Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Justin: Countdown to Thirty

(These were the pics of Justin I used for his 0-30 banner! Thanks again for all of your help, Nana!)

Let the countdown to 30 begin...

30...
(coming soon...)


29...

 28...

27...

26...

25...

24...

23...

22...

21...

20...

19...

18...

17...

16...

15...

14...

13...

12...

11...

10...

9...

8...

7...

6...

5...

4...

3...

2...

1...

Zero...
Happy Birthday, Justin!

Birthday Surprises... Keep Comin



If you haven't caught up on Justin's SUPER fun birthday weekend in Waco, check out the post below... 



For now we've got some talkin' to do about today's festivities!

Today, May 29th, 2012 is Justin's 30th birthday. Traditionally, Justin and I do not make much of a fuss over our birthdays or anniversaries or any gift-giving occasion. We never really have... but there are certain milestones in life that you just have to go a bit over the top for. In my book 30 is one of them, especially for a guy like Justin who has been not so shy about lamenting over the passing of another decade. 

One of my favorite character traits of Justin's is his humility. He is humbler and humble and I love this about him! He never wants anyone to make a big fuss over him, he doesn't like attention being drawn to him and certainly would never want ANYONE to make a BIG DEAL about his birthday... ever! So leave it me to make all of his worst nightmares come true! :)

I was worried that he may never forgive me for making a fuss over his birthday in a VERY PUBLIC way this year, but I was hopeful that he'd give me this opportunity to make him feel like the special person he is to me and our kiddos! It was the least we could do and it was a way for us to "brag" on our Daddy without truly having to "brag" on our Daddy. We just did a little extra to show him how much we appreciate all he does for us! And we were EXCITED!

I started planning for the big birthday surprise... WAY BACK! I contacted one of his coworkers about a plan for me to get into the office to decorate. I asked his mom to dig through all of her pictures and find a picture for every year Justin was alive years 1-19... and she did... SO graciously! I know that took a lot of time and I am so appreciative of her hard work... thanks Sharla! :) I took care of pictures 20-30 and made a banner... displaying one picture for each year he's been alive. Complete with a life-sized cardboard cut-out of Justin. It stands just over 6ft tall... just like my man! :) Between the banner and the life size statue I figured I had surely done enough to embarrass him so I just filled in the blanks with some star banners, and balloons to fill his floor. 

Caden, Kaki and I ended up decorating in the middle of a work day when Justin was out of the office. Friday, actually... he wouldn't be back in the office until today, Tuesday, with the Memorial Day holiday. It was a bit awkward decorating with his onlooking coworkers around and I found myself more embarrassed than Justin probably EVER felt, but I just kept thinking of the end goal and worked QUICKLY so we could bust a move outta there and let everyone get back to work! :)

This morning Caden, Kaki and I had our own little family surprise breakfast and gifts ready for Justin. He was sure that this was the extent of his birthday surprises and was so grateful to the kids for everything. And then we sent him off... to work...

I have been about to pee my pants every time I think about him walking in to his office, especially being greeted by a statue of himself... so I was VERY anxious to get a phone call from him this morning when he arrived. And so was Caden... poor kid has been SO GREAT at keeping a secret... and there were lots! There was hardly anything I could do when we got down to the last few days without Caden knowing... he was a champ and he is so proud that we pulled off the ultimate surprise for his Daddy! :)

Not 15 minutes after he walked out the door my phone rang... and he said..."Well, done!"

Haha...

And he snapped some pics for me...since I forgot on Friday!


He couldn't fit the banner in one picture... 30 is a lot of years!! :)


The speech bubble on the statue says, "I'm Teed Up About Turning 30!!" Hehehe! It was one of the only full length shots I had of him... and I think it turned out pretty darn awesome!! And I think he might like it too... maybe he'll be sticking around for a while longer! :)



Caden and I have been working hard over the past few weeks getting everything ready. We housed the statue in our storage shed and had a special hiding place for all of our pictures and banner making supplies. I am pretty sure that Justin thinks I've been taking naps EVERY day for the past few weeks because when he asks me what I've been doing every day I am SUPER vague with my answers having nothing that I could actually show for myself... Now he knows!! And understands why I think I have arthritis in my right hand... lots of circle cutting!! :)


If he thought the surprises were over after this morning he was wrong... just ONE more! The kids and I brought a big cake up to the office just before the lunch hour! He ended up having a schedule change and had to leave soon after we got there, but they are going to enjoy the cake this afternoon while hopefully poking a little bit of fun at their birthday boy! 

Looking at this picture is kind of hilarious... it's like I have two husbands... and I'm not too sure how I feel about that! :) It kind of makes me blush... ha!



Tonight we have soccer practice and are going to head out for a fun family dinner... and hopefully Daddy saves us a piece of cake to enjoy for dessert! We hope our birthday boy has had a great (memorable) day and appreciate him being such a good sport about being celebrated even though it is certainly not within his comfort zone.


Happy Birthday Justin! We love you!! Whoo whoo for 30!!

Justin's 3-0 in Waco!

BIG weekend! BIG weekend! Huge in fact... and OLD if that can work to describe a weekend... which in this case I think it can! Justin turns 30 today! Happy Birthday Justin (LOTS MORE BIRTHDAY POSTING TO COME)... but we went to Waco to celebrate the Memorial Day weekend alongside his 30th birthday with his family. We had a GREAT time and had lots of fun surprises up our sleeves for Justin's big day. 30! Have I said that enough yet? 30! 300000000! 30! THIRTY! He's 30! 

(I only have a few months to be the younger woman... so I need to live it up, you know?!)

Of course, I am excited to be 30... and Justin...well not so much. I think he just likes being a bit dramatic about things... :) Because if I were him... I'd be feeling pretty good about myself at 30 with all that he's accomplished! And have y'all seen him lately? 30 is lookin' pretty good on him if I do say so myself! :) He's red... BLUSHING... a maybe, cursing me under his breath as he reads this! And I love it... turns out I have a flair for the dramatic arts too! :)

Okay... back to our weekend! We drove up Saturday morning just in time for the boys to head out to golf and for the girls to sit around and gab... and pull Kleenexes out of a box is 5.2 seconds...


Well, darn if my pics aren't all out of order again... I am still trying to figure out this new blogger upload stuff... call me 30, okay?! So the boys played golf... pictures later... and then they came home and we all got "READY FOR DINNER" which really meant... a SCAVENGER HUNT... all around the great place of Waco!! Cori came up with everything for the hunt... and split us up into teams... Boys against the girls... for now we are an even split until Baby Agnew comes in September! :)

So the RACE was on! And by race I mean that we only drove a few miles over the speed limit and checked our mirrors LOTS as we zoomed around town crossing off clue after clue. The boys, naturally were talking a big game and thinking that us girls had NO PRAYER of beating them. The hunt ended at George's which led them to believe they would be TWO Big O's down before we ever showed up!

Well, let me just say... it was minutes... just minutes people! We almost did it and we were proud! I don't think I've ever been so proud of losing before in my life... and I don't think I've ever gotten so many compliments and congratulations for losing before either! The boys were certainly impressed by our strategy, efficiency and all around go-get-'em-ness! :) And let me tell you... I have burned feet and a big bruise on my shin to prove it! We gave it our ALL!

Here are a few of the places we stopped along the way...

Midway Middle School... Nana took the first one!



Me in front of Collins... moment of silence please...


Cori in front of the vacant lot that was Justin's house his senior year of college... God rest its DISGUSTING, DIRTY AND SOILED soul...


Ree Ree on a swing...


Nana at the Bear Pit


Ree Ree at Ninfas!


Floyd Casey... Sic 'em Bears!


We also made stops at Judge Baylor where I hoisted myself up in his lap in a dress... hence the shin bruise... :) Just call me "Grace!" Then we threw a package of tortillas off of the suspension bridge... hence the burned feet... the flip flops were slowing me down... turns out asphalt is HOT even in May... you can thank me for that pearl of wisdom later!

It was FUN!! We laughed so hard we cried... we sweat! Or at least I did! And we had an all around GREAT time! We had the best time rehashing the hairy details ALL WEEKEND!

On Sunday... the boys played golf AGAIN, and I was having way too much fun taking a walk down memory lane...looking at pictures! And I found this gem... this is the FIRST picture Justin and I ever took together. This was Fall of our Senior year of high school! It is our oldest pic... tear! My how we've changed! I sent this to my mom and she noticed that Justin was rocking an awesome pager... I didn't even notice it... HILARIOUS! Dr. Cox in the house!! And no we were not each other's dates... :)


After Kaki woke up from her morning nap we headed to the pool! And ate a snack mid-way through our time there... of course!



This is a sweet little pic from Monday morning... I heard the kids through the monitor making some seriously funny squealing noises... but it was 6 and I wasn't quite ready to get up until the noises started sounded suspicious and I looked at the monitor and saw Caden in the pack n play with Kaki... so it was time to bust up that party before the whole house woke up... they were pretty cute though! :) And LOUD... apparently they were having a great time being bad! :)


A pic of Lou Lou in her pink before lunch on Monday...


We hadn't been gone 2 minutes when we found this in the back seat... he was so tired!! BIG weekend!!


Okay... now back to Georges... the end of our scavenger hunt... 

Around the table we go...


I look scary and sweaty!! Phew!


Kaki was the odd ball at the end...


WOAH! Funny little face!!


Sweet budding family...


The twinkies... so sweet!


After Georges we came home for cake and presents for Daddy! BLACK BALLOONS!! OVER THE HILL... duh, duh, duh...



Sunday night Justin's grandparents came over from Belton for dinner... we all planned on wearing black to surprise Justin yet again... it was hilarious as everyone came out from getting ready... one by one... in their black... Poppa was completely decked out!! It was great! And sweet Justin... what color is he in... PINK of course! It was awesome!

Later than evening we played in the backyard... we were getting SUPER SILLY by the time we made it to Bocce Ball... some action shots...




Monday Nana wanted us to snap a few pics before we all left...


I think it is safe to say that Nana and Bop's quiver is looking pretty full these days! And I know they do not take one ounce of it for granted!


Here are those golf pics...


Boy was it hot that day... Cade-man needed a snack in the cart! :)


They boys said he RAN... for an entire 9 holes... he loves him some golf with the boys!! :)


Oh yes... and Caden cannot come to Waco without a trip to the pond with Bop and Uncle Tag... LOOK... they caught some fish! 4 total... and almost got themselves a turtle! :) 


What a great weekend to celebrate Justin and of course Memorial Day! We acknowledge that without the sacrifice of so many men and women that weekends like this would not happen here on this earth and we are thankful that they do and that we live in a place that celebrates the the men and women who have paid and continue to pay the price for our freedom!

Happy Birthday Justin!! Thank you Ree Ree, Tag, Nana and Bop for loving Justin so well! He had a great weekend... we are so thankful for each of you! Love y'all!

More birthday posts to come... the surprises just keep coming...