half way to seventy

when we found out that the birthday boy wouldn't be home for our traditional birthday family dinner, the kids and i decided to take the dinner to him! the kids love visiting rich's office, all the office numbers are displayed on mickey mouse ears and names of the employees occupying those offices are printed on a character photo. it's not easy to forget who you work for when you're there. i didn't think to take a photo of rich's door until i was in the elevator...next time. we had dinner in the conference room with just our family, which the kids loved because there are wall-size dry erase boards in there just aching for someone to draw all over them, which they did. we weren't sure who was having more fun, ethan or the teen-agers. we brought a billion cupcakes to share with the fellow disney employees who are plugging away to finish ultimate band right now. poor guys it has been a long road. it was a short visit, trying to let him get back to the plugging away, but we're glad we went so we could wish him a happy birthday. so happy birthday babe, sorry you're spending at work!

ten things i love about ricardo...
1. he is an incredibly hard worker, never does anything half way - all or nothing!
2. he gives me good advise whenever i feel frustrated or overwhelmed about anything.
3. he has been in charge of helping with the math homework ever since the kids were in the fourth grade - really, i'm so grateful for this!
4. he is soooooo smart. for christmas santa brings everyone books, rich's are always computer books that may as well be in japanese for how much sense they make. he has an incredible job and is completely self-taught because he never went to college. wow.
5. he is a great dad and gets such joy out of the kids' accomplishments and seeing them do well. he is always concerned about their well-being, i'm so grateful for this!6. rich has a great sense of humor, the smart, quiet kind of humor that you have to be paying attention to catch. if you didn't know him very well, you would never know what a funny guy he is.
7. he grew a goatee (not a cheesy squeeze one either) just for me and i love his bristly kisses!
8. he has lovely blue eyes that ethan inherited.9. he's a peace maker.
10. he chose me, i mean us, and i love him dearly!happy 35th birthday babe! i'm so lucky to have you!