How was YOUR day?

Today is my sweet Emily's 17th birthday! That's right, a mere 13 months after having twins, Emily entered our lives and forever changed us for the better.  She's awesome, that girl!  Of the oldest three girls, Madi is our logical thinker, Carley is the artist, and Emily is our entertainer who loves any stage.  There's definitely no shortage of things to do/see/pay fees for around here. ;)

So, how DID I spend my time on this auspicious day?

I woke up early (or so I thought) to make breakfast for the birthday girl. It's kind of a tradition around here to make breakfast on birthdays. But Carley had beat me to it.. eggs were sizzling, toast was... toasting so I just threw some hashbrowns in a skillet so I could participate. Em came into the kitchen and I gave her a gift of clothing (her favorite) as I continued to make breakfast with Carley. But my favorite part of the birthday breakfast was when Hubby stumbled sleepily down the stairs and then did a sort of zombie shuffle toward Emily in order to give her a birthday hug...  (Arms straight out, knees locked as he walked.. no joke!) We all had a good laugh and then it was time for the girlies to leave for school.

The rest of the day went something like this:

Me- 2 hour appointment
Hubby- Physical Therapy for his shoulder
Me- search for something special to make for dinner
Hubby- Starving, needs lunch immediately. (whines a little more than neccessary)
Me- reassure Hubster that there's food for his lunch while waiting for my BFF from kindergarten to pick up the gazillion pretzels I made for her daughter's wedding which is the following day.
Hubby- scarf some foodage, gets ready for work, clean battery cables (I have no clue.. I don't even ask anymore)
Me- Oh crap, I need to get the birthday cake!
Hubby- kissy kissy, now off to work!
Me- Uh, what the heck to make for a special dinner?
Linzie- Won first place in the art show!
Me- CONGRATS, Linz!  Uh, the art show is today?  As in 2 hours from now??
Linz- Yeah, can you come?
Me- Of course!
Me- Still have to get pretzels to bff, still need dinner idea, still need cake! (Starting to panic)
Carley- Whatcha doin after school today, Mom?
Me- I kinda want to go to the art show.
Carley- What the crap? No one told me the art show was today!
Me- Yeah, Linz took first!
Carley- WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME?!!
Me- I just did.  ;)
Carley- Em is having a bad day, Mom. She's sad.
Me- Uh.. we need to fix that.
Emily- *sob* Had a bad day, Mom.  Hopes = dashed.  Mood= squashed.
Me- No worries, Em.  We'll fix you right up!
Me- Email to bff- tried to call, have the wrong number (not such a good bff if I don't have the right number!) Art show/birthday emergency plz call me when you can.
Carley- Didja talk to Em?
Me- Yeah.. we need to fix this. Call Matt (Em's boyfriend... looooooong story there) make arrangements for Matt+balloons+milkshake to surprise Em while she is at play rehersal.
Carley- Done. But mom?  I have no money. Meet me at art show with cash?
Me- Be right there!
Me- arrive at art show only to discover that they JUST closed the silly thing! ARGH! Are you kidding me? Are you KIDDING me?!!
Linz- Sorry mom.  We can try again tomorrow?
Me- Absolutely! Sorry for being late, Linz. (sad faces all around)
Carley- I will get Matt and milkshake, you get balloons. Meet at the high school parking lot?
Me- Good plan but I need to get pizza too!
Carley- We can do that later, after the school.
Me- uh.. okay. (my puppet strings are short.. lol)
BFF- Hey, can I pick up those pretzels now?
Me- *sigh*  explaining "Operation Save The Birthday" to BFF, hoping she'll understand.
BFF- no worries! Totally understood. We'll hook up after the wedding rehersal.
Me-  sent Madi and Linz in the store to get balloons while I ordered pizzas.
Abby- Hi Mom! Are you guys done yet?
Me- Uh.. no.  But we're working on it. Meet you at the school.
Me- Balloons purchased, pizzas ordered, rush to school for Em's BIG surprise.
Me, Carley, Abby, Linzie, Madi, and Matt- patiently wait at school with balloons and milkshake as we watch Emily's rehersal.
Emily- Ohmigosh, Ohmigosh!  Yay! *sharing milkshake with every friend in the vicinity* community spoon= ick! (Birthday saved) Can friends come for pizza too?
Me- Absolutely!
Me- *thinking* crap! Still need to pick up pizza and cake. Now need ice cream, drinks, chips and other party essentials.

Kids pile into my car, kids pile into Carley's car. Balloons also in my car, community milkshake goes with Emily in Carley's car. (Boyfriend also goes with Emily.. no surprise there)

Hubby- (text message) What's up?
Me- IF YOU ONLY KNEW!

Kids dropped off, Madi and I hop back in the car for pizza, cake, ice cream, chips, dips, and drinks! (two carts went in opposite directions at the store.. we rocked it!)

Home again to the happy chaos of LOUD teenagers playing video games. Pizzas in the oven, pizzas in the kiddos. Kiddos happy, Birthday Girl happy = Mom happy.

Kitchen= disaster but worth it!

Carley- drives home 1st carload of friends.

BFF- picked up the gazillion pretzels for wedding. BFF happy = Me relieved!

Carley- drives home 2nd carload of friends.

Hugs and Goodnights all around.

Kiddos- T. I. R. E. D!

Me- T. I. R. E. D!

Another successful Flash Mob party...the first of 2011.  (But knowing us, this is only the beginning!)