Celebrating Landon @ 6

 

 

Dad with Jacob on his mind.

I slept until almost 8am, netting nearly 10 hours of precious sleep. As witnessed from the masterbath window, it was gray, wet Sunday morning. Mindy asked for a hug before I had a chance to slip out of the room. I headed downstairs where I started a pot of coffee. Played around online while the coffee brewed, which was ready by 810am. With a cup of coffee finally in hand, I continued my play on the internet until 830am when I took Mindy a cup of coffee.

Around 9am, Mindy poked her head around the corner of the stairs leading to the livingroom and asked me to come back to bed for a while. I obliged her request and spent the next 45 minutes snuggling with my wife. Near 10am I headed back downstairs for a little more coffee and then to ready for my run. My running clothes were clean and waiting in the dryer. Mindy shared that Lindsey and the boys were coming over at 11am to get a jump on the laundry before leaving for the boys basketball games. We planned to celebrate Landon’s birthday Sunday evening letting him decide what we made for dinner. I guessed he would request pot roast. He loves it. I just don’t really care for them coming over so early.

I left for a run shortly after 10am and ran three miles. Mindy walked the pug for change, I think while I was stretching ahead of a run. My run went OK, but for some reason my legs felt extremely sluggish and tired.

Back at the house, Mindy made scrambled eggs and hash browns. And before they were ready, Lindsey and the boys were over to start laundry. Mindy offered the boys some breakfast, too. Rocky accepted some hash browns. Landon didn’t want anything. Mindy was soon off to the shower and then off to the mall with Bella. The original plan was for Mindy to and Bella to shop at Kohl’s & Justice and then bring Bella home before Mindy headed on to the grocery. While Mindy was in the shower, I worked on my blog. I put Rocky in a time out for poor behavior. He has no problem telling how much he dislikes coming over. 

Not too long after Mindy & Bella left, Lindsey and the boys left for Rocky’s basketball game. With a quiet house, I spent time reading and napping. At first, I did so from the family room where I slept for at least 90 minutes. Man was I tired. I woke abruptly when Lindsey and the boys got back after Rocky’s game. He was about as loud as he could possibly be coming sharing with Jacob that he won his basketball game. He and Jacob soon headed out to play basketball at a neighbor’s. Still incredibly sleepy, I grabbed by book and headed up to my bedroom where I tuned the TV to sports (basketball and golf) but with the volume down. I did a little more reading but then quickly fell back asleep and remained there until Mindy was home from the grocery. By then, Lindsey was gone again, only this off to Landon’s basketball game. We expected them back around 630pm for dinner and Landon’s birthday celebration. I slept most of the afternoon away.

I hovered in the kitchen while Mindy put most of the groceries away. I didn’t ask, but I guessed that Bella opted to grocery shop with her. Mindy soon shared that my dad was joining us for dinner, too. We actually tried to invite Ashley as well, but she declined citing 630-7pm too late to have Olivia out on the school night. I feel bad that we weren’t able to celebrate her birthday sooner but we just haven’t been able to work something out. We actually tried to celebrate the week before her birthday but she had a change of plans with Steven’s parents in town.

Dad showed up between 530-6pm. Spent 45 minutes chatting about this and that. Said he finally won a little cash at the casino again after a long dry spell. I shared my Toro mower troubles looking for some insight into what I might try next. He suggested carb cleaner mixed with the gas. Like me, believes the issue related to the fuel line. I’ll likely try that before bagging it and buying a new mower.

630pm came and went. Mindy suggested we eat. Lindsey and the boys showed up minutes after we prepped our own dinner salads. Mindy prepped everybody’s plates. Bella asked for more roast just as Mindy was sitting down to eat her own meal. That happens a lot. The roast was especially tender and delicious. Landon sat next to me sporting his recently toothless smile (lost both top front teeth in the last couple weeks). Cute!

After dinner Landon elected to open his birthday gift before cake. He got $20 and a Play-Doh factory along with 24 colorful canisters of Play-Doh. Already after 7pm, e moved quickly to birthday cake (double chocolate fudge, just like the one I got for Mindy) and the happy b-day song. Got a couple cute pics. Landon asked for the piece with the big chocolate rose. The cake was as moist and chocolately as I remembered. Yum!

By 730pm, Lindsey and the boys were packing for home. Dad stuck around a while longer but not any later than 8pm. Mindy, Bella and I loosely watched an episode of Wicked Tuna, on the NatGeo channel. While watching, Mindy graciously agreed to rub/adjust my back from the family room floor. Felt terrific.

Bella asked if we could open and prep the Yamaha junior guitar we got her for Xmas 2011. Been sitting in her room unopened for 15 months. Her music class is studying, learning guitar. Now seemed like a good time to get it out and get her playing. She was very excited to open it up. It’s really nice guitar, complete with a soft sided zippered case. I had her fetch my guitar tuner from the living room. Took a while to get it tuned.

I grabbed my guitar so we could play together. I showed her a few things to get her started. Very cute! Mindy peeled off to bed shortly after 9pm. I stayed up watching Survive & Advance on ESPN, an incredible story about the 1983 North Carolina State basketball team’s NCAA championship run. Great program. I watched until it was over at 11pm. Despite heading to bed well ahead of me, Mindy was still awake. I shared a little about the program I just watched.