Happy birthday He-Man!!

Tomorrow is He-Man's birthday, but we've been celebrating for 2 weeks already. Yesterday we threw him a 'surprise' work party...it would have been a total surprise to him, and made it to less than 24 hours, but then, the following conversation took place at breakfast on Friday morning...

Bunny: "Daddy, your birthday is in three days, but your party is tomorrow".

He-Man: "Oh, really?!"

Sunshine: (very nonchalantly running up the stairs) "MOM!!!!"

Me: "Yes?" (diligently folding the last of the laundry)

Sunshine: (with a look of utter horror on her face) "Bunny told Daddy about the party!"

He-Man: (quickly following Sunshine up the stairs) "So, uh, what are we doing tomorrow?"

Me: "Alright, we're doing something fabulous, but it's not what you think...Bunny, did you tell Daddy what we're doing tomorrow?"

Bunny: (who cautiously joined the crowd) "Yeah...OOOOPS! I forgot about the secret! (giggle, giggle)

LATER THAT DAY...

He-Man: (walking through the door after work) "I know what we're doing tomorrow!"

Me: "Oh, really? What is it that you think we're doing?"

He-Man: "We're going to weed and garden and finish all the projects I've been trying to finish for the last few months!"

Me: (Who really has NO Poker Face and very limited ability to lie, especially to He-Man, "What?! Who told you?!"

He-Man: "No one! It was just a lucky guess and I thought it would be a really cool gift! I'm sorry honey, I really didn't mean to guess it!"

Me: "Curses! Thwarted again!" I have yet to pull off a full-on, knock him off his feet, birthday surprise.

He-Man: "Bwahahaha (in a maniacal laugh). I'm still the champion!"

Me: (thinking in my mind) "I'll get you, my pretty! And your little dog too!"

The whole concept of our unconventional birthday shindig was to have He-Man's brothers and sisters bring him breakfast and then help him finish all the projects he has been trying to get to but has been unable to complete because of his crazy 80 hour work week.

It went exceptionally well...
We blindfolded him for added effect.

Is there anything sexier than a man who operates heavy machinery?

I imagine this is what Bunny will always be wearing while she does housework.

When all was said and done, He-Man was able to enjoy a beautifully manicured lawn, weeded beds and a harvested garden. It was just one of those small reminders of how loved we are by our wonderful family.

As a tribute to the amazing man I married, here are a few facts, tidbits and random memories of the man I was so lucky to marry...(I know the pic is a re-run, but I love it so much!)

*A random memory popped into my head the other day. I remember going on a date with He-Man, right before he left for his LDS mission. We watched a 'children's' movie that we both thought we would enjoy immensely since we both enjoyed the original story. Unfortunately, we both disliked it A LOT. As we were leaving the theater, He-Man turned to me and said, "Yikes! That was an awful movie...definitely not one my kids will watch!" I responded, "I know what you mean! My kids won't be watching it either!"

How funny that moment was, in hindsight, now that we know we were referring to the same gaggle of hypothetical kids.

*He-Man has an incredible work ethic and does so much for our family. About a year ago, I was listening to a public introduciton to who my husband is. I was so touched when the announcer included that "he is working a second job while building his chiropractic pracitce in order to avoid further debt for his family".

Suddenly, all those long, lonely nights made sense and I was filled with gratitude for the efforts he making now to ensure that we will be able to be debt-free later.

*He-Man has a fantastic sense of humor. The other day, we were making dinner together. I went to the sink, turned on the water and was surprised with a spraying of water. He had taken a rubber band and rigged the spray nozzle on our kitchen sink to spray the next hapless chap to turn on the water. He stood there, inconspiciously, waiting for the moment of triumph.

*He-Man has a great love for his country, nature, God and his Savior, Jesus Christ. He does much to instill in our family a respect for the environment and the earth and takes every opportunity he can to teach his kids.

*One of these days, I'm going to get him a super hero suit...since that is what he is. He can squash spiders in a single bound, mystify all of us with his magical ability to fix anything in the house, grow tall and delicious garden vegetables, lift boxes high above his head and exude great masculinity and strength even when surrounded by very high doses of estrogen and layers upon layers of pink, sparkles and gallons of nail poilsh.

Happy birthday, my hunka-hunka burning love! You are truly AMAZING!