Ever have one of those moments when you look around the house before you walk out the door and say to yourself, “Gee whiz, this place is filthy.”  or “Man, I hope a tractor trailer doesn’t drive through the front door and reveal this mess to three television networks.” ? 

On my birthday, Babycakes took the world’s shortest nap which only gave me enough time to bang out one blog post AND seeing that it WAS my birthday, I gave myself a break from the daily routine of cleaning the house.  Coach had asked me what I wanted to do on my birthday and because I wanted to feel like a kid again, I decided that we should all go bowling. 

As we walked out the front door, I took one last look around and declared, “I have got to get this house under control.”  But who cares, right?  There was the whole weekend and we were going to have family time together at the bowling alley.  On a side note, did you know that some people go to the bowling alley just to hang out at the bar?  I’m not sure what that says about your social life. 

Ask me who had the higher score in the fourth frame — me or Cakes? 

We bowled one game and then decided to go get some dinner.  As Coach drove past the restaurant where we intended to eat, my suspicions grew.  Things had been strange all day — Coach had done yard work at an unusual time, my own mother didn’t call me to wish me a happy birthday, and my sister called at 7:30 am and asked if it felt nice to “sleep in”.  Then I remembered how messy my house was, but if my parents had driven down to surprise me they wouldn’t really mind the mess. 

But when we pulled into the driveway, there was a balloon and festive torches outside, and someone else’s little flip flops in the dining room, and toys on the floor and….

a kitchen full of friends & family!

Surprise!

Can you believe it?  Coach pulled off a surprise of a caliber that I didn’t think was possible … you know, for a husband.  Women know all, we sense all, and love to be in control of it ALL.  How did he pull this one past me?  In the kitchen, I first saw my friends and then my mom.  I turned to the left and there was my dad and Little E.  Someone came up behind me and covered my eyes — ahh, my brother!  Then my cousin Troy popped his head through the crowd in the kitchen and I was shocked.  Then shock turned to… whatever comes after shock and there was my dear Aunt Julie.  The picture in my mom’s camera tells the story — I look like I’m going to eat her because I was so excited that she came. 

Thirty — things are really looking up!

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The Jungle Girl

On Saturday, my mom and I took Little E to the playground to tire her out so she would nap swing.  The swings were too hot in the mid-afternoon sun, so she decided to play on the climber and entertain us with her wild imagination. 

She was talking about Uncle Joe’s de-roderant & some mec-idine that she was taking and I suggested that perhaps one day she would become a doctor. 

“Uhm, I think yes I would like to be a doctor but it will have to be in the jungle because when I grow up I want to be a jungle girl and wear a boo-kini and a hula skirt.” 

These are the stories in which I continue them by asking many, many questions… 

“Where will you live,” I asked.

“Oh, with the Indians of course.  They build their own houses with straw.” 

“Where do they get the straw?”

“They just finded a birdie’s nest and steal the straw.”

“Where will you find food?”

“Oh! Perhaps the Indians will give me some food.” 

“What will your jungle girl name be?”

“Akayla.  And your name will be Akee-slosh-a-kiki.”

“And what about Uncle Coach?”

“He will be Ak-mon-sloo-ka-baba.”

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It truly was the ultimate family slumber party at our house with six house guests.  We don’t live in a castle, so we popped up air mattresses and turned sofas into beds.  It took several hours each morning to rotate everyone through the shower, but that gave us plenty of time to visit. 

Now I MUST share one last Little E story: 

Little E said to me while we were standing at the Goodwill, “Aunt Sara?  Do you have another baby growing your belly?” 

“No, I don’t honey.  Why do I look like I have a baby in my belly?”

Then she took her two hands — one at the top of my belly and one at the bottom as if she were cradling something and said, “Yes, because of this,” and she gave it a squeeze. 

Back on the diet TODAY!