Acting Half My Age

Saturday night we secured our first official babysitter (as in someone not related to us) to watch the kids while we went out to celebrate Shawna's b-day. We started out at The Mont for swirls and the first free birthday t-shirt. It was a perfect start to the evening with a nice breeze courtesy of the outer edges of a nearby storm. The cloud cover and misters cooled things down a bit for us. Also, the students hadn't clustered back into town just yet so we didn't have to wait to get a parking space or a table. Nice! We hung out for a few swirls (3's my limit!) and some queso and then we started talking about our Irish. Shawna's almost 100% Irish so we decided we HAD to go to O'Connell's for more birthday fun! [The original O'Connell's was demolished a few months ago but the Campus Corner location is still going good.]

Our Dainty Dudes

At O'Connell's we picked up another free tee for the Birthday Girl (and some nasty shots) before we decided to hit just one more place for birthday fun, an old college haunt of mine called Brothers. I haven't been there in a long time but the party pics of me and one of my besties still hang on the Wall of Shame. It was fun to go searching for these pics after we got Shawna the traditional Yard. [Side note: she had to help in finishing that HUGE beer!] We got home late with bar t-shirts and cups and all was well with the kiddos.

Tackling a Full Yard for Her Birthday

Contrast that big Yard with the petite half yards we had back in the day:

Half Yards at Brothers back in 1991 (?)

After our pub crawl, we returned home to take a nice refreshing dip in the pool after we checked in on the kids. [The babysitter said the kids were fine and the house was not trashed so we hope she will come back another time.] I decided to pound down some water and get into bed so that I wouldn't be feeling so puny in the morning....and it almost worked! Shortly after I hopped into bed I woke up to whimpering. I thought it was Emi having a nightmare and got up twice to check on her before I realized it was Shawna's poor puppy crying for her mommy. Everyone had forgotten that she was in her little crate all alone in the living room.

I tried to get more shut eye before the sun rose, but I decided I needed to get up before the kids were clamoring for things. I got up and showered and then stepped outside to a really nice cool morning. The coolest we've had in some time.  I watered the lawns and fed the animals and soon enough the Little Ones were up. I laid on the couch with them while they watched cartoons and that was nice; something I hardly get a chance to do.

We had cinnamon chip scones, watermelon and leftover pizza for breakfast. Just like in college except for the scones and watermelon. ;.) Somehow the whole household got up and went to church and then out to my parents' place for lunch. After lunch, Papa Dave and Shawna hit the road (and hopefully started feeling less puny) and my little brood and I took a fat nap. Late Sunday afternoon Emi and I took a bike ride to check out the construction at her school and then we biked through campus. It was so good to be on my bicycle again. I feel like my old Ocelot (Bianchi) has been caged up for a while. I remember walking past her many times at Buchanan Bikes before I decided that I had to have that red mountain bike in 1989! (I know, I'm old).  Sunday was the first day in 2 months that it's actually been cool enough to even think about biking. Yea! Looking forward to more days like that this year...