Another Year Wise(@ssi)er

On April 18th my better half became 365 days older more experienced.  In keeping with our theme of disorganization, and my personal mantra of #momfailing, we planned no official party or gathering for this occasion.  I'm coming to realize though that this might be the best plan as it tends to lead to more, and prolonged, celebrations.  Oh how we celebrate you, Big Daddy Long Legs, let us count the ways.

1.  The Mother Nature Celebration:  I guess there's 2 ways to look at this.  Mother Nature either reallllly doesn't like Ryan or she really loves him.  I'm a glass half full type (for this moment anyway), so we'll go with the latter.  Late in the evening on April 17th and into April 18th, Houston experienced record flooding.  It actually was awful.  Several people lost their homes, cars, etc.  We feel very, very lucky to (as of my writing this) have been spared.  On the positive side though, the City of Houston was essentially shut down which meant we all got to hang out together for a party in our jammies.

This is what Monday morning looked like at the Martin Disaster Center Headquarters.  Brynn learned how to get on the couch.  She's really earning that Brynnie-zilla moniker these days.

Ryan really isn't always texting rather than watching his children, I promise.  This was early and he didn't have his laptop so he was trying to figure out how to get work done.  Brynnie was VERY enthused about the weather report we were watching, as you can see.

This is when I returned from putting something away in the bedroom to see that the girls had pinned Daddy into the laundry room.  It's too bad maniacal giggling can't come through in photographs.

2.  The Home Sweet Home Reno Celebration:  Just after lunch we got dressed (read: changed yoga pants) and headed to our new house with our fingers, toes and legs crossed to see if we had experienced any damage.  We met GC there as he had been in Conroe.  

Upon arrival we were so, so thankful to find that all the storm had brought us was a bunch of debris in the yard and a leak.  (Our neighbor who leaves his car on the street lost his car. :c( )  Ryan and I started talking about needing to call someone out to tend to said leak.  Around that time, a very large ladder the sheet rockers were storing in the foyer caught my Dad's eye.  I knew exactly where those spinning wheels were headed.  After trying to convince him he was having a terrible idea and getting no where- the girls and I headed back to the apartment so I could nurture my anxiety over a nice warm coffee.

The Birthday boy stayed behind to act as anchorman for our resident Evil Knievel.  Who doesn't want to celebrate by having their Father-in-Law on the other end of a yellow rope wrapped around a column?!

Here's Pawpaw enlisting Emery's help in his mission that I strongly opposed.

Ryan took this.  I was gone by the time things got this far.  Do not try this at home, kids... or adults.

3.  The Family Man Celebration:  On the way home from certifying that Pawpaw still had a pulse, we swung by HEB so that Ryan could select what he wanted for dinner.  It will come as a shock to zero people that Emery actually wound up selecting both his dinner and dessert.  I don't think that he had any complaints though.

Cake by the Ocean Galley Kitchen.

4.  The Martin Crew Celebration:  The following weekend on Sunday April 24th we met up with Grandma, Pawpaw Martin, Aunt Tiffy and Cousin Kylie to nosh on the finest in Southern Breakfast cuisine at Cracker Barrel.  Poor Ky was sick and felt awful but she was a good sport.  Waffles + Biscuits + Eggs + Family = Best Birthday meal ever.

Rockstars. (Do you see what I did there?!)

5.  The Hot Tub Time Machine Celebration:  Later the same day for the first time in probably a million years we went to visit our beloved McClains.  Melanie surprised the birthday boy with a cake for his and her brother, Andy's, birthdays.  As you may have guessed by the title, we also celebrated in the hot tub.  Nothing makes you feel young again like hot tubing with kids in floaties.  

Hot tubing is so exhausting!

6.  The Mama & Daddy Celebration:  On Wednesday April 27th my parents were kind enough to pick the girls up from school and handle the nighttime routine so that we could go to a grown up dinner.  When confronted with the opportunity for child-free time, what did Ryan decide to do?  Hunt down TV sales.  True story.  After a quick run through at Target, we headed over to the World of Beers for a pre-dinner drink.  We ate at Dish Society after.  Then after the party it was (another) Target lobby before we headed home to relieve the grandparentals from duty.

If you close your eyes, and squint real hard, after a glass or 2 of wine you can pretend you're in Europe.

Isn't this what the kids do these days?  Take pics of their food?

A fail in TV sale hunting led to new seat for Brynnie sale hunting.  Another swing and a miss.

I would say all of these celebrations made for an A+ entrance to the next year for the hubs.  Thank you to all who helped us to celebrate and most of all thank YOU to Ryan for all he does for us.  I truly can't imagine where we would be without you.  Happy Birthday- may this be the best year yet!