You've had a (half) birthday shout hurray!

Yesterday Mark celebrated 15 1/2 years.  We all celebrated having him in our lives for 15 1/2 years.

Everybody loves Mark.

A whole lot.

We had a nice day.  He had to wait until Emma got home from her afternoon YSA ward before he opened his gifts which was sorely trying.  He is a present shaker so he was convinced he was getting a Lego set.  (It was really Dr. Pepper jelly beans. Ha!)  He also got some vinyl.  Adam and I picked up a Beatles record and a Toto record at Goatfeathers in Boulder City, NV.  His siblings gave him a new speaker since his had died (from overuse--the boy loves music!).

So we prepared dinner to the sounds of Rosanna by Toto.

Emma taught us how to play a stressful version of solitaire.

they don't plan it, they always just pose in similar ways--maybe it's the weirdo DNA they share

Everyone has their own deck but we place piles in the middle and count who placed the most.  (Every deck needs to be different.)  It is fast paced and fun.  (And you know I'm only bringing it up because I won.  Both times we played.)

I made a wonky chocolate cake (we decided to call it a cobble cake because I had to cobble the broken layers together).  Someday I may decide that I shouldn't be the type of person that makes layer cakes but for now, I'll persevere.

Also, maybe someday I'll remember we are out of birthday candles and buy some more.  I lit a pillar candle and Braeden laughed and said if the candle isn't on the cake, it looks like a funeral.  I told him it's like the LDS churches in New England.  The locals won't let them have tall steeples so they put the steeples next to the churches.

Here's Mark asserting his dominance with a T pose while he blows out the candles.  I don't know.

I hope that kid's every wish comes true.

We took a lovely walk on the lovely much cooler day (it felt like October and we welcomed the heat reprieve).

I'm glad we celebrate half birthdays.  For one thing, twice the cake.  Also, it's nice to celebrate these kids that I love.  Mark is the one I've spent the most time with and the one that is constantly surprising me.  He's even-keeled and pleasant and energetic and kind.

I'm glad he's mine.