In celebration of Aaron turning 37 this year, we spent a few days away for a couple date at Callaway Gardens. He treated himself to a shorter day at work, and we left for an early dinner at Houlihans here in Columbus. We have only eaten there one other time, and are blown away by how good their food is. We made it just in time for the lunch menu-Aaron ordered the fish tacos , Caesar salad, and potato soup. I had the French dip sandwich, and the tortilla soup. There was so much food, we had a hard time believing it was a smaller portion lunch meal. I think that it is our new favorite restaurant. Aaron was treated to a birthday desert on the house-banana cream pie. We got an order of the dinner menus Pot Roast to go, but when we left we were so stuffed we wondered if we would even be able to eat it later.
After a great lunch, we went down to the Riverwalk for a while. In all the years we have lived here I have only seen small portions of it, but have never went for a walk there. At 62 degrees in January, I think that we were both thinking that living in Georgia was definitely a good thing. We had a great, quiet walk with time to talk about our family goals, our lives as parents, our lives as a couple, and how it feels to both be one year older. We love how comfortable being in our 30’s feels. We are happy to be who we are, and love who we have become as a couple and a family. I have a hard time thinking life gets better than this, though I have to attest that up until now we’ve seen it all gets better with age.
We made a stop by Barnes and Noble for our ritualistic date night treats-double chocolate cookies, and Aaron picked out his birthday book. We took the short drive up to Callaway Gardens for the rest of the night. We stayed at the Lodge and Spa at Callaway, a nice resort nested in the woods. It was nice to have a peaceful night away, to reconnect and relax.
On Saturday we enjoyed our opportunity to sleep in for a change. Our usually 7:30 wake up call from Scott was nonexistent, and we managed to sleep in and happened to miss breakfast. After checking out we went to the Country Store and Restaurant to eat. Unfortunately, our hankering for breakfast went unmet-we were 10 minutes too late. We passed by the tables of others eating pancakes smothered in syrup and hot sausages and bacon, only to have to settle for an item on the lunch menu. Despite our disappointment, we enjoyed the window view, and had some good ol’ time country cooking. We browsed around the country store on our way out, and found these cute old fashioned glass bottles of Sprite. We always see the Coca-Cola ones, but never the ones with Sprite. We picked up some for the kids to go with Aaron’s birthday celebration when we got back.
Saturday night was our Family birthday celebration, and by the time we got back no one could wait for the festivities to begin-especially Aaron. We had wrapped all of his presents at Family Home Evening on Monday, and they have been sitting on the front console table all week. In the mornings while taking Brianna to school, he would try to guess what they were. He thought he had them all figured out. He was holding up presents and evaluating the sizes of them, and was excited as one of the kids.
Aaron had picked a chocolate mouse pie for his cake this year, which was so good, and so easy. No baking, meant no having to wait to party! We set the table with plates, confetti, his yummy cake, the presents, the little Sprites, and his birthday card from the kids. We let him open his presents first, each of the kids getting their chance to give him their present.
He guessed most of them, but even Daddy wasn’t quick enough to guess all of them. The kids loved to surprise him with all his presents. He got a lot of new white Sunday shirts and ties, a new pair of brown Sunday pants, clear protective films to put on the front of his iphone, a car holder for his iphone, a garbage container for his car, a book from Grandma Bonnie, and lots of hugs and kisses.
When it came time to blow out the candles, all the kids wanted to help. Aaron couldn’t just choose one, so everyone got a chance to help the birthday boy make a wish. With 3 candles in the middle and 7 around the outside, there was plenty for everyone to make a wish for daddy.
While we were away, Becky helped the kids make a special card for daddy. Here are all the sweet things they had to say:
I love you Daddy because-you are very understanding. I love it when you take me to school. I love it when we are able to talk together. I love you and that you have a job and get good money, so mom’s able to stay home with us. I appreciate that you work so I can get cool stuff and that we are able to have Christmas and celebrate birthdays with you. And I love that you don’t have to go far away for a long time for work. I love that you love me and you love me ‘cause you know that I love you!
Love, Brianna
I love you Dad because…you wrestle with me and help me with my inventions. I like the time when we tried to catch the goats. I liked it when you helped me hang my pulley. You are the best dad in the whole world! I loved it when we went to the airport and got stuck, it was a huge adventure! I love that you remind me to read my scriptures and say my prayers. I would miss you if you weren’t here because we need all the boys in the house (because there are so many girls!)
Love, Austin
I love you Daddy because you are the best at pushing me on the swings. I love that you play outside with me. I love that you help me read the scriptures. I love that you help us by buying us a house to live in and that you help us buy food too. I love it when you tickle me! When I see you smile, it makes me happy. I know in my heart that you love me.
Love, Brooke
I love you Daddy because I love you so much. I love that you push me on the swing. You are really kind. And I like you. I like when you talk to us at the table. I like that you draw pretty. I love it when you come for scripture time. And that you love to watch movies, like me.
Love, Erika
I love my daddy ‘cuz he has glasses,’cuz you gives me hugs and kisses, that you watch movies with us. I like that you help get me dressed. If I hurt myself you pick me up, stop me from crying, and read me stories. I know that you like me and I love you.
Love, Abby
I love my daddy because I think he is a superhero! He feeds me french fries and keeps me safe-who could ask for anything more.
Love, Scotty-boy
Undoubtedly the hit of the night was the cool Sprite bottles. Austin was so excited to use his pocket knife to open the top of the bottle-the only time he has gotten to do that he informed me. The kids kept them around for days, refilling them with water so they could keep drinking out of them. We promised them that this summer when we go camping again by Callaway we can go get some more.
Here’s to another year honey, we love you!!
1 comment:
These pictures turned out so great. You must be getting that flash to work for you after all!
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