Birthday Adventuring.

The weekend was fun. Saturday James was gone for CORE training all day so the kids and I stayed in our pajamas and watched movies. I have had a headcold for going on ten days now and it was especially bad at the end of the week. The rest was very welcome. That night was our planned Game Night. We were supposed to play Game of Thrones but L&E were just as wrecked as James and I so we ended up playing one of the kids' games they bought Shamus a few years back. It was still in the plastic as he was way too young then to play. It was a Viking-themed game and perfect for the age the kids are now. Everyone got to play and it was a good time. They baked us a giant meat pie, so I didn't have to cook. L got me a very large purple bow headband. Best sick day ever.

My actual birthday was Monday, but since James had to work, we celebrated together Sunday. We went and had a big sushi lunch (my favorite) in Alameda. After lunch we walked along the beach and the kids helped me find a couple of sea shells. I've got quite a nicely growing pile on my night stand from our beach trips. The kids spent all week making me things secretly and slipping them into a gift bag so by the time by birthday had arrived the bag was very full of different colorful,  beautiful odds and ends. Chance also built me a gift in Wood Working class. It's a diorama of a gas station. He's never made me anything for my birthday before so I was pretty touched. We spent the rest of the day lying around, watching movies. Very relaxing. James gave me my gift, a new papier mache Dia skull for my collection. And two 2-lb. Peanut Butter Cups. It was a very insightful gift. Usually I buy myself a new one every Day of the Dead, but this year I was disappointed not to find any that I really liked. Also, it is pink and teal, which are my favorite colors (besides gray, of course). Plus Peanut Butter Cups are my favorite candy. So good job, James.

Last week I decided I wanted to take the boys to see Santa Claus before Christmas. We almost saw him at Bass Pro on the way home from Thanksgiving but the line was LUDICROUS. People had number tickets like the DMV and were waiting in line for hour blocks at a time for their time window. No way was I doing that. Instead I let Chance play hookey from school (just this once!). I figured if we went on a weekday in the middle of the day we could go see him at the mall. We bundled up and took the BART train to the Powell mall in San Francisco. After we met and had pictures taken with Santa, we went all the way to the very top and sat under the Dome. They were projecting colors and pictures onto it. We sat under it for a long time watching while we eat cookies from the Dome cafe. It was really beautiful. One of the really enjoyable parts of having children is being able to re-experience something you've already seen through them. Their faces were amazing.

They helped me do the last of my Christmas shopping (I'm all finished except for one more J thing and the kids' toys!). I let them each pick out a treat for being so well-behaved. They ended up choosing Ninja Turtle ornaments. They have good taste. We grabbed lunch (breakfast for lunch = greatest thing ever) and met up with my lovely friend Mary for a bit. I took them to one of my favorite kids' stores in the entire world.. The Disney Store. I have never taken my children in the Disney Store before as I never thought they were old enough to be able to leave the store without having a meltdown. They surpassed my wildest expectations. I explained to them before we entered that we were looking but NOT BUYING. They marveled, enjoyed, and showed me all the things they loved (I love everything in there too) and we left without anyone making a scene. Score one for my kids. Couldn't be more proud of them.

They were actually impossibly well-behaved all day. Usual manic energy with none of the negative aspects. Chance even asked if he could carry bags and packages for me. And wanted to hold my hand for no reason. I wish it were my birthday every day. Came home to find some pretty leopard gloves in the post from my mother-in-law. My mum got me a Betsey Johnson watch. I finished the day by making a meatloaf with chocolate chip cookies for dessert. I really can't think of anything that could've added to it. My twenty-fourth birthday could be the best I've ever had.