Birthday Aftermath/Easter Extravaganza

The day before my birthday, my mom called to let me know that my Stepdad wasn't feeling well ... and since he's of the previous generation (read: In his current age, he needs someone to help take care of him when he's sick), she wouldn't be able to come up. :(

So she and I were stiff-upper-lipping it to each other, saying that we'd get together as soon as we could ... that (from her) would it be okay if she came up next week and (from me) that it's important that she take care of my stepdad, that I'd be okay, that one can help these things.

Well, my stepdad was feeling better, so unbeknownst to me, Mom came up! I was just putting on a DVD and getting ready to paint my nails ... since I had put the kids to nap (which they did NOT do) after going to storytime and watching a show or two. 

As I put it to Bri when she called to wish me a happy birthday, "It was a total surprise! I had to button my pants!" (Yes, I had unbuttoned my jeans to paint my nails. Yeah, I need to start walking on the treadmill or something, huh?)

But it was a great surprise. Mom had checked with Michael to make sure that she wouldn't be encroaching on any plans that he might have lined up ... Nope. It was perfect. I had gotten caught up on the dishes, I had my mom up, we all went out to dinner and had delicious Mexican food ... Michael and I went out shopping (No, I STILL don't know what I really want for my birthday). Life is good.

I got quite a few calls -- my dad, Aunt J, Grampy (which was a surprise -- he apologized for not getting my card in the mail earlier. I had just assumed that I'd fallen under the radar. He has quite a few grandkids.), Bri ...

My (AWESOME) visiting teachers had brought me a (DELICIOUS) Coldstone Creamery cupcake (try saying THAT three times fast. Go ahead. I'll wait) ... which I devoured after putting the kids into naptime ... or an attempt at naptime.

I had bazillions of friends on Facebook (some of whom I only know through games ... they really didn't have to) wishing me a happy birthday. I feel very, very loved.

(And to my friends that forgot/were a little late, no worries. I know that y'all love me. Or at least tolerate me.)

Mom headed home Saturday, so it was a nice visit. Bruise and Bucket enjoyed all the Easter loot they acquired ... baskets from Mutti (my mom) on Thursday, Grandma and Grandpa (Mom and Dad C) Saturday night (AND playing with their cousins! Such joy!!), and the loot from us Sunday morning --- I'm thrilled to say that our IKEA purchases were a hit! Bucket loves her little Duktig tea set; Bruise was practically off-the-wall with his Lillabo train. It has a TUNNEL! It has a BRIDGE! It's so like the one at the library!

Grandma and Grandpa were able to come to church with us ... and so were Michael's Grandma and Grandpa (I'm resolving to try and go over to visit them at least once every two weeks. They only live across town. It's not like it's HARD to go see them). 

Since Mom and Dad C took the kidlets to Nursery, as Michael and I walked to pick them up (the munchkin brigade, not Mom and Dad ... they had to take off after they took the kids to their class), I joking said to Michael, "Hey, you want to bet that [Bucket]'s first remark will be 'Where's Grandma and Grandpa?'" ... We laughed about it for a sec ... and sure enough, I was completely correct. As if it had been scripted, even!

I made ham and mashed potatoes (the cream I had went bad, so I used sour cream in them --- good idea! Theyre were delicious!) and roasted broccoli. 

I'm back to having my gnarly post-nasal drip-thing. I don't know for sure if it's allegies or just a random virus -- I'm hoping for the virus, so that I won't have to anticipate being all snuffed-up and miserable whenever I do yardwork (Did I mention that, in preparation for Easter, I TRIED to clean up the yard? I seriously did some pruning and raking -- And then it rained Easter morning, so we didn't even consider hiding the eggs in the yard. And it was hella cold, too).

So, I'm doing my sick-thing today. I'm in my robe, sipping hot drinks -- beef bouillon cubes right now -- to help my poor sore throat ... and, wow, I should REALLY buy stock in Kleenex; I've been using more than enough. *sigh* And I get to wake up in the middle of the night with my nose completely stuffed ... Wah wah wah. Poor me.

I was feeling better for a couple days. I think it's gotten a little worse, since Michael and I were staying up so late during the weekend. My bad. 

Oh, I got a haircut with my mom. It's cute. It's not a huge change ... Bri, if you remember the haircut I got from you? It's pretty much the exact same cut. Funny, huh? I was looking at a picture of Rosemund Pike (from the newer version of Pride and Prejudice and Die Another Day, that James Bond one where she's Madonna's fencing protege?), and I loved her hair!
Turn out that it's my (grown-out) haircut ... just with some styling! How funny!

And it's still long enough that I won't have any problems in putting it back into an up-do for my friend's wedding this summer. (I was going to wait to cut my hair until after the wedding ... but I was really tired of my grow-out, so I went for it, knowing that, hey, if it's a little short, I'd still have some time to get used to it/grow it out a little before the wedding.)

So, yeah, that's most of what's gone on ... besides Bruise playing with the train and talking about "jelly beams" ... It's been a good, if a little busy, week. 

Now, just to get over this sinus-thing. Ugh. I think I'm going to mandate naptime today. And it'll be mandatory for ME, too.
That and some time watching the Colin Firth P&P before I have to return it to the library.

And then I'll tackle the housework that was negated by all the Easter excitement and Bucket trailing easter grass all over the house. And the "jelly beams" in the carpet. *sigh* But, at least, the kiddos have had lots of fun. So it's worthwhile, right?