TEN Years Old?!?

How in the world can this kid be 10 year old?!?
And in true form of a ten year old...he wanted McDonalds for his birthday lunch.
It wasn't fancy, but it was exactly what he wanted. Well, minus a Limo.
We decorated the living room with streamers and balloons and we tied yellow balloons to his chair. We even covered the door of his room with streamers, so you had to break thru them to get out of his room! Hilarious!!! And as previously discussed in this post, he had wanted a limo. But, when that didn't work out he had chosen to go to Chuck-E-Cheese for his party. So, we went there for dinner that night. It was our family, Mimi and Papa and our best friends here,
Kelly and her kids C, C and O. It was super fun!

We pigged out on pizza, salads and pop before we went to play the games!

And believe me, we had plenty of tokens!!
(this was only part of them....) J's favorite game is Skee Ball. And his sister tried to keep up with him.
Hilarious, I'll tell you! She doesn't get the "roll" the ball, rather than "throw" the ball! And then, it was WISH MAKIN' time!!
Too bad for him we used trick sparkler candles!! Heh! Heh! Heh!

(Logan made the cake...he's insisted on making all his sibs cakes this year!)


Then, it was on to the gifts!
Of course a new WebKinz was in order....AND a pile of Nintendo DS games.
He was a HAPPY CAMPER!!!

Then, it's time to cash in tickets.....He looks pleased with his loot, wouldn't you say?!

Happy Birthday Jensen! We LOVE you!!!!

LIMO?!!!!!

....more like LAME-O!!!!!


So, Jensen had a birthday.
(can you believe he's 10?!)

And for the past 4 months, he's had one request for his birthday.
He's wanted to have his party in a LIMOUSINE and take all his friends to McDonalds in the LIMO and then they'd cruise up and down the street while they eat their food and chill out in the LIMO.

Well, the last time I rented a LIMO was before Jensen was born, so I really had no clue how much it cost, but I thought I might be able to rent one for about $150. And, that's about what I would have paid for his party, anyway, once it was all said and done. The money would have just been spent a little differently than a usual party.

So, I set out to find my baby his LIMO.

Well, as you guys know, I live in Kansas. And although, I live in a city in Kansas, it's not one of the huge ones. I mean, we don't even have an airport here. (which reduces my pool of LIMO options, because we have no "airport" limousines that may have been an option in a bigger city.)

So, I consult the phone book.
(there are just some things that nothing beats the yellow pages for)

Well, as you might guess, there is not that many to choose from, but there seems to be 3 companies and so I begin my phone calls.

The first company I call, answers...."Hello?"
(this was my first clue that this one might not work out...)

I say, "Um, is this xxxxx Limousine?!?"

"Uh, YES it is."

"Oh, ok...I thought I might have the wrong number."

Pause.

"You don't. What can I help you with?"

Well, I explained what I was looking for and he explained to me they have 2 LIMOs....one traditional, one stretch H2 Hummer.
And then he drops the bomb.
They rent for $135/hr or $145/hr.depending on which you choose.......
2 hour minimum....plus 20% tip to driver.

WHAT?!?!?!

That's a total cost of over $300!!!!!!

THAT was my reality check.

I asked if they ever considered renting the LIMO for less than 2 hours.
After all, the kid only wants to go to the McDonalds drive-thru and wants to eat...how long could that really take. I mean, does he really need to drive around for 2 hours? Well, I'm thinking we get the food, eat and then go to the house to open presents and have cake.

I was quickly told that WAS NOT an option.

Well, THANKS SO MUCH FOR CRUSHING A BOYS BIRTHDAY DREAM!

So, I call the next company.

And again, I am met with a similar scenario.

Then, I call the last company.
(I am starting to feel the desperation of a mother on a budget and the thought of having to see "that face" on my child and possible tears when I tell him that there is no way he'll be having his LIMO Party.)

So, this one, a woman answers.
And, I can tell she's on a cell phone. And she's at home.
AND I can hear loud, noisy kids in the background.

Ah, GOOD!, I think to myself. She's a MOTHER.
Someone who can understand my plight and what I have now come to believe are the unrealistic birthday wishes of a child.

So, I ask about her LIMO's and she gives me the list of the 2 she has and then begins to tell me the prices. Well, her LIMO's are a tiny bit better in price....$125/hr.....2 hr. minimum.....20% tip to driver.

Still....way out of budget!

I begin to explain my dilemma to her.

And she, calmly explains to me that there is no way she could do that.
After all...she says....even if you take the car out for an hour, not 2, I have to pay $100 to have it cleaned.

What exactly was she thinking we were gonna do in this LIMO
that would warrant a $100 cleaning bill?!?!?

So, I hang up...defeated.

For Heaven sakes Lady...have a heart.

Rent me the limo for an hour

and

HAND ME SOME STINKIN' ARMOUR ALL!!!
I'LL CLEAN YOUR LIMO MYSELF!!!

FOR FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


At this point, I'm thinking...
"How can I call a funeral home and ask in a socially correct way
that if no one has died and their LIMO is just sitting there,
could I rent it for an hour for my child?"

But, in my mind, my fear is...all my birthday photos of the
LIMO will have xxxxxx Funeral Home on them.

Photoshop, anyone?!?!

Ha ha ha!

In the end, I gave my son a dose of "real life."

Me: "Sorry, sweetie. We can't afford it.
I know you're disappointed and I am, too.
But, we need to come up with another plan.
How about a bowling party?!"

Jensen: "I want Chuck-E-Cheese."

Well, FAN-Stinkin'-TASTIC.

Someone kill me now!
(Just run me over with a LIMO! I can give you the numbers!)

THIS "Do-Over" Birthday Rocked the Casbah!!!!

So, Jensen went back to work with his daddy after lunch today. He just loves going with him and I think the special time together is good for both of them!

Anyways, they left work early, due to the working 37hours in a row....and came home with these cool balloons... ...and this, a huge ice cream cake! Super yum!
Chocolate w/ vanilla ice cream and that whipped cream icing!

Isn't this cake festive, too! (Jensen picked it out!) So, while Big Daddy lit the candles...Jensen was taking pictures. I was happy at first, until I realized that the candles must be showing 93....not 39!!!! LOL!! Jensen seemed to find this completely hilarious! Little Stinker!! So, we flipped the cake around and tried that one again! Then, in his quest to get the candle blowing shot...he got this picture. And I think it's pretty darn cool!!!!

Gives new meaning to "make a wish and blow out the candles!"

And all the kids approved of the cake...... Now, if you feel like one is missing, you're right! Logan has been in Oklahoma for 1 1/2 weeks..hanging out with the Grandparents!! (and actually....it's his birthday today!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BIG DADDY!!!!!!!!! We love you so very much!!!!!

IF I EVER......

IF I EVER.....

....mention a plan to have a sleepover with SEVEN 3rd grade boys........

....please remind me of the INSANE birthday party of Oct. 2007.

***also remind me to up the alcohol budget for said party to go from $0 to about $100 for Ike and I.

Enough said.

MAKING UP for lost TIME.......

Well, I woke up today to COLD!!!! 37 DEGREES when I was getting the boys ready for school!! Actually, I came into town only to find it to be cold yesterday, but I've basically been in bed since I got home on Sunday. So, that didn't really effect me much since I was huddled under the covers in my bed!!!!


So, it's officially Fall (or is it Winter?!?!) in Topeka!!!
(Although, it was like almost 80 degrees in Kansas City on Saturday!!!)

Check out my weather forecast:

Topeka, KS

45°F
Clear
Wind: N at 0 mph
Humidity: 68%

Today

67° | 41°

Wed

62° | 36°

Wow!! I guess that's ok, though. I said I was tired of always being hot in Savannah. But, can't we find a happy medium here?!?!



PSCHEW!! I am exhausted!!!!


TheWAS AWESOME!!!

(check the NEXT post for details and pics!!!)

But, I am so tired!!!
Good times, good fun, good new friends!
The very best scrappin' supplies!
And I came home with WAY TOO MUCH STUFF!!
(you would not believe how much I get for free!!)


AND

I've been offered an exciting job to travel next year to all kinds of cities to do the CKC's and Scrapbook Expo and the Great American Scrapbook Convention....
just what I love to do!!!
So,
stay tuned for more on that later.....


But, I am so happy to be feeling better, albeit sore. You know the sore I am talking about. That upper chest pain, brought on from way too much dry-heaving!!! (sorry, tmi!)


AND...MOST IMPORTANTLY...

HaPpY 9th BiRtHdAy, JeNsEn!!!
You'll never know just how much your momma loves you!!!! Happy Birthday, Sweetie!!

THIS is where I am going......

WOO HOO!!!! That's all I have to say about that!!!!!!

What's Been Up around here!!!

Logan requested his birthday dinner be at Texas Roadhouse. Man, that's some good eating!!!!And naturally, they embarrassed him by throwing him up on a saddle and making everyone say Happy B-day "cowboy" style....
YEE-HAW!!!!!!!

Meanwhile...we had swim lessons on Monday-Thursday for the past 2 weeks.

When I scheduled the lessons, I had no idea the place was a 25 minute drive from our house!!!



I was very concerned about Griffin, after all, he hadn't even successfully gotten into the pool at home before lessons started. Every single time....he would change his mind about getting in the pool...saying, "but Mom, I don't know how to swim!" I kept telling him that's what swim lessons are for.

When it came right down to it...he did great! He worked really hard and never showed any signs of fear. (of course the water is like 2 feet deep)



He made some new friends, learned how to float and is now much more relaxed about water getting on his face, even though he still doesn't really like it.

Here's the Red Cross, Level One swim lesson graduate...

...how adorable is he?!

Here's Logan taking his exam for Level 3.... you had to do the front crawl for 30 yards.

<-----------------

Then, tread water for 3o seconds...

--------->
Then, finish up with swimming the backstroke for 30 yards back to the starting point.

Dang....that's hard!!!!

Here's Jensen at the pool.....

Now, it's Jensen's turn....

...30 yards of front crawl,

<------

30 seconds of treading water.......

------->
And 30 yards of backstroke
back to the starting point....

Just typing that makes me tired!

Both boys successfully did it! Yay!!!
Then they celebrated by doing this........

Jensen!

Logan!!


Then, they did this.........

Jensen!

Logan!!

Now, we just have Marinne's private lessons. (and the big boys now want to take more lessons, so they'll do private lessons as well. Thank goodness that it's only a mile from our house!!)

-------------------------------------------------------

BIRTHDAY PARTY TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!

Logan wanted a luau, so that's what we did! I think it turned out pretty cute!!! The towels on the left were the goody bags! No cheesy crap toys and candy from this mom!!!!!

With me behind the camera....Big Daddy was forced to be the hostess and cut and serve the cake!!! Nice hat, Big Daddy!!!!

Funny thing about this cake......Walmart screwed it up!!! My MIL picked it up for us...so she didn't know. They gave her a plate that the cake was supposed to match and after seeing that it matched and that it said, "Happy 11th Birthday, Logan!" she paid for the cake and left. So, when I saw the plate....I knew what had happened before I even saw the cake....I knew it WAS WRONG!!!!! (why does this crap always happen to me?!) I was determined to try not to freak out, though. So, frightened, I peeked into the cake box. Thank Goodness......at least it wasn't girly and that the colors were at least similar to all our Hawaiian stuff!!!!!!!! But, I bet there was a really PO'd mom when she picked up a Hawaiian cake that was supposed to be polka dotted!!!! I bet she seriously had a cow in the Walmart!!

Here's the gang: Logan, Mike (his best friend), Loghan (the crush....more on this to follow), Jensen, Griffin, Olivia (Griffin's crush), and Chase! Aren't they a great looking group?!?!?!

Logan had a great time and the weather was definately hot and perfect for a pool party!!!! I was so happy to see him so happy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOGAN!!!!

I can't believe this kid is ELEVEN!!!!!!!!And I love the stuffin' out of him!!!!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO......

ME!!!!