Birthday Celebration and Money Origami

I LOVE my family. Ethan. Jessica. Kaylee. Frank. I am blissfully happy with all of them. They are mine - flaws and all. They are who they are, and together, we are who we are. We wouldn't be "us" if it weren't for the five of us. Jess and Kaylee are super outgoing, optimistic, and happy people. No matter what happens, they are my daughters and they rock. Ethan is a serious, realistic boy and sometimes, well rarely, goofy when he's in a good mood...which is VERY rare. No matter what, he is my son and he rocks.I know all of these kids better than anyone on this universe! I have RAISED them, and been with them through good and bad.  My husband is an amazing guy and I love him. We're extremely lucky to have each other. All of these people are by my side no matter what. They are my family through thick and thin and I LOVE ALL OF THEM. We are family, through good times and bad.

In other news, Jessica's birthday celebration began today. She had no clue what she wanted for her birthday. If she doesn't know, how is anyone else supposed to know? I racked my brain for weeks trying to come up with an idea. Her dad was of no help either. Then it hit me. Why not give her cash and take her shopping in St. Louis? But I didn't want to just stick some money in a card. That would be lame. How about a singing telegram to deliver it? Too awkward. Have Ethan jump out of a giant birthday cake and give it to her? Too weird. Stick it in the dog's collar?  The dog would eat it. Hide it in her cereal? She might choke. Hide it in her room? No wait, then it'd never be found. What about folding it into a bouquet of paper roses? After researching that idea I realized it'd take too many bills for a bouquet. Then I stumbled upon a dollar bill shirt. The rusty wheels of my brain began turning, smoke rolled out of my head, and a couple hours later I had created this:

Photoshop doesn't want me to edit this photo because it "doesn't support the editing or copying of banknotes. Seriously? Like I'm dumb enough to try and print money in the shape of clothing and use it?

I'm not sure if she was excited...

or disappointed.


I thought I was being clever. I put the card in an envelope and wrapped it, then put that in a box and wrapped it, then put that in a bigger box and wrapped, then in an even bigger box, and finally in a gift bag. My quest for cleverness may have been too misleading and caused that look of disappointment on her face. Those who don't know her very well would see this photo and say, "But she's smiling. She's not disappointed." She's good at camouflaging it, but if you really take a close look you can see a hint of the look she gets when she's disappointed. Her smile says one thing, but the look in her eyes speaks the true story. I'm not sure she's even aware of it, but she has a certain look when she's disappointed. Sorry Jess!

 My parents got her hair some extensions - to which Ethan said, "What is that, a wig or something? What the heck is the POINT?" (This is one area he and I agree on.) She also got some kind of hair curler thing - not sure because she never did show it to me. My parents took us to eat at Chili's. I'd never ate there before. It was GOOD. Ethan kept us entertained with detailed tales of how the "Joker" should be tortured. I bribed Ethan with 50 cents for the candy machine if he would go to the mall without complaint. He actually agreed! 


Before my parents got here we got a pretty big storm. It was strange to see the wet stuff falling from the sky. The ducks, of course, were in heaven - splashing through the mud and muck and making pigs of themselves. 

On the way to Chili's we saw some crazy end-of-the-world-apocalypse type clouds, which Ethan insisted was a huge tornado "cell". Of course, I didn't have my camera with me. Cool stuff only happens when I forget to bring it along.

Tomorrow = day 2 of Jess's birthday celebration...a shopping trip to spend that cash! I'm gonna try to take her to eat someplace that will sing for her birthday. I'm gonna make sure to bring the camera, that way nothing cool will happen on our trip.