The day between and the day of.

I woke up to this, the day after the 4th. I simply followed the mess and found the above. I LOVE it.

Over the course of 4 days, we were invited to 3 dinners--which is awesome--So we moved the Mr's birthday BBQ to his birthday eve. I took the Mr. out shopping for his fireworks and (discounted-- if consumed that day, why not pay half price?) steaks and then surprised him by having our friends show up (surprise #1). Even though he was the birthday boy, he was in charge of cooking. I don't do the grill.

 After our backyard BBQ and fireworks, 

fireflies were chased, s'mores made, and camp set up. 

I love alot of things about camping. 

The outdoor cooking. 

The outdoor eating. 

S'mores. 

But I hate the sleeping. 

Or lack thereof.

People willingly chose to leave their beds, live with bugs, and have animals brush by their heads and invade their campsite at night, all while sleeping on rocks and waking up wet from the dew? 

Well, yes.... but I think we've decided it's too much work to drive somewhere and do it for one night.

Especially when it is already way booked and noisy for the 4th of July. 

Now, this was perfect.

Brycen loved it and did it for two nights. 

Best part? Cian slept in his bed and I, in mine. 

My kind of camping!

(notice, he is sleeping on a mattress, ahhh...)July 6th. The Mr turned the big 2-9! Surprise #2: breakfast in bed.

Surprise #3 and 4: The mailman came at 11 am delivering a very generous birthday gift that would later pay for our lunch date. Perfect timing. And a truly awesome friend (thank you!) showed up at 11:30am to watch the boys so we could go on our

lunch date.

We walked downtown. Ate really good food and rootbeer at LBC and found an adorable candy shop. The candies were a.m.a.z.i.n.g.l.y expensive and SO good. Cathy made them all in the shop's kitchen as we shopped. Chocolate covered caramels, gummy bears, peanut butter cups, Caramellows.....the list goes on and on.It was a version of Christi heaven.

Who remembers these awesome swings?

My childhood, right there.

At dinner that night, Brycen hit it off with our neighbor's little girl.

And Cian with her bike.

 We brought the ice cream cake. 

One reason I love the Mr's birthday: Aldi's discounted 4th of July ice cream cakes.

 Mmmm. So good. especially at half of. 

Last year, I made cookie dough chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting (also so good) 

2012.

and had his co-worker take them to work to surprise him and then little bite-size fruit pizzas to surprise and share at couple's volleyball that night. It was awesome but a lot of cooking and stress--while he was at work--and overall, sweets overload (another co-worker had brought in cake for him).

Can you tell I like to surprise??

This year, since he was home, I took it easy. 

And just enjoyed being with him. 

 My two pyros.

Cian and I handled the "ooohhhh, ahhh".

My Birthday Man.

After the boys were in bed, 

we sat on the garage floor way past midnight; me watching, he changing the van's brakes.

It was the perfect change in routine.

____________________________________

Now it's Monday. 

Brycen is a firm believer in being an early riser and was up at 1am.

He is now doing this:

Three nights (out of 4), of going to bed at midnight. 

 

Cian woke up at 11:30am.

 

A mountain or two is calling my name.

This picture doesn't do justice but I have GOT to find the mosquito that had me itching all night long. 15 bites.

Happy Monday!