Happy Birthday to Joe!!!

My dear husband's birthday is today. And I didn't forget. Not even at all. It's okay, I'm not bitter about my birthday. I know it will be made up to me. I'm not sure when, but someday. Possibly on my next birthday, but at least I know it's out there somewhere.

So the weekend started off really HUGE with Jacks finishing off a very important chart. Without getting too embarrassing or graphic, Jacks has had some difficulty maintaining regularity in the past year since he's been totally potty trained. And lately we've been having to part with some of his favorite underwear due to soiling past the point of no return. So, Jacks has had to sadly throw away The Hulk, Wall-E, Lightning McQueen, and a variety of characters who have graced his delicates.

I decided that we would make a 2 week chart in which he would have a daily goal to keep it clean and make it all in the potty each day. Check out how well he did....He was so happy with himself that he gave his sister some sweet kisses. That was heartwarming.
In other news, Nealy has been letting me put her hair in pig tails, which pleases Joe to no end. I told him that this was his birthday present, and he was sooooo happy with that (it wasn't his birthday present, but it would have been a lot cheaper than his new national championship sweat shirt). This picture is a little out of focus, but you can see the Fraggle Rock hair situation we've got going on here. I think it is so cute it could put you in a mild cute coma.

Jacks had yet another birthday party to attend today, so we went ahead and took the whole family. Nealy managed to work herself into the party here and there like she usually does.

Notice how she's just casually strolling by during the group picture.....


Joe's birthday tends to be easy peasy because he loves strawberry cake and pepperoni pizza. This year, I had my friend Mandi at Cakeapotomus whip up a strawberry cake emblazoned with a Luche Libre wrestling mask. She finds the masks terrifying, but she was a sport about it and saw it as an opportunity for some creative sprinkling work (notice the yellow stitches).

Why Luche Libre, you ask? I really don't know. It turned out cool, though, didn't it?
Jacks was especially pleased about this cake, and he's known of its existence since yesterday when I showed it to him in its hiding place in the back of van. He walked right in the house and said, "Daddy, I'm not allowed to tell you about your cake. I know all about it, but it's a secret." I guess I should have expected as much....

Can you get over this smile?

Anyway, we enjoyed a great dinner of pepperoni pizza from Mellow Mushroom and salad from Olive Garden. I mean, whoa. I really knocked myself out on this dinner. I also managed to get the entire dinner for free! How, you ask? I have my ways.

And here is an example of why I shouldn't be allowed to use Joe's camera.....
Happy Birthday to Joe!!! I hope you loved your day, your dinner, your gifts, your pig tails, and everything great that happened today!