31

Creeeaaaakkk. I managed to get my old bones over to the computer. Now I just need to find a place to set my cane...

I had a great birthday! We celebrated on Sunday, since Zach is freaky busy studying for boards, but we decided six years ago when he went back to school that he wouldn't do homework on the sabbath. (One of those that you look back and, just like full tithing, think- man we've been blessed for that!) So after church I got my card with Mia's scribbled "I LOV3 YOU MOM," and the present we decided we weren't going to get.

He spent his left-over Christmas gift certificate, and both our birthday gift money on a digital drawing tablet, and called it a business investment. ;) I can't believe how often I've thought how useful it would be to have one of these- I don't say "wished I had one" because, really- it is something I would never even have dreamed of having. It is so exciting!!! And awful, because he did this last time. We say no presents and he gets one anyway. Twerp... with a halo...

On Memorial Day we went to our ward picnic at the park and had a nice time- our ward is full of awesome people, the heat wasn't too bad, there was a nice cool breeze, and tons of yummy food.


Zach "watching" Bree and listening to medical lectures on his new i-touch. Yay for mandatory tuition-paid school technology! This thing amazes me- he downloaded an application with all the hymn lyrics and scriptures; we stick it in a pocket on our way to church and voila! the diaper bag is a couple pounds lighter! There's even another application that gives you access to hundreds of thousands of books- (including one I've been trying to read for the first time, Stephen Covey's Seven Habits- I'm sure I'll post about it later.. ;D) Anya and Bree getting their games on. Not quite sure what game that is, but at least it isn't video...


Mia and her best bud.
This is NOT a typical Anya-in-the-car-face.

Ah- heeeere we go.

And this is how we all felt by the end.

Such cute Bevans

If it weren't for these guys my camera would think there were only three little people in the world, and two of those are twins. So good thing. ;)

A bunch more are over here. Thanks for trusting me as your photog for the day you guys- I had a fun time!

And hey, all you Columbus peeps- this could be you! Now's the time- five years from now you'll just be older! Get some pictures done! By me! I won't even exploit you like this last family... ;D Unless you want to be.

Subtle, yet poignant...

28

Happy Birthday, Zach!

We decided we weren't going to spend money on birthday gifts to each other this year (our b-days are four days apart) because we're going to this COSI Egyptian dinner event we signed up for next weekend. (I figured we might as well make the most of the Ancient Egypt theme going on in Columbus this year. After our Egypt-themed preschool lesson, we went back to the "To Live Forever" exhibit at the art museum for our field trip. Pretty entertaining.)



So anyway. Fate seemed to agree with our no-spending gift plan. Zach's first birthday present was a four-person effort, a nice new shiny blue and black....

you guessed it...

possibly broken toe.

No pictures, to protect the weak of constitution.

I'll give you a play by play. The five competitors were Bree, Anya, me, and Zach vs. Zach's little toe. I started changing Bree's poopy diaper too early, and ended up with one of those piles where you sit there and catch it thinking there will just be a little left, so you don't get another diaper on her, because what a waste, but then you realize it just isn't stopping, so you make your husband run to grab some paper towels. One of those. Then Anya came in from the sideline and just as Zach ran to keep her bare little baby foot from landing right in the pile, he kicked my ankle with his little toe. (Good save, by the way, hon. Sorry I wasn't watching the other kid.) My ankle must know Tai Kwon Do, because it perfectly deflected all of the momentum (and pain) and transferred it in its entirety to the approaching enemy: Little Zach Toe. A worthy opponent- it did take the combined efforts of four people to bring about it's ultimate undoing.

Present #1.


Somehow, the stars aligned and I was able to wake up with the first crow of the first kid, before Zach, so he got to sleep in for once. Present #2

Mia wrote "I Love You Dad" and gave him his card when he woke up and limped downstairs, and we had a yummy breakfast. #3

Zach got to help cook his own birthday dinner because I don't have a very good relationship with our barbeque grill. Or meat for that matter. #4

He got to eat his wonderful birthday dinner outside with some annoying fruit flies because the kids had already eaten and were having so much fun in the swimming pool, we knew it would just be more hassle to try to bring them in. #5

I'm hoping fortune is as fickle as they say, or I'm in for a doozy of a b-day.

Um- Happy Birthday, Hon. No- really.

Time Out for Mom

I had never heard of the Time Out for Women Conventions until this year- which is probably just as well- I wouldn't have gone before this year anyway. It was a fun experience, and I just wanted to put a plug in for it. There are more conferences all year, all over the country. For me, the best part was the great ladies I got to visit with and get to know better. And the incredible MUSIC!! There were a few things that stood out to me in the talks- I'm excited to go over the conference talks and scriptures that were referred to and rediscover them in their new pertinence to my life. I'm a little bummed now that I realize I didn't even take a cell phone picture of our group o'gals. Oh, well. Maybe I'll corner them and shoot them in church. ;)