November 22, 2014-Happy Birthday (party) Anderson!

(click here for today's pictures)

• First, it is kind of a sad day around here. This is the last blog I will write on my current computer.  I have had to open and close it 50 times each time I turn it on to get it to work and then constantly readjust the screen but now the plugin has broken so it can no longer charge, so once the battery is gone, this computer will be no more. Not really the Christmas gift that I wanted for Christmas or the one that Robby wanted to buy (hints: dutch oven, the stand from pottery barn, a message Bible or portable carbon monoxide detector) but the blog must go on!
• This morning we heard someone on the monitor.  It was Anderson but his muffled voice sounded like someone on a speaker at McDonalds and it took Robby about 5 tries to understand what the boy was asking.  Finally, I had to tell him that he was asking to get up. Robby leaned up to look at the clock and since it was 6:30 we let them get up.  Those 3 boys (Anderson, Cash and Graham) were the loudest people ever-maybe because they were right up against our bedroom wall playing their kindles.  I guess they weren't too loud since we did sleep for over an hour longer.
• Eventually, Campbell came downstairs and when she realized that Keaton was still upstairs sleeping she ran to wake her up.  We were able to keep those 2 snuggly girls in our bed a bit longer before we had to get up and start the day and what a day it was!
• First Robby made cinnamon rolls for the crew.  Reagan was here but we did have Cash in her place and I guess that we are now officially a 3 can cinnamon roll family.  I just had to lick the icing out of the pan but that was fine with me.
• Everyone quickly put on their clothes and they were all ready to leave-the little 3 were going to Nonna's house to play while I stayed here and worked and the big 3 were going to Mario and Music at church.  
• Robby had offered to stay and help and yesterday Anderson told me "I am a little bit excited that Daddy is going to help at Mario and Music and a little bit worried."  I asked why he was excited and he said that Robby could help serve the pizza.  And then I asked what I really wanted to know "why are you a bit worried about your Daddy helping?"  And Anderson said "I don't want him to embarrass me."  Yep! It has started already. I asked him if Robby embarrasses him on Sunday mornings when we are upstairs with him teaching but he said no. When Robby found out about this, he told Anderson exactly what he was going to do on the stage (I don't think he really showed his belly to everyone as he told Anderson he would) and Anderson shook his head!
• While they were all gone, I stayed here and worked like a dog.  Maybe because Anderson had asked for a kickball party like Graham had this summer and we had to talk him out of that (weather, leaves, just can't duplicate a pretty perfect party) or maybe because he had to share a last minute party last year with his little sister, this party turned into a big deal.  Just about everyone we invited could come which was surprising since we are used to most people not being able to come for his usual December birthday parties.  And then pinterest does make planning for a party so easy these days-but it is still a lot of work....but I think Anderson would agree that it was sure worth it!
• The kids had a blast at Mario and Music-pizza, music, lots of Mario talk and a bit before 1, everyone started pouring in.  Pops, Nonna, the little girls and Whitman were the first ones to arrive.  The Cortez' followed Robby here and they arrived right after the Penningtons.  Soon the Kamps pulled up from church too and Grannymom and Grandpa.  Dana, Lilli and Reagan arrived some time along with Jason and then Andrew also came.  
• Since most folks were all coming from the same place, it was crazy when everyone showed up and it didn't help any that I didn't let them go outside since clues were hidden everywhere. The first order of business was the get everyone's proper spy badges.  They had to draw their spy name and then do some fingerprinting.  
• Next up was memory training-I had about 14 items on a tray and they had to write down what all was on the tray after memorizing the items for 60 seconds.  Lilli and Reagan won that game and each one a dollar bill.  Next up was bomb deactivating-otherwise known as balloon popping.  
• After that we brought everyone in the living room to open presents but only one present was in the living room-a bag filled with toilet paper and the first of the clues.  The first clue took the kids to "the little man" and Whitman had a clue taped to his shirt so they all crowded around him as they read the next clue-he was not too pleased with all of this extra attention.  The clues took the kids from room to room in the house and then all through out the yard.  It was quite entertaining to watch-imagine 18 kids running full speed toward you.  After walking through laser beams and solving a code written in invisible ink, they finally found Anderson's presents in the box by the back door.  
• We brought the presents to the picnic table and let Anderson open them.  He was delighted with his loot-dominoes, rockets, nerf guns, a catapult, sand, bow and arrow, legos, gift cards and a building set.  He was quite pleased and then we came inside to eat some food and then blow out his candles. 
• Soon the ballgame was turned on and the party guests mostly stayed until halftime.  It was a pretty pleasant day that everyone felt they could just hang out-the kids mostly played outside while the adults hung out inside.  At one point, Keaton asked Grannymom "don't these people know it is a time to leave?"  
• Grannymom, Grandpa and Jason all stayed with us until the end of the ballgame and helped us finish off our stone soup.  When they all left, it was soon shower time for my crew and while one set was in the shower, the other helped us pick up.  After showers, Whitman finally went to bed (he hadn't been to sleep all day long) and the others watched a movie upstairs while Robby and I cleaned the kitchen floor.  
• Then it was bedtime for everyone-the kids were tired but so were we.  Six birthday parties a year is all that I can handle!