Birthday Extravaganza!

I kind of feel like a gigantic balloon filled with birthday exploded all over us.  It's weird because some years we can hardly manage cake and a few presents and other years we go whole hog wild.  This was one of those years. Ava and Dan's birthdays' are a mere 4 days apart.  Throw in the fact that Dan left town before the sun rose on Ava's birthday and arrived back just in time for my well planned surprise, Ava's horse party had to be scheduled on June 1st, as well as the fact that the memorial day weekend was just too convenient to pass up a party opportunity and we've had ourselves one heck of a birthday(s) festival!

So here's how it broke down:
Wednesday May 23-Ava's birthday.  Dan's out of town so I take the kids out for dessert-first ice cream.

 It ends up being dinner and I put them to bed with messy faces.

And tummies.

Friday May 25-Dan flies back into Dallas I won't tell you what I wore to pick him up from the airport because it might make you blush. I drive him straight to the Gaylord Texan Resort where I surprise him with a room key and basket full of his favorite treats.  Dan thoroughly enjoyed his Nutty Bars, Whoppers, and soda. My Veggie Chips are less than satisfying. We eat dinner by the indoor replica of the Riverwalk.

Our room was way up there on the top middle.

And this was from our room looking down,

We hit the hot tub and make it out front just in time for the Friday night fireworks.

 Dan tells me he feels like he's just been on a date from the Bachelor.  We chose to forgo our individual rooms and stayed in the fantasy suite.


Sunday May 27-We have our family birthday celebration for both Ava and Dan at my parents house. We sing the song,

they blow out the candles, 

and open presents!

Monday May 28-We have a Memorial Day/Dan and Travis Birthday BBQ.  Our neighbor down the street (whose girls we carpool with) shares the same birthday as Dan.  So in their honor we gathered a few families together to celebrate.  Our impulse buy was perfect for the occasion.

After nearly seven years in Texas I decide it's high time I cook a brisket and thanks to Pioneer Woman, it turns out great.

 We played Which Birthday Boy? As in, which birthday boy was at one time addicted to Days of Our Lives?  Or which birthday boy has had clogging lessons?  The guests made their guesses and held up the appropriate signage.

More cake, more ice cream! Lots of fun!

Friday June 1-Finally the day of Ava's highly anticipated Horseback Riding Birthday Party.  Included was two hours with two horses.

While the kids took turns riding, they assembled Cowgirl Cookie mixes,

colored horse pictures, and ran between the barn and the pen feeding the horses in the stalls and this baby and Mama.

We had pizza.

More cake, more ice cream! More fun!

I'm not gonna lie, when the party was done and I drove out of that gravel driveway, I felt a weight lift off of my shoulders.  All kinds of rightly deserved celebrating for very worthy causes, but man, I was worn out!  A special thank you to my always helpful parents.

Life wouldn't be life without either of my May babies.  I love them so dearly.


I'm hunkering down now and storing up my energy.  Luke's birthday is 26 days and counting.