Busy Day Ends in Party

Today started off bright an early at 7am and is just now winding down.

Kenzie, Tyler and I headed to Laurel this morning to watch her softball team play in a tournament.  Even though she can't play, she wanted to be there to support her team.  I was a little worried that she'd be depressed sitting on the bench watching the other girls play but she seemed to handle it well and everyone seemed genuinely happy to see her.   We had to leave right before the end of 2nd game but her team had won the 1st game, was losing the 2nd and haven't heard how they did in the 3rd.

We ran home (okay, drove quickly) so we could meet family that was arriving at our house at 2 to celebrate Connor's 15th birthday.  My parents, sister, and my nephews were coming.  As a bonus we got my BIL.  I thought he had to work today but he was able to get off early enough that he made it over with the others.  What a nice surprise.  I think Connor was really surprised with the present from my parents....shown in the picture.  He was pretty speechless as he was opening the items associated with it.  I just hope he remembers that we celebrated his b'day today and doesn't expect something on Tuesday, which is his real b'day.  Hopefully he'll be too busy between baseball practice and piano practice that night that he won't remember.  Is that a bad mommy thought?  ;)

My youngest nephew decided he didn't like the cake and ice cream we served and decided to munch on an ink refill instead.  I should have snapped a pic of the nice ink blob on the floor.  It certainly didn't hurt it any...thankfully we have a hardwood laminate and things wipe up pretty easily on it.  But I have learned the trick of making a paste of baking soda and water and rubbing it on ink marks on good wood furniture.  I about had a heartattack when I saw the ink that covered our wooden chess table but that's a story for another time.  And speaking of ink being on things...my oldest son seems to have a fascination with leaving ink pens in his pants pockets and they are forever being run thru the washer/dryer.  Which is not good for them...or the clothes they come into contact with.  I found another instance of this yesterday.  The silver lining in this cloud was that I've learned to wash/dry his clothes all by themselves so if things get ruined it's only his clothes in that state...not the rest of the households.  As and added bonus, summer uniform starts at school tomorrow so that means that his last pair of pants that just came out of the dryer with ink marks on them are no longer needed.  Yeah, I'm looking for anything to make this better.  ;)