today. Good grief. He's growing up too fast. I think I'm going to try sitting on him.

( Photographic evidence... )



I just got home from the Elementary School awards assembly.  Is there an award for sitting through both ceremonies? 

Just kidding. 

Mostly. 

Both boys got an Honor Roll award, and Accelerated Reader awards.   And various other an sundry things that may or may not deserve a certificate of recognition.  These ceremonies...  I know they're to recognize achievement, but I'm not so certain that mediocrity deserves celebration.  And some of the parents dressed to the nines, as if they were receiving an award instead of their grade schooler.  I'm proud of my boys, certainly, but I'm proud of their character, the manners, their sense of humor and the way they handle themselves in day to day life.  And there really isn't an award for that.

That said, have a picture or two, anyway.

( Awards... )



LHM!**

Because I need to see this in black and white:

• Make Ethan's birthday dinner tonight.  He could have chosen anything in the world, and he chose hamburgers and hot dogs, God bless him.  I used to ask my mom for Chicken Kiev and Chicken Fried Steaks for my birthday dinners.  Sorry, Mom.
• I still have to decorate his cake.  With a Marine Corps insignia?  Um...  going to have to Google that.  Oh, good grief.  Looks hard.
• make 2 dozen deviled eggs for the funeral meal I'm in charge of coordinating tomorrow.
• also make 2 peach cobblers.
• also finish dipping 4 dozen cake truffles
• also prepare two briskets
• also be at church to set up, receive prepared food and clear up after
• clean house for home group dinner tomorrow, pick up fajita meat and peppers and onions from Ruby Tequila's
• mow the yard before home group tomorrow?  I don't see this happening.  People can see the long grass.
• Thursday...  there was something on Thursday?  Shoot.
• Write (heartfelt?) thank you notes to each of the boy's teachers (5) and send them to school before Friday
• Pack for our trip to Denver on Friday
• Fix Nolan's ipod with all the stuff he wants on it before Friday
• Find some time in there to workout...

Okay.  That doesn't look so bad.  Cover me.  I'm goin' in. 

**You know how some people say, "OMG!" as an acronym? I'm instituting "LHM!" for "Lord have Mercy!" It's gonna catch on. I can feel it.