David's 39th birthday

I had a lot of fun working on making Dave's day special.  He had a normal work day on his birthday, but we celebrated with family.  He got his favorite fried-egg and toast breakfast, lunch was at Panera with my dad, myself, Vanessa and Eli, and he requested a menu for his birthday.  Burgers on the grill with all the toppings, a cold rice salad, and cut up fresh fruit (strawberries, pineapple, and bananas).  He didn't want a birthday cake, rather...he chose cream puffs with ice cream and caramel and chocolate sauces and port wine.  It is hard to replicate a fond experience he has in California, visiting a little italian place for fresh cream puffs and port wine, but he said the recipes he chose and the execution of it all was delicious and was just as good! 

Rachel, my dad, and my grandma Rowena joined us to celebrate.  Rachel and I gifted Dave with a hammock to put in the hammock stand we have had in storage for a long time and a shirt that says, "Beards: They grow on you".  Violet got him a toy from buck store, Calvin wanted to give him legos (we got them at Target on our way home from school - he chose a little 3-1 set that can be an airplane or two other things), Vanessa gave him a butterfinger candy bar, my grandma got him a nice shirt and a joke - a razor.  She isn't a big fan of the beard, but she laughs about it.  Dad gifted him some $ for a new flashlight.

I can't speak for him but he said the day was pretty fun and he made a facebook post about it (he's not a big facebook guy) and said this:

"Very blessed today. Thank you to my dear wife, Maria, my sweet kiddos, Mama Row, Daddy Jon, Rachel, and all my family and friends for making this a very special day. Delicious meals, great company, kind words, generous and thoughtful gifts, surrounded by loved ones. I'm more blessed than I deserve! I praise God for you all."