Surprise! Goodbye.

I don't remember ever having been thrown a surprise party. Yesterday I helped throw a surprise party for Palomino's birthday. And I can see now, why perhaps no one has bothered to do one for me. It's stressful!

On the menu for the party: LASAGNA.

The cooks: Alfonsina and Colleen. They were also the coordinators.

They cooked all day Friday, while yours truly sat back and observed.

Well, three would have been a crown over the hot stove!

The party was for Saturday. The coordinators planned to meet at 3pm to plate the food, and decorate. But then, 5-Star Scotty and Palomino showed up at 2:50pm, and stuck around...

I pretended to do something productive while I waited, and waited, and waited... No Palomino, I'm not taking a photo of you, I'm taking a photo of the pitcher [for no reason really, I just need to vent this pent up nervousness and anxiety].

I quickly texted Alfonsina, Colleen, and Henriette (who was out buying the decorations at the last minute): "Palomino is here. DO NOT COME UNTIL I CALL YOU!"

Palomino got bored, and started looking through the cupboards aimlessly. And I prayed "Do not open the fridge, do not open the fridge, dear Lord please do not let him open the fridge." Because the cake is in there.

Finally, at 3:30pm, 5-Star Scotty and Palomino left, after leaving me the lyrics to a Bob Dylan song.

For a tall mocha, tell me the title of the song of the lyrics.

Guests started arriving just as Colleen and Henriette finished up the decorations.

And right at 6:15pm, 20 people greeted Palomino with a surprise at the door.

And the party commenced.

Here's a tip on how to be a gracious guest: It's time for Minnesotan goodbyes when:

1. The host(ess) starts washing the dishes.

2. The cowboy puts on his boots.

3. 5-Star Scotty wears his sunglasses at 11:57pm.

What, you don't know what a Minnesotan Goodbye is? For example:

The Minnesotan Guest (TMG): Well, I should get going now. I have still have to feed the birds tonight.

The Host: Thanks for coming. Say hi to your birds for me.

TMG: Yeah, Polly had the run of the house today. She got into Suzanne's prize fern plant, and tore it to bits.

The Host: Oh no, not the prize fern! What did Suzanne say?

TMG: Well, she hadn't come home yet when I left.

The Host: What are you gonna do?

TMG: I guess I'm going to have to make it up to her... Alright then, g'night...

The Host: Thanks for coming... Hey, you can take her to the ball game.

TMG: Yeah, I hear the Mariners are two for two.

[The Mariners are Seattle's baseball team.]

The Host: It'll be great!

TMG: Alright then, g'night!

The Host: Thanks for comin'. D'you get enough to eat?

TMG: Oh yeah. That lasagna was delicious!

The Host: You like it? Alfonsina made it! You wanna take some home?

TMG: That'd be great!

[Another 10 minutes go by while TMG get's a plate of lasagna wrapped to go.]

TMG: Alright then, g'night! Thanks for the food.

The Host: Thanks for comin'. Hey, do you want the recipe? I'm sure Suzanne would like to make it at home.

And on, and on, and on, for another hour, until the FINAL goodbye is said once and for all.

Goodbye!

Welcome Home Palomino

Palomino and Alfonsina came home after 10 days.

"Five days would have been perfect on that cruise. Seven was just a tad too long."

With sea legs a-rockin', we went right into one of our Sunday routines: brunch out.

You'd think that after spending 10 days in hot, humid tropical weather, they'd be bundled up in this chilly, spring Pacific Northwest weather. But no. Alfonsina is wearing a mini-skirt, and Palomino is still in his board shorts! In 40-degree temperature! Their sea legs must make them think they're still in the Bahamas.

Welcome home, Palomino!

The Big Oh-One

Shea just turned the big oh-one. Oh, the responsibilities that come with being one year old!

Responsibility #1: grandpa's personal trainer.

How else do you think he stays young at heart?

Responsitility #2: goo-goo ga-ga factor.

You ever notice that when a baby enters a room all the adults loose focus on what they were doing, and gravitate toward said baby, coohing and talking incoherently? "Wuzzamatter, there-there, boo-boo have a wittle owie?" No wonder Shea ends up crying harder - big people don't make sense!

Responsibility #3: Momma's heart warmer.

'Nuff said about this. Just look at Mayet's face; it says it all.

Won-derful was supposed to be spelled "One-derful". You know, the number 1, as in Shea's FIRST birthday.

"Not yet Shea. First, eat your dinner."

(What did I say about kids and nutrition?)

Wow, James must have been so hungry. He ate his pizza before the cake.

Make a wish Shea!

Now what would a 1 year old possibly wish for?

The Nobel Prize.

To be a rockstar.

To be a superhero.

(Oh, wait, those are MY wishes.)

A blue and green striped pony.

(Ok, now we're talkin'.)

(I know, I know!)

To live in a toy store!

Yes, that's it.

To live in a toy store.

But for now, I just want that balloon!

Grandpa, time for our workout. Carry me!

"Shea, wow, you really work your grandpa hard!"

Alright Grandpa, hold the balloon.

Hold it for 7 more counts...

In the meantime, Abmel is contemplating the hazards of taking home that box of pizza. "There are 9 slices of pizza here. Each slice is approximately a thousand calories. J.S. is going to kill me for bringing all these calories home. To get rid of a thousand calories I have to curl twenty-five pounds one hundred times... Ugh, this is giving me a headache!"

"Come on Tito Abmel. Calories are all relative. Think of them as fuel for your workouts."

"I guess I could throw in a few squats and sit-ups too... Ok, I'll take it!"

"Dear pizza. I love you. I love food. I love to eat. Farewell. Be good for Tito Abmel."

Me like yummy Mickey Mouse chicken nuggets!

Responsibility #4: Make sure Momma and Dadda keep the fridge full.

Nobel, schnobel! I just wanna eat, poop, and sleep. I'm the big Oh-One!