For months now B and I have been talking about getting me an iPhone on my birthday.  Well guess what.  Today is my birthday and I have no stinking iPhone to prove it.  Really up until about a week ago I didn’t even care about getting the iPhone.  Then I started regularly playing with my friends.  Then I started counting down the days until my birthday.  Then I got excited.

Then AT&T crapped on my parade.

Stupid contract rules.  Turns out I can’t upgrade until August.  Add $200 to the price of the already most expensive phone I have ever wanted and I said no way.  Actually I think my exact words were, “Oh hell no!”  That was about the time B started ushering me out of the AT&T store.  Something about kids being present when I get mad.  Whatev.

Don’t worry, my birthday wasn’t really ruined.  B brought me flowers at work.  Nothing can ruin your day when you get flowers at work!  And, my friend Kacee brought me two cupcakes.  Flowers and cupcakes equal the best day ever!  Even if it was a Monday.  Even if it was the Monday after Daylight Savings.  Best Monday EVER!

Since my plan for world domination getting an iPhone was a wash, B has promised to treat me to some Internet shopping.  My favorite!  Plus he promised a back rub tonight.  And maybe even a pedicure.  Store bought on that last one, you think I would trust B with toenail polish and my feet.  Ha!

P.S.  Sorry for the lack of updates lately.  Trust me I am hearing about it.  (JENNA!)  Things have gotten out of control at work so the last thing that crosses my mind is turning on the computer when I get home.  Not to mention the amount of work I have been bringing home anyway.  Have I told you how much I miss free time?

P.P.S.  My computer recognizes iPhone in spell check.  Pretty sweet!  My computer tells me I spell ok wrong so for it to get iPhone, I am impressed.

P.P.P.S.  Happy Birthday Kari!

But, back to my mother.  Today is her birthday.  Happy Birthday Mom!  Lucky/unlucky her, her birthday is always right before, after or even on Thanksgiving.  The lucky part is family is always around to help her celebrate, the unlucky part is family is always around to help her celebrate.  Oh wait, that’s not right.  No the unlucky part is she has cooked Thanksgiving dinner every year I have been alive (at least that I can remember).  And who really wants to cook a huge meal for 20+ people during their birthday week.  June Cleaver, that’s who.

So in honor of my mom’s birthday, I thought I would share a few pictures of her.  (Hi mom, I love you!)

This would be my mom cooking Thanksgiving dinner, circa 1980s, probably on her birthday too, which might explain the sour face.

Technically this picture is from my birthday, but I just had to show off our rocking hairdos.  Yeah, I rocked the perm.  What?  Those are my two grandmas in the back.

Man, I wish I had her yearbook handy.  I could really show you some hair.  Let’s just say my mom was a fan of the beehive in the 1960s.

I guess I should end on a stylish good note.  This is my mom and I from my wedding.  A more accurate representation of her today.

I love you, Mom!  Happy 29th Birthday!

I wish I had pictures to share from the Doggie Wash. I love that place. Totally genius idea for people like me who have small bathrooms and end up soaking the whole place trying to bathe a 20 pound dog. Don’t even ask what happens when I try to bathe Servo. Also, I have a water dysfunction. I can’t go near a faucet without soaking myself. The Doggie Wash really helps keep the soaking to a minimum.

While at Petsmart, Zoey picked out a new monkey. This is monkey number 5 or so. Over the years, we have brought her home various stuffed monkeys, but they always make the same obnoxious monkey squeal. And Zoey loves it. Well, I am not sure if she loves the noise or if she just knows it drives everyone else crazy. Either way, the happy look on her face is priceless, so even though I hate the constant screeching, I continue to buy the toy. After a few weeks she rips the noise box out anyway, and I quickly hide it.

(BTW, you should all be thankful I couldn’t find the video recorder this weekend.  I am not kidding about the obnoxious monkey squeal!  I am kind of amazed B didn’t leave me after the first hour of play time.)

I wasn’t kidding about the happy face. This girl loves her monkey toys! And yes, he already has a small rip, but after this picture was taken I performed emergency surgery. Monkey has held up since.

We did lots of this after the shopping trip and bath.

And fetch was always followed by a furious lashing.

But finally, after hours and hours of fetching, squealing and furious lashings, we had peace. Peace and quiet.

Until morning, when it started all over again.

How long until B hides the monkey toy? I am guessing it ends up in the Monkey Graveyard by the end of the week.

(Yes, we have a Monkey Graveyard. In the linen closet. I always put her toys in there thinking one day I will sew them back together. It is highly entertaining when I pull a blanket out of the closet and set off a monkey squeal. Drives Zoey crazy!)

Matt (brother-in-law), Zoey and my Dad

September is quite the active birthday month around here.  I get hit up three days in a row for these people.  Or should I say for two people and an adorable furry dog.  Either way, here we go.

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to Matt, Zoey and my Daaaaaa-aad.
Happy Birthday to you!

Whew.  I feel better now.  Like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders.  The birthdays fell Thursday, Friday and Saturday of last week, but nobody has to know that.  At least I got the cards and presents out on time!

Except for Zoey’s.  I never really did anything for her birthday.  I feel like a horrible dog mom!  I was to wrapped up in Pirate Day celebrations.  My poor baby turned four years old unnoticed.  I will make it up to her this weekend though.  Maybe a trip to Petsmart for a new monkey toy, her favorite!  Until then, she will just keep giving me her sad puppy dog face begging for attention.

How could any mother not spoil this face?

On his special day, I thought I would share a little bit more about my pesky older brother.   You saw earlier he recently got married.  Well don’t let those pictures fool you.  My brother is mean.  Mean, mean, mean.  Ok, maybe he has gotten a little better as he has gotten older, but I can still remember the last time it made me cry.  And, I was an ADULT when this happened.

When we were younger, my parents thought my brother could be trusted to babysit me while they were at work.  He is five years older than me, so he was capable of babysitting, he just wasn’t nice enough.  It was rough.  We broke remote controls, teeth, windows, toys… you name it.  This was all because we fought.  We fought constantly.  My parents often ignored it.  Sometimes my dad would encourage me to fight back, that usually just got my ass kicked more.

Oh, my brothers favorite form of torture, locking me in dark closets, clothes hampers and the garage.  I thank my brother for my unhealthy fear of the dark.

He wasn’t all bad though.  We are much closer now.  And sometimes he did cool things like taking me and my friends to concerts and buy beer for us. One time I even got to stay with him for a week while he was in college.  That was awesome!  And, it was the first time I went to a bar and got drunk.  (Bet you didn’t know about that one, mom!)

So here’s to you AB!  Happy Birthday!

Man you were a cute kid!  What happened?

P.S.  Notice the adorable Boston Terrier in the picture!  That was my parents’ dog.  The love of Bostons runs deep in our family.