Linzy's Bday, NFL Playoffs, Heat Wave

Happy 25th B-Day Lindsey I was up at 7:30am. Because the kids stayed up late the night before, I was hopeful that they’d sleep until at least 9am. Well that didn’t happen. Rocky was up shortly after I returned form walking Ykraps. I had to badger him about not making noise. He might be the noisiest little dude in the world. :) He walks loud, talks loud, and asks the same questions over and over. It drives me bonkers, especially when I am seeking a little peace and quiet. I made him waffles on demand. Mindy talked about making some high-quality French toast for breakfast, and I reminded Rocky of that. He still wanted some waffles now. I understood that he was hungry and wanted something quick. Hearing Landon squealing, I went to his rescue. He kept asking for Mindy so I took him to her to see if he wanted to lay in bed with her. He didn’t, so I took him downstairs with me. Mindy was right behind us. We could both tell that Landon didn’t feel that good. He whined and fussed over next to nothing. I left for a run around 9:20am. As promised, Mindy started making sausage and French toast. It snowed some overnight. Best I could tell looked like we got another inch or so. Currently it was in the low 20’s. However, the temperature was going down by the hour. It was 29 at midnight and already 23. Even still, that’s a far cry warmer than it’s been. As expected, the low 20’s felt amazingly warm to my arcticly jaded skin/body. The snow fall made for some soft footing, although the many helpings of salt applied to our streets made running in the middle of the road difficult. The snow wasn’t melting but it made it loose and slippery. I couldn’t get any traction. I ran on the walks wherever feasible. I went from run mode to shovel mode in a jiffy. I shoveled the walks, drive, and deck before going in for breakfast. By the time I finished the sun was popping out. Unfortunately, this time of year my entire driveway spends all the daylight hours in shade. The sunshine helps the neighbors across the street but not me. The kids were already eating their French toast and sausage. Mine was just coming off the stove. It was delicious. I topped it off with powered sugar and syrup. After breakfast, the kids asked if they could play in the snow. We got them dressed for some fun. I went to the shed to get saucers and sleds. I played in the snow with the kids for a short while. Then, since I had the shed opened, I grabbed a bucket full of Scott’s potting soil for two purposes. One, I planned to pot the two Hibiscus clippings that I’ve managed to keep alive all winter. And secondly, I needed some potting soil for my philodendron at work. In fact, the truth is, it’s needed an infusion of fresh potting soil for a long, long time. So, I filled a zip-loc baggie with potting soil and stashed it in my backpack. While I potted the Hibiscus, Mindy headed out to play in the snow with the kids. I saw her trying out Jacob’s snow board a few times. They stayed out there for a while. Meanwhile, I needed a shower badly after a run and shoveling snow in my running clothes. A steamy shower felt terrific. Mindy asked that I make a quick trip to Wal-Mart to pick-up a whole chicken and a few other items. She needed the chicken for our planned Sunday dinner - chicken and noodles. I gladly volunteered to make the trip. Can you believe it, a chance to get out on my own. Ahh! I took my time at Wal-Mart. While there, I picked up a few extra items that weren’t on the short list. I’ll bet that I was home in less than an hour. We planned to have Lindsey over to celebrate her 25th birthday. She arrived around 3pm. She hung out and played with the boys before dinner. I joined the NFL playoffs in progress sometime after 3:30pm. The Cardinals were already up 14-3 when I turned it on. I napped a time or two in the family room while Lindsey hung out with the boys. Mindy worked on dinner. I remember Mindy asking if I wanted to walk Ykraps before we ate. Yes. It was near 5:30pm – his regular evening walk time – anyhow. Dinner consisted of homemade chicken & noodles, mashed potatoes, and stuffing. It was rib stickin’ good! The Cardinals were up 24-6 at halftime but Philly quickly snuck back in the game and even took the lead in the early fourth quarter. Dammit. But Kurt Warner, being the wiley hurler that he is, drove the Cardinals for what proved to be the winning touchdown. He will be in the hall of fame someday. Just watch. After dinner and clean-up we celebrated Lindsey’s birthday with a cake and trick candles. The kids got a big kick out of the candles. Afterwards, Rocky gave Lindsey her cards and gifts. It wasn’t a lot but at least it was something. Lindsey stayed until just after 7pm. Mindy ran her home, and Rocky & Jacob went along for the ride. Bella and Landon stayed home with me. In fact, Mindy put Landon to bed even before she left. He was so tired and still not feeling well. I sat in the family room chair watching the late playoff game. I thought that I’d pull for the Steelers but found myself rooting for the Ravens. Regardless, the Steelers won. I fell asleep during the final minutes after the outcome was no longer in doubt. I woke and watched the trophy presentation. I was eager to hear from Mike Tomlin, the Steelers head coach (formerly the Vikings defensive coordinator). Well spoken, Mike. I headed immediately to bed.