It was a double celebration for our family today as we celebrated my hubby on Father’s Day and our baby girl Naomi who turned 5 today.
We celebrated with a trip to Indianapolis where we indulged in some wonderful Ethiopian food and a trip to the Indianapolis Zoo.
My intent was to write a marvelous blog post about how wonderful of a father my children have followed by all the things that make Naomi awesome. However, after a day at the zoo and then travel home, my time is limited.
Instead I’ll keep this short by saying Happy Father’s Day to my hubby who truly is an amazing father and Happy Birthday to Naomi who is awesome in so many amazing ways.
worldofweeks 
I can’t believe she is 5! When did that happen? Sounds like you had a wonderful day celebrating two special people.
I can’t believe she’s 5 either. Times just seems to move so quickly.
Happy Birthday Naomi!! I can’t our babies are 5 or at least mine will be in 2 weeks! Also Happy Father’s Day Dave! I miss you guys. We will be on a mini vacation so we will not be able to come to the picnic on Saturday, which is such a bummer cause it so nice to see everyone and see how big all the kids have gotten. We have definitely got to set up a time to get together before the summer is over with!
Jennifer Barbee
Debbie, Abrim, my Ethiopian son had his 4th birthday yesterday too.
And here is a confession, don’t let this one get around :(, things have been SO hectic around my house, that I forgot to get him a gift. However, I had purchased the gifts for grandkids a week ago, and had an unexplained extra, in exactly the right style (Tomas the Train engine) for Abrim.
Then, I made a brownie cake for Fathers Day, and forgot to make a cake for Abrim. (Makes me cringe to think of it.) Lets just say, I did not admit this, and with candles on it, it made a fine birthday cake, and Husband was happy to share, and to Abrim (I love 4 yr olds) it was just his birthday cake. I really need to get my act together…..I have 10 birthday cards, most of which are late, sitting in a pile on my fridge waiting for me to get time to sign and address and send.
That is the reality of having 13 kids, 3 daughter in laws, one son in law, 9 grandkids, and coming from a family myself, that didn’t make much of birthdays.
On the positive side, my rhubarb is growing vigorously, and I found recipes for rhubarb relish, pickles and catsup. (who knew?) So I picked a pile while walking the dog this morning, (fighting her for the rhubarb, as she tried to get it herself,(must be good if this woman is pulling it up), and will try the pickles and maybe the relish this morning. In Alaska, you just be thankful for what WILL grow, and learn to use it.
Happy Birthday Naomi!
Happy Birthday Abrim! I hope you enjoyed your birthday cake and gift 🙂
As a child, my family didn’t do much with birthdays either. We were treated to a special meal and my mom would bake a cake, but I can only remember one birthday party as a kid. I really don’t remember anything about my birthdays growing up. We try to do more for our kid’s birthdays, but try to make them something memorable and educational vs. throwing a big party with the balloons, guests and gifts. Not that we haven’t thrown parties, but parties seem to be soon forgotten while a short trip somewhere is much more memorable. Of course that would be quite challenging to do with all your kids 🙂
What do you mean “all my kids”? We ONLY have 6 left at home. My 7th and youngest bio child (21 yrs old) just arrived in Tokyo, Japan a week or 2 ago. He is a few months into a 2 yr religious mission. All the other 6 bio kids, and spouses and grandkids live in Idaho, (5 grown kids, spouses and children), and Kentucky (#2 son, wife and 2 kids).
After 10-11, which is the highest number we ever had at one time at home, 6 doesn’t seem like that many. But I buy food, make meals, load them in the car, or go to the zoo, or the fair, and pay the “gate” it still seems like a lot.
We have always done “family birthday dinners”, instead of parties. Heck, with the whole family there, before the exodus to BYU Idaho, the whole family WAS a party. Our conference table sized dinner table has trouble holding them all. 12 ft long, 4 ft wide. It used to be a conference table, but the walnut veneer on top had a spectacular failure to stay glued on, so the shop that made it replaced the whole top of that table, then a guy who worked there called my husband, (who had been heard by him to say that our family needed a conference table for dining table) and asked him if he was interested. So, we paid them to sand off the top surface, put walnut looking formica (scrubbable) there, and build a new base for it. It is huge, heavy and sturdy. Just what we need, as we have a few family members who cannot be convinced that tables are NOT for sitting on the edge of.
Oh, And the birthday kid gets taken to lunch with just Mom and Dad, and they choose the menu for dinner at home, and I usually remember to make them a cake, and buy, or make them a gift. This is the first one I forgot. Thank goodness for forgiving 4 yr olds.
April
I’m sorry April. I didn’t mean to offend you. I was referring to the short birthday trips we go on as a family with each of our two kids, not the buying of gifts, parties or special meals. We’ve never had more than 3 kids at home at one time and my comment “of course that would be quite challenging to do with all your kids,” was the challenges I would have in taking each child on a day or weekend trip to celebrate as a family if plans were being made for my 13 kids, 3 daughters-in-law, 1 son-in-law and 9 grandkids. Poor choice of words on my part. I apologize.
I was not offended. I was amused. And you are so right, if I tried to do trips with each of mine, it would be overwhelming. I’m even having trouble with just the birthday cards, with only 4 kids married and producing grandkids. I think it is going to get even crazier…I have a 23 yr old son and a 29 yr old son who are unmarried and attending BYU I.
Usually, when I say “only 6” people look at me like I’m a bit nutty, but when you compare it to 13, or some of the really large families I know of, it doesn’t seem like so many.
The really hard part is getting time for just one kid. I have no kid left old enough to babysit, but my oldest is too old for a babysitter….just not mature enough to BE the babysitter.
Oh, the keyhole garden is growing well. But just today, I realized that the goats go close to passing it on the way from the pen to the milkstand. I hope that they, nor the moose that come around here frequently, decide it is their personal buffet. The chard is getting leafy and making me think of stir-fry. I’m sure the goats would just dispose of it in 2 or 3 bites.
April
So happy I didn’t offend!
You’ll need to send out a keyhole garden photo update soon 🙂