Anniversary, Baby Shower and a Birthday!

The end of August is always busy for us.  After getting back from the beach, we had 2.5 weeks to get ready for school.  Most of our school clothes shopping was done, but I did have a few more things to get, plus all of the school supplies (for 4 kids this year!), and trying to recoup after a week long vacation.  I was hoping that the last 2 weeks of summer would be fun for the kids, but I was so busy catching up on laundry, shopping and getting ready for baby that the kids got bored and acted out and did lots of fighting.  It was a long, hard 2 weeks for all of us.  But we had lots of fun things to celebrate too!

On August 22, Ben and I celebrated our 10th Wedding Anniversary.  What an amazing 10 years its been.  In those 10 years we've moved 3 times- all within the same state; just miles apart, actually (into our first apartment, then to our first house, and then to our current house), had (almost!) 5 kids, and made lots and lots of family memories.  Chloe was born just a few months after our first anniversary, so we can hardly remember what life has been like without children.  We love the family that we have had and raised together- it is definitely our most prized possession.

One of our engagement photos.  Don't we look so young and in love?

Having our Anniversary fall on a Thursday made it a bit tricky to plan a big hoo-rah.  I did not do much pre-planning, so on the morning of the big day I scrambled to find a babysitter so I could take Ben to lunch.  It almost didn't happen (babysitters have been so hard to come by this summer), but literally at the last minute I found one and was able to sneak away, kidless, to celebrate with my main man.

Ben was somewhat surprised- he knows I hate finding last second babysitters, so he figured I'd just be bringing the kids with me.  I don't surprise him very often, so score one for me.

We decided to try a Chinese restaurant in Burien that Ben had been to once with some co-workers.  It was FANTASTIC.  I've always loved Chinese food, but this was some of the best I've ever had.  I couldn't stop talking about it the rest of the day.

Not only was the food delicious, but the lunch menu is very inexpensive and the food is fast and the service wonderful.  It was a very nice outing for us.  (Yes, even my poor face gets pregnant-looking).

We received 3 fortune cookies with our check.  I thought they were all very anniversary/love fitting for our special day.

I was hoping this "good news" would be having a baby later that night or weekend, but alas, that wasn't it.  :)

The good news we celebrated instead was reflecting on 10 years of a happy marriage and happy life.  We are truly blessed!

Ben came home from work later that evening and surprised me with Blizzards for the two of us, and he was even sweet enough to bring Dilly Bars for the kids for after dinner.  It was our special day, but Ben made sure to let the kids in on our celebrating to let them know how important our marriage is to the entire family.

That next Saturday, August 24th, 2 sweet friends threw me the cutest baby shower for our soon-to-be baby girl.  The invitation said "Come and enjoy lunch and lemonade."  My friend and host Kelly had decorated her house in pink and yellow decorations (pink and yellow lemonade colors) and it was adorable.  I snapped a few pictures before guests started arriving.

The dessert table was so, so cute.  The cookies were lemon and absolutely amazing, and the cupcakes were lemonade flavored and to die for.

This table held 2 large containers of pink and yellow lemonade.

Such cute decorations!

I had Chloe come with me.  It's fun to have her older this time for a baby (she was 4 when the twins were born) and I knew she'd have fun celebrating the baby with me at this party.  She helped mix the lemonade and loved it.

Jami and Kelly had made Cafe Rio for lunch and it was by far the best shower lunch I have ever eaten. It was seriously to die for.  And a ton of work for them.  Thank you ladies!  I'm still thinking about that amazing food, 2 weeks later.

After lunch, we played a few games.

One was a Nursery Rhyme guessing game.  I did pretty well, but not good enough to win.

Chloe helped me open the gifts.  We received lots of adorable things.  There really isn't anything sweeter than baby clothes and toys.

We had such fun at the shower and it was so sweet to have someone think of us and want to help us celebrate our bundle of joy.  I really do have the greatest friends.  Thank you Jami and Kelly!  It was such a fun, cute shower and so fun to get together with friends.

In between all the grumpiness and fighting, the kids managed a few hours during the weeks to be very helpful with cleaning and chores.  Mitch and Chloe have recently taken up mopping as their new favorite past time, which I love!  Mopping all of our hardwood is quite the undertaking and I don't love doing it, so I have been more than happy to let them do it.  Lexi desperately wanted a turn one day.  Start them young, right?

I needed blackberries a few different times for dinner during those 2 weeks.  Having a huge blackberry patch right in our own back yard has definitely had its perks.  I sent the kids down to pick for me and they were very excited to do so.  I love looking out the kitchen window and seeing my kids working together on a project. 

Just a week before school, Chloe had an unfortunate accident.  She was riding a wiggle car down our street and got going too fast and crashed, face first, into our fence.  The fence definitely won.  She had 2 or 3 large goose eggs the first day, that were black and blue, and numerous scratches and burns on her face.  Ouch!  Luckily, most of the scratches were gone, or barely visible by the first day of school.

On August 30th, we celebrated Ben's 36th birthday.

I took the kids and we picked him up at work to take him to lunch.  We were still thinking about the delicious Chinese lunch from the week before, so we decided to have it again.  It did not disappoint the second time around.

When Ben got home from work, I suggested we go to the Toyota Dealership.  Why, you ask?  The birthday boy has had his heart set on a truck for years now.  He had a little Toyota Pickup in college and it was the only car we had when we got married.  We sold it just a few years after we got married for a more sensible commuting car that could haul kids around (his small truck was not kid friendly).  He LOVED that pickup and has missed it ever since and had vowed that someday he will get a truck again- a Toyota, specifically.  Someday is coming soon.  He has been researching Toyota Tundra's for months and months now and loves to go down to the dealership and talk trucks with the salesman and test drive anything he can get his hands on.  So the birthday boy got to drive a new 2014 Tundra for his birthday.  What a treat!

The kids all fit so nicely in the back seat!  These trucks are definitely kid friendly!  The back is just as spacious as our van.

When we got home, Ben opened his gifts.  The kids were excited to help me shop for small things for him.

Love this handsome birthday boy!

Ben has chosen cheesecake for his birthday for the past 2 or 3 years at least.

Happy 36th Birthday!  We have a great year ahead of us!