Happy Birthday to You....

Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday, dear Mikey,
Happy birthday to you!

Happy 30th birthday, my love.

30 is the new 20.

Isn't he hot?

Father of my children

I couldn't have chosen better. I love that you are teaching the girls to be well-rounded. I love the things you are able to introduce to them. I love that we are on the same page with our kids, yet you always bring a new perspective when I am burnt out. I love knowing yet not knowing what the future holds for us as a family.

All three of your girls adore you.

Some pictures

from our courtship days.

Mandi & I getting ready for the Jacksonville Regional

Mike rocking out in the yellow house

From our spring break road trip, is it any wonder that I fell in love with THIS? :)

A toga party

My anniversary gift

My husband is seriously the most creative gift giver. Obviously he can't be THIS creative for every holiday we encounter or he would get burned out. :) But this anniversary gift was awesome.

You all know that we met because of color guard. Stacy and I were in the same guard, Paradigm and Mike came to watch our dress rehearsal (Jan. 9, 2000) before the competitive season began. He noticed me on the floor performing and posted on our guard's website how hot he thought I was. :) I kept trying to figure out who had posted about me because he didn't leave his real name. I finally discovered it was Stacy's brother, the one with the blue hair. I was totally surprised that someone would notice me out of everyone. We started emailing each other back and forth and that progressed to talking on the phone.

One day I asked him through email what he was doing the next night. I suggested we rent Muppets from Space because we had been talking about it and no one else wanted to see it but us. So we got together the next night (Feb. 2, 2000) and watched the movie. I did not want to go home. :) From that day on we spent all the time we could spare together.

A little over a year later, in May, Mike proposed and a year after that, on April 5, 2003, we got married. You know the rest.

So for my gift Mike got me a FLAG! Not only that he got me THIS flag.

You can't really see the embroidery, but on the left is the date we met, the top is the date of our first date, the right is our wedding date, the bottom is today's date. Down the vertical strip is our initials, MG & AT.

How great is that present?!?!?! I have been saying every once in a while that it would be fun to have a flag to spin. I was just speaking hypothetically, I never thought I would actually have one. Now, not only do I have one, but I have one that commemorates our relationship. What an awesome idea! Thanks, baby!

Love is...

I used to think that being in love
Meant passion, excitement, and romance.
Now I understand that real love is all those things,
But it's so much more...

Love is...
Watching television together,
Sharing Sunday-morning newspapers,
Talking through our problems,
Reading next to each other in bed,
Cuddling when the nights get cold,
And knowing we will always be together.

Being with you has shown me
All that love can be.

I'm so glad I get to share my life
And my love with you.
(from the card I gave to Mike this morning, I didn't write this)

April 5, 2003-April 5, 2008 (5 years)

Mashed banana, mashed banana

(title is a Wiggle reference)

This morning Erin ate small bits of banana and buttered toast for breakfast. How's that for growing up? I think she is going to be one of those kids who rejects baby food as soon as she is capable of sustaining herself on table food. She ADORES everything I have given her so far. The second little tooth finally peeked through right next to the first one so we are getting there.

On another note, thanks to my wonderful husband for the anniversary flowers! Our 5th anniversary is on Saturday (we are spending it at a 2 yr old's birthday party), but the flowers arrived today. We had a minor issue with last year's flowers. See when they send the flowers, they are not yet blooming so that they will last longer. When they arrived, Mike was sorely disappointed because they did not look at all like the picture he saw online. So he called the company and complained (big shocker there, right?). They sent another bouquet. By the time that one arrived, the first one had bloomed nicely and I had two enormous bouquets on my kitchen island. Don't get me wrong, they were lovely. But Mike learned a thing or two about flowers. So he had this one delivered early on purpose in order for it to bloom by our anniversary. Does he think ahead or what? :)

Happy Father's Day!

Top 10 reasons I am glad Mike is the father of my children:

1. He almost NEVER lets Leah watch TV when he is watching her.

2. He loves to wrestle and roll with her.

3. He talks to Erin in my belly.

4. He takes Leah on "adventures" that she will remember when she gets older.

5. He realizes how important family (ALL family) is to our children.

6. He really thinks about presents for the kids, doesn't just buy the first thing he sees.

7. He is able to tell when I am at the end of my rope and whisks Leah off for a Daddy/Daughter errand (happened yesterday).

8. He is my partner and support in all disciplinary measures.

9. He shares my beliefs in how I want to raise our children.

10. He's so much gosh darn fun!!



I love you, baby! Thanks for everything. Raising children is so much fun with you, let's keep popping them out. :)