Happy Birthday to Me!!!!!!

So yesterday was one of the best days ever. I had to work on my birthday, but work that day was great. Maria and I got to plant all morning. You see they had this board dinner and at the dinner they decorated the tables with potted flowers. Very pretty hues of pink, red, white, purple, and lavender. Mrs. G, who is in charge, asked us if we could plant them somewhere. Maria and I happily took the Wal-Mart charge card and took off to get some big pots and potting soil. We pick up 3 bags of soil. We grabbed the cheapest since neither one of us really know how to garden much at all. We really like flowers and digging in dirt though. That counts doesn't it? Those bags were way heavy at 40 pounds a bag. Then we found a couple bigger round pots and then a couple of smaller ones.

We checked out and drove home with the windows down since it was absolutely beautiful!! We got back and unloaded the stuff out on the nearby lawn by the convo and started working. I love digging in soft dirt like that. Our hands were really quite disgusting after a short while. Well, we planted all the large ones in the two large pots and then we barely got started on the little guys when we ran out of room and soil. "Stink! We have about 64 little plants left!" So, since Wal-Mart had a very short and dislikable stock, we ran and got the Menards card from Larry. Another trip! Yes!! We like the out of routine little trips. It makes the day a little more various. So we loaded another 3 bags of soil and found four trough planters.

Thankfully, we got all but 4 little plants planted. We placed them by the bookstore and the front of the Ad. building. They look rather colorful and cheerful! I think we did rather nicely actually for being such novices. We were rather dirty walking by all those in classroom dress, but I am sure they were wishing that they were in our place in the sunshine and dirt.

Maria and I went out for lunch and Starbucks before we came back and finished the last apartment for the week. Yay and amen! I helped out with graduation line up for the rest of the day and then finished up the Ad. building with Maria and work day was over!! I couldn't wait to get home!!

Jeanie and all my bros, but for David came over for dinner before the concert that night. Mom cooked and it was oh so good. She even made melon and strawberry salad!! Incredible!! Then off to the concert we raced. Apparently, Susan, my graduating sister-in-law had saved us seats...in the very front row! This was okay for the first 20 min and then I started to die. I had to use the ladies' room so very badly that I couldn't actually sit still. Bad, I know! I had finished up a Monster right before to help me through the rest of the evening. I finially couldn't wait and I snuck out between songs. Such relief!!! My brother did a fantastic job in the orchestra and brass on his trumpet. He is the second best there but for the professional director himself.

We had icecream cake after and Susan's sister came over and David and Aly and they had to sing happy birthday. Haven't had that sung to me for a couple of years since my birthday is usually the same week as graduation or the same day even for the last 4 years. About 9:30pm, Zach announced that we had to leave. We grabbed a backpack and my purse and ran out the door. His birthday gift was next. I had been anxious all day for this one!

We ended up at this nice hotel in town...the same company as the one we stayed in when we got married. Hot tub and all!! I walked in and he had rust peach colored roses on the bed with the most wonderful card he has ever given me. Then he also had a "practical" gift as he called it -- an iPod attachment for my car to be able to play MP3 through the car speakers since our radio is attached to the consol control computer and can't be easily or cheaply replaced. It was a great evening. The only bad thing was that between the Monster earlier and then the one we split at 10pm at the hotel, I ended up deprived of any sleep till about 3:45 am this morning. That was kinda crazy! I finally turned the TV on at 1:30 and watched Without a Trace and Planet of the Apes. Why did Charleton Heston even try out for that movie much less take the job and then make the trilogy? I didn't finish that one. Oh, well we got home and he had to work at 8 and I did too! I put my lovely bouquet in agua and then ran off to work... with a Monster in hand!! I know they aren't good for you, but seriously, what would you do with only 3 hours of sleep and graduation and family the whole day ahead?

I really had the most wonderful birthday ever!! Thanks to all my friends who wished me many a wish yesterday and to my family who got to be here with me and most of all to my most wonderful and spectacular husband who endlessly surprises me in the most undeserving ways. I love you!!

And So We Went On A Picnic

As some of you very well know, we had incredibly beautiful weather yesterday. I tried to get outside as much as I could all day while at work. We did weed for about an hour and a half in the sun. That was great and I imagined everyelse that passed by in their skirts and school dress was jealous of the two girls in jean playing in the dirt in the sun. More likely, they were probably thinking "Poor girls! Slaving in the sun getting their nails all grimy.". Oh well.

Maria and I were estatic to get off of work and go on a walk. There was some pushing of the tushes in our walk, but we were also outside in the wonderful warm sunshiney weather. We walked for about 30 minutes before Maria had to leave and I had to start on my surprise for Zach.

In about 3 more weeks, we get to celebrate our 6 month anniversary. I had ordered him this really old Fred McMurrey and Irene Dunne video that they don't make anymore and that is his favorite movie ever and he had said that he couldn't find. Well, I got this call from him about 30 minutes before I get off work.

"Hey, honey, were you expecting something in the mail?"
"Well, yeah, the Sabrina soundtrack. Was there something else too?" My birthday is a'comin' and I thought I might have gotten something.
"You got the Sabrina CD, but there was something else too."
"What?" I was getting worried, but I shoved the thought that the VHS would have come that quickly out of my head.
"A VHS."
"Nooooo!!!! It was supposed to be a surprise for our 6 mo. I ordered it thinking it would take at least another week or two! Man, oh, man!! I am so bummed!!"
"It's okay. Thank you!" Zach said trying to reassure me. It wasn't working. I continued.
"You keep telling me about this big surprise that you have for my birthday and 6 mo. and I was holding this for a little suspense on my end of it! Now I have nothing!! No fair!!"

Well, he laughed and just told me that it couldn't be helped, he really like the tape, and it was okay. I sulkily said goodbye and that I would see him in a little bit, but then remembered my other newborn idea for a surprise that I had told him about when he asked "Was that the surprise you told me about this morning?" I brightened...I still had one on him. "Nope!! You have to wait till later for that one."

After I came back from walking with Maria, I walked in the apartment hoping that he would be taking his shower so I could sneak out the picnic basket out to the closet in the hall and secretly load it as I prepared stuff. He was!!!

So I whipped up some Mex hot sandwhiches in honor of Cinco De Mayo and some other goodies. I yelled to him in the bathroom that he needed to finish up quick and get some going-outside clothes on. He came out while I was just wrapping the sandwhiches in foil. He got a funny grin on his face and asked "Are we going on a picnic?" "Maybe" I said. I wasn't going to give up. While he was putting his shoes on in the back room, I ran out and stuffed the food in the basket. Then when he was ready I handed him the basket at the door.

We walked about a quarter of a mile to a little park called Village Park which is usually very quiet and empty. Besides a family there on one end, it was uncrowded. Zach asked "How about those benches over there?" "Nope, you have to sit on a blanket under a tree for it to be a real picnic." So we did and we had a delightful picnic. My honey even told me a couple times that it was a really good idea. He asked "So how long have you been planning this one?" "Honestly, ever since we started dating, but you never initiated it, so I waited till warm weather this year and determined that I was going to make it happen."

Yesterday was the day and so we went on a picnic. With even a bike ride at sunset to finish off the night. I love spring/summer time!