The very wonderful gift that I was given today
Tomorrow’s my birthday. We’ve got a big dinner planned, with family and guests and stuff.
Maggie, though, wanted to do something for me from her and Max without everyone around. So today, in the late afternoon, she called me on my cell phone at work and asked when I was coming home, because they had set up a ‘surprise’.
When I got home, the curtains were drawn, and the lights were off, and there was a note on the door that said “Don’t turn on the lights!”
I went in, and heard “Come find us!”
I crept into the darkened room, finding the kids hidden on the couch under some pillows. They jumped up, and Max yelled “Happy Not-Birthday, Dad!” as they turned on the lights.
When the lights came on, I found that the room had been transformed into a Birthday Carnival! All for me!
Maggie turned on the Kim Possible CD she’d selected for the Carnival music, and as it rocked the house they showed me the awesome card they’d made me, and the carnival games they’d created!
Maggie had taken the whole thing VERY seriously, and had done her research in a book entitled Great Stuff – 100 Fun Projects For Kids. She worked for two days to put all this together! Both kids were the carnies in charge of 3 games each, and Jeanne and I played them all. (Then, of course, WE played the carnies and the kids got to play the games!)
So all night long we played Toss The Dog A Bone,
and Knock The Turkeys Off Their Perch,
and Bingo, and Superball Target Toss, and Snowman Tic-Tac-Toe, which I think she made in Art Class at school,
and we jumped on the giant pile of couch cushions and pillows that was our Bouncy Moonwalk!
There were even Prizes for everyone who played!
Of course there was some dinner mixed in with the evening, and lots of hugs and cuddles before bedtime!
One of the best birthdays ever!
Tony Caselli 
Oh Tony
I have tears rolling down my cheeks
You have the best family ever!
Thanks, RR! I’m a lucky guy. You’re not supposed to be crying, though! You want a Tootsie Roll ™? I won a whole bunch at the carnival! 🙂
What a fabulous night! Love the photos!
Thanks Allison! It really was pretty great. Glad you like the photos! Isn’t the Dog game sweet!?
Oh my gosh! If I ever have kids, I want kids like yours!!!!!!
Happy Birthday too!!!!
Thanks for the Birthday wishes!
You know, if you want my kids, you could have them for, say, one or two Saturday evenings a month…
Are you offering me a job?
*sigh* I only wish I had money to pay babysitters right now…
come to think of it, just money in general would be useful…
Aww! Happy happy birthday!
Thanks!!
Happy Birthday for 51 more minutes! I hope it was the BEST! You have a blessed year ahead of you-I can tell!
Thanks Beth!! I have a good feeling about this year, too! 🙂
Okay, this is my first time leaving a comment…I don’t really know what I am doing 🙂 Tony, that gift your children gave you is absolutely priceless. The best thing is I can imagine how excited you were about it and that must have made them feel completely validated and loved by you. I think I’m gonna go cuddle a bit with my two little ones…..love you, SK
SK! Hooray! How nice to see you! I hope you stop by often!
It really was one of the best birthday presents ever! We all had such a fun time.
Give those little ones of yours big hugs for me!
Hey, this is really kind of fun…you may have gotten me hooked! 🙂 By the way hon, did I miss the first episode of the Amazing Race yet? You spoke with such passion about it, i feel like I gotta give it a try….xoxox SK
Excellent, I was hoping to get you addicted!
Actually, the next Amazing Race doesn’t premiere until February 28. So you can set your TiVo!
In fact, This link will take you to some excellent info about The Amazing Race!