Ben's 30th

What kind of guy brings his wife breakfast in bed on his birthday? Ben is that kind of guy. Yesterday was his 30th birthday, and I got to start the day with a delicious breakfast in bed, and all 3 girls up and fed first. It was even sweeter, because the reason he was up and cooking early, was due to Evie waking up at the crack of dawn. And since she had been a stinker, and kept us up most of the night, Ben got up with her and let me sleep in. Just another one of those small things that reminds me why I love him so much. People always say that you love someone because of the small things they do, and I agree. I love my birthday boy, and I'm so glad I married him. I married him because he's the kind of guy who makes me breakfast on his 30th birthday, and because he's the kind of guy who gives up his beloved football watching saturdays to take his daughters out for daddy-daughter time. He's the kind of guy that remembers to compliment Kiersten's pigtails, because she requests her hair that way just for him, and the kind of guy that calls Evie in to let her help take off his socks, since he knows how happy she is to help him. He's the kind of guy who plays nintendo with Kara, even though she slows him down, and messes him up. And when he unexpectedly beats a game after she's gone to bed, he doesn't save the game, so he can beat it again the next day so she can watch. When we got married I didn't know he would do any of those things, but I knew he was that kind of guy. I knew he told me on the first night I met him that his hero was his dad. I knew he was the kind of guy whose Grandma is one of his best friends. I knew he was a sweet, caring, and thoughtful guy, and I feel lucky to have snagged him! Happy Birthday Ben!

The girls were anxious for him to open his gifts.

His favorite birthday gift. He really wanted this hat, and kept saying he was going to just order it for himself. I knew his mom had gotten it for him, so I had to keep telling him just to wait and see if he got it as a gift. So he had a good idea he'd be getting it. If he looks trimmer in this picture than last year, that's because he has lost over 30 lbs in the last few months. He makes it look so easy!



Kiersten was the only one that wanted to help me make his brownies. She's a great little helper.

I completely intended to put 30 candles in his brownie, but he got to it too quickly, and started eating it. So after dinner, Kara said, "we haven't sang happy birthday to dad." I told her to go sing to him, but she said he needed a cake so he could blow out his birthday candle. I didn't want to make one, and he doesn't even like cake, so I made this candy cane out of apples and bananas. He was pretty surprised.

singing happy birthday to daddy.