Phillip's Birthday

We are now proud owners of two sexy air conditioners. The pair of them just make me want to tear up and cry with joy. Now....to get the upstairs restored. The company we are using is pushing us back and making it hard to get this sewed up. The loan people are breathing down our necks wanting to close the loan but can't until the new work and units are inspected. You can only imagine my dismay when on Saturday I noticed the ceiling leaking, rapidly leaking. I called AirFit over to come take a look. They had rigged up the units to code but apparently the extra PVC vent (not to code) was there for a reason, the correct set up leaked. He sucked out 6 gallons of water from the ceiling unit before rerouting the water vent. It seems to be jolly good now. Andrew said he'll come back in the winter and figure out why the proper vent is not working.

I went to Big Lots this week to find a gift for Evelyn. She wanted a very specific gift and the last time I saw the item was at Big Lots. No luck, but I did score some summer clearance items! The kids went crazy over "The Blob." We made one several years ago, this one cost less ($5) and was much more durable. I was surprised it lasted one session, even more surprised it survived 10 active boys during a birthday party. Josie was keen on using some cute sprinklers she spotted also in the clearance aisle. We quite enjoyed several water parties the latter portion of our week. The lawn is finally perking up after a good soaking! I enjoyed the kids enjoying "The Blob." Amelia finished her homework in time to play for an hour, she was grateful for the diversion. I love that she can still play like a kid.

Josie decided using the potty for number two was overrated. After her bout of constipation she refuses to poop in the toilet. I started sneaking Miralax and Fiber into her beloved pink milk. I have to be careful when I give her the doctored milk. She's now regular but regular in her undies. I rejoiced prematurely! Guess potty training is not as easy this time. We're just rolling with the punches. The first day I got to use my gym pass she pooped in her undies while in the kid's corner, after just 20 minutes. I've done more laundry this past week than I care to admit. Josie REALLY wants an Elsa baby doll. Mmmmm, bribery? Yes! Let's see if she takes the bait and earns a thrifted baby doll.

Friday Josie and I enjoyed birthday treats with Phillip at school! We joined his class for morning recess. Boy, it was stifling hot outside, over 105 at 10 am. Phillip was so pleased to show Josie around the play area and spend time with her. That kid can really smile, he just beams when he's happy. After school the boys came home bringing Conner, Ronald, Jacob, and Ryan over to play until Phillip's party. I spent the morning cleaning as swiftly as possible. Phillip wanted a late-over with his best friends over. He let Everett invite three friends so that Everett would not feel left out! His generosity always touches my heart. By 5 pm we had lots of rowdy boys over to play on the Blob and in the pool. Phillip invited: Ryan, Ronald, Anson, Jacob, Owen, Conner, Xavier, and AJ! The boys were having a great time playing for several hours. We had some pizza for dinner. One of the boys came up with the brilliant idea to smash sealed soda cans on the rocks making a fun explosion. They got away with smashing 5 cans before I noticed what was going on. Phillip wanted a Costco cheesecake for his cake, yum. Phillip could not just blow out his candles, he did this weird "Mummy" breath action with his mouth wide open. Josie wanted a birthday too so the little girls took turns shoving candles into their ice cream. After gifts the boys settled down to watch Detective Pikachu. The party ended around 9:45 as friends trickled home. Anson got to stay the night, so FUN. Phillip got two Pikachu lego sets, so he gave a set to Anson! What kid shares birthday gifts? What a kid.

Justin dug more trenches to replace 50 ft of sprinkler line on Saturday. That is brutal hot work during the summer. Justin spent a lovely afternoon with the girls at a church sponsored Daddy-Daughter date. I helped set up a photo booth so got to see some of the fun action. The kids got to paint nails (yes, Justin came home with pink nails), shave Dad's face, play games, and other fun activities. The boys and I enjoyed a lunch at Cafe Rio then some birthday shopping for Phillip. Towards evening Phillip, Evelyn, and I braved Nichols park in the humid heat and infestation of mosquitoes for birthday photos. We only lasted 20 minutes or so, the bug spray was not effective. I went to a gardening class taught by a master gardener. Mostly, I learned that gardening here is tough, mostly a September-April affair. The citrus trees sold around here are not proper for the area, the bog box stores use the wrong root (sweet citrus) instead of the hardier sour citrus root. That means most trees die after about 10 years. The soil is also very alkaline so composting is crucial. Most trees need iron to release the fertilizer. How fun would it be to plant a Pecan tree?!  Amelia shaved her logs for the first time. I hate shaving, but the torture of woman kind continues. The peer pressure! She did a good job. I shaved most of one leg so she could watch how to hold the razor and how much pressure to apply. She got one small knick, not bad for her first shaving experience. I laughed over her reaction, those smooth legs are quite lovely!

Phillip finally turned 10 on Sunday! He was so excited. Amelia made chocolate chip pancakes as her gift to him. He got to sit by me up on the stand while I lead music. He got to open one present to tide him over until the evening. Phillip requested tacos for dinner. He was delighted with his gifts: a Lego Avengers set, Optimus Prime 44-step transformer, BeyBlade Stadium, and a Dino Smashers Egg. I about died laughing when he literally smashed the dino egg with his fists. His response was, "Mom! Aren't you glad I can actually smash this toy and not break it?! This is the best gift for me because I love to smash." We sure love our Phillip boy.