They did take an occasional break to look for roly-poly's...then it was right back to work!!
And finally...they rode off into the sunset...the perfect ending to a perfect day!!
On Sunday, after church and before we headed to the ranch for Doug's birthday, Avery wanted to stop at the pond near our house and feed the ducks. She had heard a rumor that there were baby ducks...and would not rest until she had checked it out for herself.
Avery was a little nervous since they came so fast and so close but then....the baby ducks were spotted!!
A quick shot of the clubhouse across the street...it's still funny to me to see Palm trees in North Texas!!
She chose Spongebob (the yellow squares) and Patrick (the pink starfish shapes) sprinkles to decorate of course...perfect for celebrating your 40th birthday. Sadly, she got lots of icing along the edge of the plate...I couldn't present it to Doug that way so I had to scrape it off...and eat if course. I'm a waste not-want not kind of a gal.
A hug for Weston for the gift he chose...a new pack of cards so they can play poker!!!!
He also got lots of new clothes...some for work and some for working out. The candles were blown out and, after a wonderful dinner from La Hacienda Ranch, we all sat down to enjoy a piece of Spongebob birthday cake!!
40 Things I Love About You…
1. How much you love us
2. The way you wake the kids up with silly videos
3. Your hugs
4. That you always carry the laundry upstairs for me
5. You’re willing to drink your coffee weak so we can share one pot
6. Your willingness to watch the kids while I sell my bows
7. They way you always fall asleep in your chair
8. That you think sitting in the kitchen chair will keep you from falling asleep in your chair
9. They way you fall asleep while the kids are reading to you
10. You always kiss me in the morning
11. You always kiss me when you come home from work
12. Even after 12 years of marriage, you say “I Love You” everyday
13. You cry during Extreme Home Make-Over
14. That your willing to go camping with Weston…even when it’s freezing outside…and have a good time
15. That you never stop fighting for time for “us”…even when we’re fighting
16. You were willing to try California Rolls
17. You make me laugh everyday
18. You have way more clothes than me
19. That you read my blog
20. That you are willing to take my camera and shoot pictures when I’m not there…so I can post them on my blog
21. That you are willing to color eggs, visit Santa’s village and spend hours at the Pumpkin Patch…all to satisfy my pursuit of that “perfect family holiday”
22. You are willing to spend hours helping me set up and develop my website
23. You always take my side
24. You are fiercely protective of our children
25. You put up with my family…with a happy heart
26. You make the best of almost any situation
27. You are willing to miss work if I need you to meet with teachers, doctors, etc.
28. You pay the kids to put CD’s into the cases
29. You take the time to really explain things to the kids
30. That you make church a priority for our family
31. That you fall asleep with an extra tall Monster in one hand, your computer on your lap and the remote control in the other hand
32. That you allow me to have a large portion of the office dedicate to my crafting
33. That you really want to drive 17 hours with 2 kids in the car, to go to my family reunion that will be outside, in the heat, in July
34. That, no matter what, I always feel like we are a team
35. That you surprised me with a camera
36. We are ying and yang, soft and stern, slightly messy and overly neat
37. You let the kids do things I won’t
38. You are willing to give up things for the good of our family
39. You still smile when you talk about how we met
40. That despite everything, you have stayed true to us and to our family, even when it wasn’t easy to do so
Happy 40th Birthday Honey!!!
I love you
Weston has started taking Karate...we have looked for quite awhile for the best place for him, someplace that not only taught the proper forms, etc...but also focused on teaching children respect, focus, setting and reaching a goal, etc. Now that we've found the perfect place, Weston is off and running. He's already earned two stripes on his white belt and will soon test for his third. He loves to practice and, since Doug took karate when he was younger, they often practice together (and on each other).
Despite all the hi-yahhing and such, all was calm in the Via household until she showed up....
....the dreaded, red-robed Zebra Girl (also known as Horse Girl)
On Saturday before Easter, Weston and his Scout Troop joined with a group of local "rocket-teers" to shoot off the rockets the boys had made. Doug went with Weston and took all these fabulous pictures, while Avery, K and I headed over to a local ranch for a hayride through time to hear the Easter story. It was, as it always is, beautiful and horrible, sad and uplifting, devastating...heart-wrenching, amazing and awe-inspiring. We rode on a hay trailer to a place in the field where 3 crosses were built while a lovely lady, dressed as Mary, shared the story of the crucifixion....we continued the ride to the tomb, where she shared the joy and true reason we celebrate Easter...the tomb was empty. It was a wonderful way to spend the day and a great reminder that this holiday is so much more than chocolate and eggs. 
Got it!!
