Ok so those two things in that title don’t really have anything to do with each other (except that my dad was pretty responsible for my actual birthday I guess), but I figured I’d put them both in one post because it’s kind of fun when dads being in town and birthdays happen to coincide. I turned one year older last week. Here is my family deliberating very, very seriously (almost prayerfully perhaps if you look at Dave…), on how to make it the best one yet:
Ok, I kid, I think they were more thinking “Man, I sure hope she gets this picture thing over with quick as a wink.” They had sugar cereal to celebrate while I ate my delicious omelet Dave made me (he makes me omelets every Mother’s Day and birthday…they are my fav.) That blue thing in the background was my present, and we have already put it to good use:
We celebrated with some interesting concoctions of cakes. You see, Claire and Grace and I are the only ones who took the “no sugar for a month of detox after Christmas” challenge, but we made an agreement from the beginning that we would still have sugar on birthdays. So they were pleased as punch to have cake. But I’m not eating gluten, so Elle made me my own special gluten free cake while Dave took me out to dinner: 
That gluten-free cake promptly fell apart the second she took it out of the oven. Then She made gluten-free cookies which were actually divine. Is that a sweet girl or what? Anyway, amidst all the gluten-free scrambling someone (maybe Elle too?) made a normal cake for me to blow out candles from (and that the rest of the family would eat). 
We frosted it and put candles in it while it was still hot so this is what happened to them:
This is our attempt to get everyone in a picture:
(I’m sure glad we got Max’s adam’s apple and chin in there…) Some sweet friends took me to lunch which I didn’t get a picture of, darn it, and my in-laws were kind enough to take me to lunch another day so it was a day well celebrated.
We had so much fun with my Dad in town. His goal while he was here was to take each of the “accountables” out on a special date one-on-one. He calls the grand kids accountables when they are older than eight and are big enough to be in charge of a lot of important decisions in life. Oh man, I love my dad. He has a special book that he will track all the dates they go on in their life time. Here is he and Claire’s first entry:
…and Grace’s:
We didn’t get the book in this one but here these two are after their lunch date where he gave her some good pep talks about tennis tryouts this week and life in general.
…and I cannot believe I didn’t get one of he and Max, but I will tell you, if I had one, Max would be taller than he is, and would be smiling his big Max smile. We met the girls for lunch at the elementary school one day.
Do these kids know how lucky they are to have this guy as their grandfather?
Someone who listens intently to everything they have to say and looks them in the eye and not only praises all the good they do, but notices it all. Every bit of it.
They probably won’t comprehend it fully for years to come, but they sure do enjoy it, I tell you!
Yeah, it was a pretty good birthday gift to have that guy around.
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Looks like a great birthday and a great visit. Such fun pictures! Happy Bday to you. 🙂
Love. I wanna be like your dad. Happy birthday
How fun! I have to say that your dad doesn't seem real. I hope that sounds like a compliment, because it is. My goodness, he has got to be one in a million as far as being a present parent and grandparent. I'm in the middle of reading 3 of your parents books (yes, the middle of all of them–I start one and then the other one comes in the mail and I have to start that one, too!) and I'm amazed at how purposeful and conscientious they were/are as parents. You are a blessed gal!
Your dad seems like such an awesome parent and grandparent (and husband, since I'm knee deep in A Joyful Mother of Children) – this post almost made him seem too good to be true! What a lucky family you have.
You and Dave, and your parents are the type of parent I strive to be. Thank you ALL for sharing your gifts with us! I come to you (or your parents books) almost daily for refreshment.
with a lump in my throat, and a tear in my eye, I know you know how amazing your dad is. Your children are beyond lucky to have grandparents who love them, nurture them, and want to be with them. Oh how I know they will cherish it!
where are your cute shoes from on your birthday dinner!?
looks like a great birthday!
i love your dad's idea!
I wish our elementary school would have let parents come for lunch once in a while!
I just love your blog and have never posted. I so envy the relationship you have with your parents! I can tell you appreciate them which I just love! Thanks for your wonderful blog!!
Happy birthday and multi ani traiasca!! Glad you had your dad to join in the festivities 🙂
i love that rick. and you! glad you celebrated a lot. claire's face in that "everyone in the picture" pic is amazing.
Happy Belated!!
Where did you get that cute green jacket!? I'm in need of a lightweight jacket in Texas!
Fantastic! Happy Birthday to you! Love the backdrop and that your dad is awesome. Hooray for awesome dads!
Happy Birthday! I too celebrated my birthday recently-Jan. 26th was the Big 40 for me this year! Looks like you had a good one! Your father is amazing; what lucky kids and grandkids he has!
I just started my own photography business and love that blue backdrop you got. Where did they get it? I am looking for one just like that for a graduation gig I have in May.
Looks as though your birthday was a Hair-Raising experience! How did you do that? I'm so glad that Dad could be there with you since that doesn't happen very often anymore! Gosh is seems as though we were your age about a year ago! Where does that time go.
Happy Birthday! Again!
"accountables" HA! LOVE IT! great way to not have to remember or mix up on grandchildren names!! 😉 i mix up just my 3 kids' and i cant imagine all the grandchildren names you guys got going on!! Happy Birthday!
I voted for you on apartment therapy's Best Family & kids Blog! Was sent there from another blog but I really like reading your posts and advice for families. 🙂
I haven't been to your blog in FOREVER!We have been extremely busy lately with life as my husband was diagnosed with a grade 4 brain tumor, so blogs have sort of taken a backseat! My daughter still reads your blog though and I saw her reading the other day and decided to check it out!!!
ELLE looks just LIKE YOU~ your dad is FABULOUS!!!
have a beautiful day!
love, tara
My dad really loves your dad too. Ever since he was his mission president back in England he's always had a huge impact on him. To this day, we still get emails from my dad with snippets of your dad's column. I feel like I've known him since I was born. You guys were over at my parents house a few weeks ago for Melissa Farnsworth's party and they said they got to talk to you about him. It made my dad's night to be able to talk to an Eyre!!! 😉
What a great post! One question. Where did your family get the background from? Looks amazing. Do you have any recommendation for good website and what kind to get? Thanks and Happy belated birthday!!!