Birthday Celebrations

 Didn't have 40 candles- but 4 fit just perfect! 

Early Friday morning, well the little ones and I let him sleep in a little bit, we brought him a birthday cupcake and coffee in bed. Benjamin and Isabella thought it was so special to sing Happy Birthday for daddy and had practiced, but when it was time to sing - they didn't say a word..haha!

Anyway, he was off this weekend and it was nice to have him home. Friday he had to go and redo his driving license and now his is valid until 2038 - they renewed it for 25 years right away! Pretty good! I guess it shouldn't be a compliment to get it renewed "for life" when it's valid until you turn 65...On the other hand I think it's good that they then have to take new tests especially eyesight might be poor at that time in life!

In the evening, we went out for dinner. Date night!! We had organized a babysitter that we have used twice before, but my friend K said that she'd come over and stay with the kids, and she and her daughter M came over around 6.30pm. Before we left, I wanted some pictures of us and the family. Even Ben gave me the biggest smile and he even said - Mommy: I did it!!, when he smiled for the camera. He is aware of that he normally doesn't..

My love!

K took a picture of the family, 

but unfortunately it turned out blurry as everyone looked nice in it!

I had booked a table at the Quechan Casino Resort for us. The drive to California was beautiful, as we drove straight into the sunset! The pictures came out a bit blurry as they are taken with the phone through the windshield.

The "Q"

After reading the menu online, I decided to reserve a table at the Ironwood restaurant in the Casino. Well, we were very disappointed to find out that the menu online, wasn't at all what they served in the restaurant. I really had wanted my husband to have the Rack of lamb that he really likes, and we never eat lamb here at home, as I DON'T like it...So one of the reasons for going there was to be able to treat him to this on his birthday...well, as always there is something when we go out to eat. The waiter even said that they haven't served lamb for at least half a year...Time to update the menu online!

Shrimp Cocktail

Well, this is not what I understand under a Shrimp Cocktail...but I guess I should have asked to confirm what they mean by it?! I did even ask actually if they really meant that they served horseradish sauce with it as they had printed in the menu. That would have been pretty unusual I must say, and I wouldn't have ordered that for sure. No no the server reassured me, "it's a mistake in the menu, it's supposed to be cocktail sauce". Well, change the menu then if there is a misprint and you actually know about it!! And when you're at it, change the menu online...I was NOT impressed..

Caesar Salad

Not a lot can normally go wrong with a Caesar Salad, but there is always good and not so good dressings, and this one wasn't one of the better ones my husband has had.

Beef Tenderloin Oscar

Asparagus, lump crab meat, Bearnaise Sauce and roasted Fingerling Potatoes

I was pleasantly surprised with this dish! I normally never really eat or like beef, I so much prefer pork or chicken. But, as they did serve fingerling potatoes, and I do like all the other parts of this dish, I decided to try - and it was really good! I was pretty full after almost finishing this dish!

NY Strip Loin

Steak Fries with Peppercorn sauce

As they didn't have the rack of lamb that my husband had looked forward to, he didn't have much choices on the menu, as it the whole menu was so much smaller than online. He was going to have filet mignon, but as we were going to have that for dinner on Saturday, he decided to take the NY Strip Loin. Nothing special, but pretty good. The pepper sauce was good though, a touch of honey in it, which took some of the sharpness away from the sauce, that was nice.

Chocolate Cake

I had told them when I reserved the table that it was my husband's birthday, and that we wanted a nice table and the lady on the phone said that they offer a dessert to the person with the birthday. This server must have missed that memo, but he did actually ask if we were celebrating something special and when I then again said my husband's birthday, he said to choose a dessert, and that he recommended the chocolate cake. I had wanted to get my husband the Creme Brulee that they had on the online menu, but of course they didn't have that on the menu in the restaurant. Sigh!

We did order the chocolate cake and thankfully we only ordered one dessert as the piece was pretty massive and very rich! Impossible to finish even with two people.

We finished dinner and after having a nice evening, we started to head back home. We didn't want to make it too late as it was the first time for K to babysit the kids for me. Before we left the Casino, we did walk around to see if there was anything that we wanted to play and try our luck on, but we decided not to.

Happy on our way home!

When we came home around 10pm, the little ones had fallen asleep on the sofa. Cassie had been a good older sister and changed them into P'js, warmed their milk, and gotten their beds ready for sleeping. Everything went well and she could do it again she said if we need babysitter! Great news, as it was also very special for me to leave this time.

For the first time, my little Isabella didn't cry her eyes out when I left, I had dreaded this moment a bit, as it's normally very hard to leave as she gets so hysterical. We've been having it like this for the longest time, but this evening was the first time where I didn't have to leave with bad feelings in my stomach...She actually hugged me, gave me a kiss and said bye bye mamma!! Oh, I couldn't have had a better start to this date night!!

Happy Birthday Alskling!

40 yrs old! 

Happy Birthday My Love!

Today you enter a new chapter in your life. A new decade. Somehow it doesn't feel too long ago since we celebrated your 20th..I wasn't able to celebrate with you when you entered your 30th, but I sure was there to celebrate your 20th. I had planned a big surprise party for you with lots of our friends. Due to all the boxes I haven't gotten the pictures from the party, as I had planned to copy today, but we had such a great time, and you were so surprised!!

 

I love you just as much today as I did back then and as I've now done for half of your life, half of our lives..Can it be that it's half a life time ago since I kissed you Happy 20th? Time sure flies..

We've been through good times and bad times and happy days and sad days, but even if our future and our life has been hard for us to plan and due to your career it has been hard to know what will come next, one thing has never changed and that is that I,

 

Love you always and forever

Din Elisabeth

30 yrs old!

20 yrs old!

Tonight, there won't be a surprise party, none of our friends would be able to make it..but, we have a nice evening planned as we are going out for a date!! Not often that happens, but we have a babysitter coming and we're going to a nice restaurant to celebrate! I can't wait!!

Pirate & Princess Party

Here are the pictures from last Saturday, when my kids were dressed up and ready to go to the "Pirate & Princess Party" at the library. Isabella had debated all week if she was going to be a princess or a pirate, but decided to be like her big sister - a pirate. They looked so cute, and I was happy that the Halloween costumes from last year still fit, even if Ben had grown a big and his was very snug in the back.

Ahoy!!

Arrr - Fierce looking Pirate girls!

It was a lot of fun and I love that they do all these events in the library - all for free! They played games, did crafts, played with balloons and had some snacks. Most kids had actually dressed up as pirates, but there were some princesses amongst the kids too.

Playing the game pass the ball until the music stops..

It was not easy to know who to pass the ball too..

Found herself a pink balloon!

Love this one of my happy handsome little pirate! 

So rare with a cute smiling picture of Benjamin, who normally doesn't want to be in the picture!

Snacks and stylish decorated pirate hat!

In the end, we all tried to get some group photos of all the kids, that was easier said than done, plus that they spread out so much, instead of grouping them close together. Still, it as fun to see all the other costumes and dresses. Most had put some effort into it, and it's always more fun if everyone dresses up and "plays along" with these kind of things. We have been to many events to the library, and when there is something special, we certainly don't want to miss it. Even if these things are more for younger children, Cassie wanted to come and enjoyed playing with her siblings.

My favorite pirates in the whole world! 

Before we left, they all got goodie bags, and Ben was happy to find a blue raspberry lollipop. He was so funny, playing with me and came running up to me saying : "Mamma, want a kiss??" And when I bent down to get one, he would stick his blue tongue out giggling...My sweet boy!!

Lollipops - say no more...

Saturday Morning At The Ranch

Last Saturday, we were very busy here at home. Chris was working weekend, meaning that he was gone from around 4am-7.30pm, so it was me and the kids.

We started off early morning with driving to Cassie's riding lesson at the Ranch. Her lesson started at 9am, so we had to get up early, and as she needs to be there a bit before it starts, we needed to leave the house just after 8am. Stress on a Saturday morning, not something we have every weekend..:)

Cassie was excited and so were the rest of us, as it's fun to see the horses and to watch her ride. As the trainer didn't like so much that I took pictures during the lesson on the first time we were there, (as she explained to me afterward, even if I had asked her just about that at the beginning of that visit..)as it could scare the horses, and take the focus from the rider, I didn't take any while she was riding this time. Even if I wanted to, I left the camera at home this time.

But, there was a lot going on at the ranch. There were about 15 horses and riders coming back from a trail ride and they were all getting hosed off/given a bath as they were all sweaty and I had to give all my attention to keep my little ones away from big horses that were stepping around and were tied up very close to where the table and chairs were located where we were sitting. Due to so many horses, I didn't get to see all lesson, as Cassie was riding behind all this commotion, but what I did see was nice. She did have to struggle with her horse a little bit, as he kept wanting to go to the fence and see the other horses, and Cassie needs to work on her tone and be more confident in turning him around and such. He even galloped for a bit, which scared her, but she was fine and got him to stop! I was so proud of her!

I wish they would have tied up the horses away from the lesson, so her lesson horse wouldn't have been so distracted, but I guess that's how it is, a lot going on during the weekend. There were also other private people there riding their horses and a vet was checking out some other horses.

So, only a few pictures, only from the phone this time as the camera was at home and therefore the focus and light is not always the best as it's so bright out that you don't see so good through the screen of the phone as you'd do with the camera. Mainly pictures of the baby horses, as they now had a couple of more foals since the first time we were there. So cute, and my little ones really liked them, even if one mama horse, was very protective over her one week old foal, and came running toward the fence when we came (in her eyes) too close to her baby.

 So pretty, but with a very protective mother..

 This foal's mama wasn't keen on sharing her baby with us either for too long..

 Only the first one, the oldest foal was very sweet and wanted lots of love from the kids!

 So excited to pet the horse!

 In the end when Cassie was done riding, the little ones got to help her brush Houdini again.

 Cassie and Houdini.

The lesson took some time and so did everything after the lesson, so weren't home until around noon, three hours later. Quickly getting the kids lunch, as we were all starving at this point. After that, I had an appointment with a lady from the twin club, she sold something to me/for the kids, which I'll show you later. It's still a surprise for Benjamin's and Isabella's birthday coming up next month. They will be SO excited!!

When she left, it was time to get party ready. Not any kind of party, but a special dress up one, but more about that later!!