Pre-Birthday Dinner

Matthew leaves for a conference tomorrow morning and will be gone on my birthday, so we decided to celebrate early. While he did have to go into work today, Matthew came home a couple hours early which is always fun. We all made a trip to Walmart to pick up a folding table we had ordered online, and were also able to get Mercy a few shirts for a dollar on clearance. We then came home for my pre-birthday dinner: 

It was perfect. Matthew decided on the menu, purchased the ingredients, and then kept the kids out of the way while I prepared the meal. That alone was an ideal scenario, but as an added bonus, the dinner was delicious too. We had blackened salmon, broiled asparagus, and mixed spring greens with a lime vinaigrette. I also made fresh strawberry limeade to drink and we had (store bought) chocolate cake and ice cream for dessert. I got to hang out pleasantly with my family before and after and all the way around it was a perfectly lovely evening. 

In addition to a fantastic meal, I got to open a present from Matthew's parents. They gave me a nice new cheese grater. Matthew himself went a wee bit overboard on presents for me this year. It started out with a Chromebook a couple months ago. He found a good deal online, but then decided to ruin the surprise when he realized he'd accidentally ordered two. I was skeptical at first, thinking I didn't have much use for a laptop, but in the weeks since they arrived we've found we use them quite a lot. They are particularly fun as they allow all three boys to play Minecraft together. After the computers, he found the deal he'd been looking for since we got married on a robotic vacuum. We are not, we have learned, the type of people to buy something and then keep it in the package until the appointed holiday. I can say, therefore, that Robovac has been an absolute dream. In addition to the laptop, which I would definitely say is mostly used by the family as a whole, and the vacuum, I got my road bike. I love my bike. It cost enough to qualify as my birthday present for the next 10 years, but I'm happy enough with it to never get another birthday gift again. I feel extremely blessed and am grateful for a husband who is constantly trying to find ways to make my life better. Happy birthday to me, indeed!