Shena's Birthday

***Text in this color authored by Shena***

Work & Play
Shena was at mom's for lunch, and I don't always like driving all the way there on my lunch break. It adds about 10-15 minutes to my drive time and so that usually leaves me about 20-25 minutes to inhale food. It's just not as relaxed as I like it to be. So I wound up going to lunch with Teresa. We went to K&W Cafeteria because she said she was craving some macaroni and cheese. I hadn't eaten there for several years (I went there once with the guys from EDM when I was working there). I'm not a big fan, but it was ok. Better than nothing, right? While I was there, Marcos called and, of course, wanted to argue. I told him I would rather eat at Golden Corral than at K&W. He said he would take K&W any day. Tried to claim that the food had more flavor at a K&W, (which is famous for it's senior citizen clientele who like bland food) than at Golden Corral (which is famous for having overweight people...or in other words "connoisseurs" of food). Which do YOU think would have the better tasting food?

We signed our addition construction contract today. Leon Vachon is the name of the contractor...he and one of his employees came by at about 5:00 and we gave him a check for 25% of the contract cost and signed the contract. Kind of scary, but we are on the hook now. We feel like it is the right thing to do, so we just have to keep remembering that. They said they will be getting the permits tomorrow and we should see people start coming by in the next couple of days to remove the deck and start the pillars. I am estimating they will be done in about 4 weeks, but we'll have to wait and see. It is supposed to start raining this weekend and the first part of next week, so it might be end of March before they are done. I'll keep you up to date, and try to remember to post pictures.

Llano Update (Cheeto's Brood)
After Leon left, mom came over and watched the boys for a bit so that Shena and I could go on a dinner date. She was feeling ok to go out, so we took advantage of it. We were headed out to Cracker barrel, about a 20-25 minute drive, when we decided that we could go to IHOP and get breakfast just as easy there if that is what we wanted. It is only a 10 minute drive and we wouldn't have to go down Wendover, which is always a pain in the butt at 6:00 in the evening. I normally don't think of IHOP when we are thinking of someplace to go for dinner, but it was kind of nice because apparently most other people don't either. There were maybe five or six other tables filled. Very quiet and laid back. We took 15 minutes to figure out what we were going to eat because we couldn't decide if we wanted breakfast or not. We both finally decided just to get dinners. After we ate, we stopped by Harris Teeter for some milk, then went home to open presents and eat cake.

The boys were good for Grandma, and were really excited to help Shena open her presents and blow out her candles. Cade had been singing "Happy Birthday" to her all day. She said he kept asking her "Mom, is it still your birthday today? Are we going to blow out the candles on your cake? Have I been a good boy? Can I have some?" Apparently he was worried that we might not let him eat any or something.

Last night when we (the boys and I) ran to Harris Teeter to get the card, they both saw a "Bob the Builder" Birthday card and flipped out. "Dad! Dad! Bob!" They wanted to get it for Shena, so they both signed it and were excited like they were seeing it for the first time when she opened the card tonight. Kelson especially. He just kept yelling "Bob!" and showing the card to Shena and me and mom.
Arellano Update
Dad finishing drawers

Christensen Update
None to report tonight.

Daily Report
LAST NIGHT:
Sleep: 12:00 - 5:30 & 5:45 - 6:30 - Kelson is still getting up at 5:30 every morning. At least today he went back to bed after he came into our room. Neither of us had to get up, we just told him to go back to bed. We didn't hear from him again until 6:30, when I heard him get up. I realized that the office door was open and the bathroom door was open...two places he knows he isn't supposed to be, so he takes advantage first chance he gets. I found him in the bathroom, trying to brush his teeth (he was too short to reach his toothbrush, though)

TODAY:
Breakfast: None

Lunch: K&W Cafeteria - baked spaghetti (not real good, kind of a tangy, sweet type sauce to it), macaroni and cheese, two soft rolls, water

Dinner: IHOP - Bacon cheeseburger on sourdough toast, fries, chocolate milkshake - then had some CC cookies & milk just before I sat down to write. I wasn't in the mood for cake, for some reason.