The Big 3-0

okay, so it came and went and wasn't nearly the horrible day i once expected. :) i took the day off on friday and enjoyed a great morning at home doing only the things i wanted to do. ed came home between meetings so that we could spend some time together before the boys came home. we took the dogs and went for a walk. the guys had a 1/2 day of school (did we get this much time off?!) and were home by lunch. the afternoon was also pretty peaceful (with a few runs to the store & driving kids around) and then ed took the boys shopping. thankfully, having more quiet time to myself, i was promted to treat myself to a long shower and time to look half decent for our pizza & game night at home (my requested b'day plans) - after evan's soccer game. (by the way, noah predicted that ev's team would win in honor of my birthday - they'd never won a single game yet... they won!! yeah!!!) so, i was cleaned up, enjoyed hanging out with my friend, nancy, at the game and we left to head home for dinner. however, ed wanted to stop at home depot first. the boys were whining, but ed promised it would be quick. what on earth would he want to get for me at home depot... ?? i waited in the car trying to think of what project at home he was going to tackle for me. then, ramsey called and because we were so near his house, i wasn't surprised that ed wanted to stop by. we drove up and ed asked if i wanted to run in (with the car running and all 4 boys waiting)... i asked if cecy was home and followed him in. i walked in to see ramz on the phone and looked around for cecy. but as i walked in, i noticed that they had people around in the living room. then, i looked and saw jim brooks (didn't even see melissa!) at the same time i heard "surprise!!" there was my surprise birthday party! funny, so many things didn't even occur to me... i really was surprised! it was such fun. lots of good food, great friends and fun conversations. :)
then, this morning, the celebration continued. since the boys didn't get to give me their gifts (it would have given away the party, had they brought gifts to the soccer game...), i got breakfast in bed (!) followed by another round of gift opening. it was great. i got earrings from taylor, a ring from ev, scarf, hat & glove set from noah and a "little miss bossy" shirt from drew (kenyon kids, do you remember the "little miss..." and "mr. ..." books?!).
oh, and lest i forget the gift from my in-laws: not only did they send wonderful "pampering" things for me, they also sent along bars of soap for ed and the boys!!! boy, does sharon understand what i live with or what?! :)
so, that's the big birthday news. today, ed and the boys are putting up more insulation (although i hear lots of yelling and running around in the backyard and suspect ed is stuck working alone a lot) and then we are going to a movie (after i get the homemade pizza i requested yesterday!). tomorrow we head to nana & ace's (my parents) for a big family birthday dinner (my birthday, but the boys get gifts - they haven't had their "Christmas with nana & ace" yet).
thanks for all the birthday wishes! turning 30 was lovely. can't wait to do it again next year! (hey, i can't be a twenty-something mom of teenagers, but i can stay at 30, right?)