Thirty-Five

Remember when you were a kid and how you wanted your birthday to fall on a weekend so you would be off from school?  It's still fun to have a few days off as an adult, too! 

Today is Brian's 35th birthday!

He gets to be off from work every year because his birthday comes during his winter break. ~Thirty-five~ is a pretty special age so we partied all weekend long and we're keeping the party alive today, too. 

On Saturday evening, I cooked cider beef with root vegetables (onions, potatoes, turnips, and carrots) and we invited one of Brian's friends to share the meal.   It's not a birthday around here without good food and people to join in our celebrations.

Before and after the meal, the guys watched football and cheered for opposing teams while all five kids played Lego in the boys' room and I read another can't-put-down book by Kate Morton.  It was relaxing and celebratory to each of us in his own way.  ~wink~

After the kids were in the bed, the adults indulged in piping hot molten lava cakes!  More good food.  No, I didn't say good for us, just good tasting. 

On Sunday, we moved the party to my parents' house.  Brian's mom joined us for lunch, but the crowing glory was the dessert-- Kati's Peanut Butter Fudge Brownie Trifle. 

Would you look at that? Just look at it!

Following dessert, we squeezed around the kitchen table for games.  First up was Big Picture Apples to Apples which Kati won before we even finished one rotation around the table...and then on to Beat the Parents which the kids won after a long, hard, competitive battle! 

In the midst of our game playing, the 49ers won their game, too, and made Brian a happy birthday boy.  

Today is Brian's official birthday and he has requested time to relax before we begin a whirlwind week.  He wants to sleep in so the kids and I will tiptoe through the morning and wait to eat a breakfast of banana chocolate chip oatmeal together as a family around 9-ish.  (Remember, the food is important to us!) Then we'll give him his present and enjoy the day together.  The wrapping paper belies the fact that we are expecting temps near 60 today-- a full 50 degrees warmer than a few days last week. 

Three days full of birthday is the way to party!