Blah, Blah, Blah

I titled this post that way because I feel like that is exactly what I have been doing for two days, talking my head off. Socializing left and right, with a side of gardening and topped off with a birthday.

Yesterday was Hubby's 44th birthday. WHEW! He's getting up there. Thankfully I will always be 7 years his junior...except for the few months between Feb and May that I am only 6 years younger. Coincidentally, this was also hoof trimming day for my mom and stepdad. Thankfully, after a day of walker parades and trying to block the sounds of the "tools of the trade", Erik's mom and dad treated us to a steak meal for the birthday boy and family. It is my most favorite family tradition. I love a good grilled steak. In fact, my love of a good grilled steak, rib, burger, hot dog, chicken breast, chicken leg, shrimp, brisket, etc. is what keeps me out of the clutches of vogue vegetarianism. We had a great birthday dinner and a wonderful time of fellowship together once we were back home and the kiddos went to bed. Birthdays really are not that big of a deal for Erik or I. We are usually poor on both of our birthdays-mine is too close to Christmas and his is too close to mother's day, graduations, and the beginning of birthday season for all my nieces and nephews. Therefore, we don't pull out all the stops-we just savor the gifts we get from outside the family which vary from year to year. Sometimes we splurge on one another, but usually we are low key.

Today was a day of socializing in our homeschool group. We went to a park meeting and I am pleased to announce that I will be a part of the leadership team for our support group. It is something I have wanted to do for a long time. I have lots of ideas and I have many friends I want to encourage to be an active part of the group. Some people want to do things and just need encouragement and opportunities to really do a good job. That is the secret to a good organization-support and delegate. Then everyone feels like they 'own' it because they do. I've already been rallying the troops and letting them know how much our group needs their volunteerism. (Mia, consider yourself ralied as well!)

After the meeting, we went to my friend Sue's house and we swam in her pool and dug perennials to bring home. Oh how I love to swap perennials. I had so many at our old house that I had swapped with friends. At this house, I have done very little gardening-but now that our back yard is tree-free, I am inspired again and having fun. I can't wait to share a few plants her way as well. I also dug a few at my mom-in-laws since I was already in planting mode.

Now, I am ready to get off of here and get some shut-eye. The older girls are at a sleepover and so Lilly and I get to enjoy the morning as a twosome. Look out yard sales, here we come. My kids are so much fun one on one. We should do that more often!!

I am blogging to a live band in the garage. Erik and his bands will be playing a local Artsy festival on Sunday. I am not sure how many of his bands. Too hard to keep track with my feeble mind. I have already warned the girls that we are skipping church to festivate with Dad. There are just so few family friendly opportunities for us to be FANS. So anyway, they are gearing up and sounding really good. This is a new three piece band and they are all really great guys that don't really need to practice a bit, but I am glad they are. Imagine blues and jazz, along with Stray Cat Strut and Let's Get It On. I predict they will be a hit. Come see them if you are local. ALSO, there will be art. Hands on artsy stuff for the kiddos. I can't wait. We love lowertown art festivating with Dad.