Monday, January 14, 2008

My Wonderful Family

Kids. You just have to love them. When they aren't fighting, they are just about the best things in life! Yesterday, for my birthday, the kids (and my in-laws) took me out for lunch at the Olive Garden. Not exactly my "favorite" place, but the kids love it!! It was a really nice lunch except for the singing waiters, who the kids insisted on telling it was my birthday!!

Then we came home for presents. Now....my in-laws really love me. I probably get along better with them than I do my own parents. They got me a boxed set of My So Called Life on DVD! That is just about one of my favorite shows...ever!! I also got The Dresden Files, some new flannel PJ's, some bath and body "stuff", and some money!! Mike got me some new jeans, some cool tennies, and is paying for my hair color (hmmm...what shade should I go THIS time!)

But the kids. Oh, they are so sweet. And they know me better than anyone. They talked Grandpa into getting me something. Each kid paid $5. Now, the older 2 have chores and I pay them a weekly allowance. But Ana is only 5...and she helps me out when she can. But my sweet little girl talked to Grandpa and told him she didn't have any money. So he gave her a couple little jobs to do. And she gave him her "tooth fairy" money!! How sweet is that??? What did they get me?? They had Grandpa order me the new Clive Barker book! It's called Mister B. Gone and I didn't even know it was out yet! Barker hasn't had a new book out in ages and I'm a huge fan. I'm still in shock at them. What great kids!!

Of course, today has been less than stellar. I was late for work this morning....got a speeding ticket on the way in....and couldn't find my insurance card so I got 2 tickets! (the cop said, I could come to the court date with a valid card and he'd drop the insurance ticket). Then he had the gall to tell me Happy Birthday. Jerk.

With a little luck, I'll be back later for Short Story Monday. It's running late today, but then again, so am I!

20 comments:

Erin said...

Stephanie- It sounds as though you had a wonderful day yesterday, which is what a birthday should be. :)

As I look out the window at the Nor'easter blowing here, I think I might be most jealous of the flannel PJs. And the book from your kids is the sweetest, most thoughtful thing I've heard of in a long time.

So sorry about the idiot cop. May he be forced to drink bad coffee and develop a huge gut from too many doughnuts!

-Erin

chrisa511 said...

Steph, I'm so sorry to hear about your shitty day today :( But what a sweet family :) I've been eyeing that Clive Barker book, but my stupid resolution is stopping me from buying it! Isn't it presented beautifully! I want it! Your kids are so cool. That was so sweet of them. I hope you enjoy it!

Amy said...

Aww...that is so sweet of your family, especially your kids.

I'm very sorry about the ticket and Happy Birthday!

1morechapter said...

Sorry 'bout your ticket, but happy birthday!

Melody said...

Awww...that's so sweet of your family, especially your children!! I'm sorry to hear about the ticket, but anyway I hope you have a great birthday despite this.

Ana S. said...

Sorry to hear about the ticket :/ But on the bright side, you have the sweetest family!

raidergirl3 said...

Happy belated birthday!

Stephanie said...

Erin - Yes, I did. Thanks!! Yeah....the temps here took a drop for the worst. At the moment it's 15 degrees, but as far as I can tell, we don't have any snow in the forecast!! Love the flannel jammies. My MIL always buys them like 2 sizes too big too. And the are just so comfy!

As far as the cop went, I really didn't think I was going that fast. And he really should have been out chasing bad guys...not me!

Chris - I have tried very hard to stay away from the bookstores!! I didn't even know this was out. And it's SO COOL!! The cover and pages are great. And the intro page is fantastic. I'm going to post on it later!! I will definitely enjoy it!!

Amy - Thanks!! Yeah, the kids were sweet and the cop was sour!

Michelle - Thanks!! Live and learn, I guess. I really do have a lead foot!

Melody - Thanks!! It really WAS a great birthday. Today was just crazy bad though.

Nymeth - You are right. My family really did come through. They are the best!!!

Raidergirl - Thanks!!

Anonymous said...

happy birthday!

aw...! that's the cutest. and those presents sound so cool!

Stephanie said...

JP - Thanks!!

DesLily said...

your kids put me to mind of when my kids were younger (not 5 but double digit numbers) and for christmas one year my youngest bought me the paperback trilogy of dragonlance! It's something I never forgot because not only did he buy it, but gave thought to what he was getting and chose something knowing the chances were good that I'd like it.. amazing ..if they give just a little thought, what they can do!
Glad your birthday was a good one!

Stephanie said...

Deslily - THAT is exactly why it was so special!! Because they thought about something they KNEW I would like. The fact that they spent their own money just made it all the sweeter!! Thanks!!

Carl V. Anderson said...

That is great! So glad you got some wonderful gifts. I have never seen the whole My So Called Life series, but I love what I have seen. I am glad it is finally out on Netflix (they took forever) so that I can introduce it to my wife.

Debi said...

Oh gosh, I'm such a sap...what total sweeties...brought tears to my eyes! I'd say that precious family of yours more than makes up for a couple of crappy traffic tickets, huh? Though life would definitely have been more pleasant without them. The tickets, of course. Shut up, Debi...you're babbling. See, your kiddos' sweetness has turned me to mush!

Ladytink_534 said...

I'm pretty fond of most of my in-laws too. Sorry about the icky day! I sure hope it gets better!

Trish @ Love, Laughter, Insanity said...

Hope your day gets better--and glad your kids made your birthday special!

kookie said...

Sweet! Sounds like you raised your kids just right. I hope you like the Barker book..it's way different from the rest of his stuff.

Lisa said...

It's amazing what it can mean when your kids do something so nice for you. My boys are much older now (20 and 18), but they are still my little boys. For Christmas, they went to the mall (they hate to shop) and went in the bookstore (they hate to read) and bought me a book, Love in the Time of Cholera, and went into the Black Lion and bought me a wonderful candle -- the kind in which the wick is made of wood and crackles when it burns. It doesn't seem like much, but neither of them have jobs and they both hate to shop. Of course, these were my favorite two gifts! It's the little things like this that make up for all the crappy things like getting a speeding ticket on the way to work!!

Andi said...

Wow, that is wonderful! Your kids sound spectacular. :)

Stephanie said...

Carl - I LOVED My So Called Life!! (and I had a total crush on Jordan Catalano. I STILL watch Jared Leto today because of that show!!) Definitely Netflix it!!

Debi - That's ok. I cried when I found out Ana gave up her money for my present. I couldn't ask for a sweeter bunch of kids!!

Tink - It didn't really get better until I went to bed!!

Trish - Thanks!!

Kookie - I'm really looking forward to it. Different or not, it's still Clive Barker!! Have you read it already??

Lisa - You are right. It didn't matter what they got me, just they put some thought into it. Made it so special!!

Andi - Thanks!! I think I'll keep them!!