Can I please have that hour back?

I like the fact that it stays lighter later, but I really hate losing an hour of sleep. I guess if I went to bed before 2 am it might help, but that's unlikely. Actually, walking around for 2 hours in the hilly, un-sidewalked areas that the Tiger Cubs were assigned to pass out the Food Drive fliers helped, I was asleep by 12:30. Thankfully it didn't rain. I'd love to know why they assigned the youngest boys the largest and most unsafe areas. It's kinda weird, the same weekend the time change happens, the weather is all of a sudden incredibly Spring-like. We've been playing with the kite and other assorted outside toys for the past few days. I guess we need to start getting bids on the much-anticipated fence. We also need to get a really long leash for the cat. I feel bad leaving him in the house while we venture out into the nice weather. He loves to lay in the window and look outside, so I'd like to let him run around for a while.
OK, more birthday pictures. I didn't get any real great ones. It's hard to lead games and activities and be the photographer.


This was their favorite game. We had some black balloons ("dirty bubbles" from Spongebob) taped to the edge of a table and they had to hit one with the Nerf dart. They would have done that the whole time if we had done it first.


"Spongebob Says" (laugh like Patrick, meow like Gary, do karate like Sandy, etc.) lasted for about 2 minutes. Nobody paid attention to the Spongebob Says part. This is them doing muscles like Larry the Lobster.


While Ethan opened his gifts, some of the boys decided to put the balloons under their shirts.


This was Pass the Sponge, whoever was holding it when the music stopped was out. I had the theme song playing on the DVD and just hit pause every now and then. No, I wasn't looking, so Ethan did get out. In fact, I don't think he won once.

OK, I think that's it for the birthday. It seems like forever ago, even though it was just a week ago today. I have a few more pictures of Jake. He likes to sleep in enclosed places. I was looking all over for him and couldn't find him. He was here:

Can't see him? Neither could I. Try this:

If at all possible, he really would just prefer to just plop on top of a person and make himself comfortable.

When we're in the office, he likes to sleep here, in a box I was about to throw out. I guess we'll be keeping it.

OK, enough for now. I smell popcorn.

Happy Birthday Boys!

Well, technically yesterday was their birthday, but today was the party. Anytime anyone would ask how old Ethan is turning, he'd tell them "7, but Dad's 44!" Glen just loved that. It was supposed to be a Spongebob party, but the boys pretty much just wanted to shoot the Nerf darts and play with swords and light sabers. We did make Spongebob sponges with google eyes, pipe cleaner limbs and felt shorts. The problem was the sponge sucked up all the glue! God bless the hot glue gun.

We tried to play "Spongebob Says" (like Simon Says) but they weren't paying any attention at all and it lasted about 3 rounds. It was a very energy filled 2 hours. The cat did really well. He stayed out of the way as to not get squished, but wasn't the slightest bit afraid. Ethan specifically wanted a vanilla cake with vanilla frosting - for some unknown reason MY kid doesn't like chocolate - and then didn't eat a single bite. Now he says he just doesn't like cake. I give up. When Glen had a second piece after the kids left, Ethan warned him that if he wasn't careful, he'd get diabetes. Ethan has a friend who has it, so he knows all about too much sugar. But the way he said it was really funny. I guess it was one of those things where you just had to hear it to get the full effect.

Glen and Ethan drew a fantastic sidewalk chalk Spongebob on the front porch to greet the guests. It will be sad when it gets rained away. It snowed yesterday, but today was clear as a bell (but cold).

Of course we had Spongebob playing for ambiance the whole time (thanks again for Season 1, Aunt Jude!). We used the theme song for Pass the Sponge (like Hot Potato), passing a sponge around a circle and whoever is stuck with it when the music stops is out. We had streamers hanging from the ceiling fan for seaweed, which was pretty cool when the fan was on.

I have lots more photos but am not in the mood to Photoshop out the faces right now. I will pick a few more for later. I suppose I shoud go clean up the smashed cake on the kitchen floor before it becomes permanent, but I wanted to post a few pictures for Jude. Most of them have Ethan with a bunch of other kids, though, so they'll have to wait. I don't want to publish their faces, some people get freaked about that kind of thing.