My 40th Birthday!

I had SUCH a wonderful 40th birthday!  I really can't believe I'm 40, but at I am embracing it!  I was definitely spoiled.  Pearce and I went to the lake for the weekend, but first stopped at Mama and Papa's for the absolutely BEST homemade chocolate cake EVER!  Mom made this cake for Pearce's 5th birthday and I asked her to make it for mine and man, was it yummy!  Mom and Daddy gave Ashley and I got some very nice, crisp bills for shopping....our favorite thing!  We then took the kids swimming at their pool and then Pearce and I left with Mama and Papa to go to the lake for the weekend.  We always have so much fun at the lake.  It is the best, most relaxing type of fun.  We had been trying to get Annie to swim in the lake all summer, but she has been very cautious about getting in.  Well, the weekend before, Daddy finally got her to go swimming, so Pearce was anxious to see her in action!  He also got her a new life jacket, which I'm convinced made her feel safer in the water.  Daddy would throw her frisbee and off she would go to get it!  Pearce loved swimming with her and throwing the frisbee to her, too.  The best part was when we were out on the water and she jumped off the back to go get her frisbee!  Then, whenever I jumped off, she would jump off and swim to me.  It was so fun!!!!!  We did lots of tubing, swimming, fishing, and eating!  For my birthday dinner, Daddy grilled the best steaks ever...Pearce thought so, too!  Mom and I stayed up late and binge watched Ozark on Netflix which is our favorite thing to do :)  It was just what I needed to ease into my 40's.  Pearce and I left Sunday morning, which was my actual birthday, and headed back to Austin.  What was so sweet was that Pearce kept telling me Happy Birthday and gave me tons of hugs and kisses....he loves a good birthday party!  I was so anxious to get my birthday gift from Chris because he kept it a surprise but gave some hints which led me to believe it was going to be a big deal.  He put 5 numbered envelopes on the table and then put Google Maps on the TV.  He zoomed in on our house on Google Maps and then I got to open envelope #1.  This envelope had Southwest Airlines printed on it and said we were flying from Austin to New Orleans.  So, now I knew we were going on a trip and I started getting more and more excited!  On the TV, he zoomed in on a hotel, so then I opened envelope #2 which said "Marriott" but I got confused because it said we were staying for only 1 night.  Hmmm......   Next, Chris zoomed in on a cruise ship on the TV and I opened envelope #3.....inside was a Carnival Cruise luggage tag....WOOHOO!!!!!!!!  Then Chris zoomed in on the ocean and I opened envelope #4....this was our itinerary.....a 7 night cruise out of New Orleans going to Montego Bay, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel with 3 days at sea!  Oh my gosh, I was TOTALLY surprised!  I thought that we were probably going on a trip, but a cruise never crossed my mind and the fact that Chris got 7 nights....AMAZING!!!!!  Envelope #5 was a piece of paper with Kona Grill printed on it....that was my hint about when we were going....that we would be going to Kona Grill when we got back.  I figured out that we were going during a school holiday and that we must be going during Christmas because we always go to Kona for Christmas Eve....so yup, we are going on a Christmas cruise and getting back on Christmas Eve!  I am so excited!  Of course, when Pearce found out we were going on a big cruise ship, he immediately started asking if he got to go :)  I had no idea, so I was sooooo happy Chris said yes, that Pearce gets to go.  He will FLIP out when he sees how big this cruise ship is and all of the fun things to do on board.  Chris showed us the ship on the TV and it's called the Dream.  He said he just got us a small interior room since we probably wouldn't be in our room much and he asked if that was ok.  I told him that was totally fine, but inside I was kinda wishing for a nicer room.  Well, he was just joking and got us a suite with a balcony!  The room is huge and even has a separate little makeup room for me...how fun!  Chris was able to give us a virtual tour of the ship on our TV and when Pearce saw our room and the huge bed, he said "Oh I can't wait to sleep in that bed with you guys!"  Chris told him, uh no, you will be sleeping on the foldout couch if you want to go with us, LOL!!!  So, next on our list is to decide on the excursions we want to go on...decisions, decisions!  Chris really totally surprised me, which hardly ever happens.  Now I can't wait to go!  My gifts just kept coming.....Lora gave my first Kendra Scott jewelry....matching earrings, bracelet, and a necklace!  I've always loved Kendra Scott, but never splurged on it for myself, so that was a really fun surprise!  She also gave me a Starbucks card, that I've been sharing with Pearce :)  Cliff and Edie gave me the sweetest card and inside was a very nicely written check that I deposited lickety split and will do some retail therapy when Pearce goes to Kindergarten!  Ashley gave me a Nordstrom Rack gift card which I love because they always have small shoe sizes, so I can have fun going shoe shopping there!  THEN, my sweet friends, Lindsay and Christie wanted to take me out to dinner, so we went to a yummy Mexican food place and just had the best time talking and laughing......then all the waiters came over to sing Happy Birthday while I wore a huge sombrero!  It was actually really fun and we got a great dessert to share.  I'm so thankful for my awesome friends and family who made me feel beyond special on my 40th birthday!!!!

A Surprise Visit from Nay Nay, Charlotte, and Auntie Ashy!

Pearce had been wanting Nay Nay and Charlotte to come to our house for a visit.  I finally got that scheduled with Ashley, but we didn't tell Pearce.  I told him the bug guy was coming and that could open the door when the door bell rang....when Pearce opened the door he was totally shocked!  They all hugged and kissed and then we got our suits on and headed for Rockin' River!  We were busy non stop doing all kinds of fun things together!  Thank goodness we had nice weather for the water park since that was our one big outing.  The kids loved it!  We went back to my house and the giggling never stopped :)  They all slept on a blow up mattress in Pearce's room, woke up early, and giggling started all over again!  On Wednesday, it was a rainy day, so we went to a new indoor Nerf gun arena.  Pearce has been dying to go, so this was a perfect thing to do with his cousins.  Pearce and Nay Nay LOVED this place!  They split players up with two different colored vests and the kids were supposed to shoot the opposite team.  If someone got shot, they had to go to a side room and "regenerate" and then come back out, guns a blazin'!  Ashley and I watched through the window outside the arena and we laughed so hard at how seriously Pearce and Nay Nay were taking it.  Sweet little Charlotte, on the other hand, spent a lot of the time hiding behind the barriers :)  We asked her if she ever shot anyone and she said yes....then smiled and said "actually, no."  After the nerf gun place, we went to eat a late lunch at Hat Creek and thankfully the rain had stopped, so the kids got to play for a while.  THEN, we took them to Catch Air, an indoor play place.  Nathan was so sweet and said this was the best day ever because they got to go to two fun play places in one day :)   Pearce was just in Heaven to have Nay Nay and Charlotte at our house!  It was craziness...but the best kind of craziness!  Of course, I loved having my sissy here, too!  We stayed up late and caught up on all of our trash TV after the kids went night night.  I just love having us all together!  Thank you Nay Nay and Charlotte and Auntie Ashy for surprising Pearce...we LOVE you!!!