Mama's birthday week- Henry.

When we got home on Monday night, mama was NOT pleased to find we had another outbreak of tiny ants in the kitchen. To keep us occupied while she cleaned out the pantry again, she got the bins of toys out of the attic for us to rotate. We played happily by ourselves for a few hours. I was so happy to have our "new" toys, that I packed up the bins with old toys, put away all the new toys, and even carried mama's bags upstairs. She asked me what my game was and I responded "I have work to do, mama. I don't have time to play games."

June remember that she loves the red, round blocks and has been building very tall towers.

"Oh no!"

On Tuesday, we got a notice from school that a few kids in my class had strep throat. Of course, I came down with a fever that afternoon. On Wednesday morning, I complained that my throat hurt. Normally, mama wouldn't rush me to a doctor over a low fever, but she decided to play it safe this time. The doctor looked at my throat and assured mama that a low fever and a red throat didn't always mean that I needed antibiotics. Mama was a little offended because she is not a drug demanding, freaking out mom. So she celebrated her silent victory when the strep test came back positive. While we were waiting for the prescription to get filled, mama took me to the Sonic for a slushie for my throat. Good thing we went to the doctor so early. Mama thinks we got the meds before the strep really hit me, so I never really felt that bad and got to go back to school on Friday.

Things didn't improve on Wednesday when papa discovered that we had no hot water. One look under the house at the water heater (that was gushing water) and we knew we had a problem. The bad news was that our old hot water heater (original to the house-35 years old!) was shot. The good news was that the plumbers were able to get the new hot water heater installed in under four hours.

(This is completely off subject, but want to hear a funny story? Mama was lamenting how we were bleeding money this week with exterminator bills, plumber's bills and doctors bill's. So they decided to move some money over from their savings to their investment account, thinking that maybe if it was invested, nothing else could break in the house. Papa joked "Well, this ought to guarantee a stock market crash tomorrow." And don't you know, the stock market did crash. On a technical glitch. Sigh. There goes my inheritance.)

Thursday was mama's birthday. In addition to the great present of a new hot water heater, we took her to a strawberry farm down in Anderson. We had a great time! June and I each had our own tupperware containers to carry. We both insisted on picking our own strawberries. Mama liked not having to bend over (except when June wanted to pick mushy strawberries off the ground). June was so mad when mama insisted on putting a lid on her bowl and really lost it when mama didn't let her hold it in her car seat.

Here's half of our bounty and two sweaty kids.

June shook her bowl so much that most of her strawberries were bruised. So mama spent the afternoon making 4 jars of freezer jam out of June's berries and chocolate shortcakes for my strawberries.

We took mama out for supper for her birthday. She declared it a holiday and drank a beer with her burger. Then she really got lucky when someone came out to the patio where we were sitting and smoked a cigarette upwind from her. Have we ever mentioned mama's weird pregnancy cravings to smell cigarette smoke? Not to smoke cigarettes, just to stand next to someone who is smoking. Sorry, little brother or sister. She did it with us too, and we turned out okay. We'll be rooting for your and the few brain cells you have left. Papa says its the best mood mama's been in in months and is trying to figure out a way to get mama's doctor to let her have a beer every night.

When we got home, there was an ice cream caking waiting for us. Looks like mama dropped enough hints and now papa knows to get one every year.

Today, we all took late naps and no one woke until after 5:30. So after supper, we decided to have a movie night. (Did you know you can find codes on the internet for free Redbox rentals?) We rented the Princess and the Frog. I liked the alligator and June though the frogs were hilarious.

Mama though we were pretty cute watching the movie, so she took some pictures. June in focus.

Me in focus.

And we'll take you out on a video. I came up with a really funny impression this week. No one is quite sure what it is an impression of, but it's me saying "That's impossible" in a really funny voice. Mama couldn't stop laughing and I was reduced to the giggles eventually too.