Birthday boy

Today we're celebrating Mike's thirty-fourth birthday!  Hard to believe we're already in our nearly mid-thirties... especially since we met at the ripe old age of sixteen. 

The festivities began yesterday with the annual birthday dinner I make.  I pick a meal I know Mike will love, but don't reveal the menu to him; it's so much fun for me!  This year I chose Jeff Mauro's meatloaf sandwich.  As I was watching The Sandwich King a month or so ago, I was pretty sure this was what I was going to make.  Mike adores sandwiches.  It was so very yummy!  Click here for the recipe.  It makes a lot, so it'd be a good make ahead for a group.  Pop it in the fridge & when it's dinner time, it's ready from oven to table in about an hour & a half.

Hello meatloaf, I'd like to eat you.  And I did.  And it was divine!

Cam & I cooked up the idea to do a princess themed party since we're always joking that Cam is going to have a Sofia the First (character from Disney) party instead of Mario.  Cam wanted to get Mike back & I was all in!

Mike & Reese were surprised to see the plethora of balloons & streamers as they came through the garage door.

Although Cam looks bored in this picture, I can promise you he was anything but!

I whipped up a rich & decadent chocolate peanut butter pie from The Pioneer Woman.  Mike's favorite combination is peanut butter chocolate so as I watched The PW nearly a year ago, I knew this would be the cake.  I think I'll be hitting the gym tomorrow, but it was worth every last calorie!  Click here for the recipe.

Since Cam loves blowing out candles, we decided to throw in a celebration for his four & a half birthday which was a few weeks ago.  He was pretty excited about it; I think he loves birthdays nearly as much as I do.

My sweet little girl always seems to miss out on the excitement, but she is just too darn pooped to stay up past her bedtime.  Oh, and we wanted to have a relaxing meal.  These days after she's in her highchair for five minutes, she starts saying, "All done!!" and wanting out NOW.

Grammy gave me an idea to follow a question & answer session from Cam about his daddy so I printed it & gave it as part of his card.  When I asked Cam how old Mike was, he said 7... ha, ha!  And by the way, Mike's eyes are brown, definitely NOT green!  Ah, kids, so cute & innocent!

Tonight is just the start of the celebration since we're heading out for breakfast tomorrow & then out for dinner & drinks with our friends in the evening.  What?  An evening with just adults?!  Heck yeah!!!  Happy 34th birthday, Mike!  You're the best!  Thank you for cracking me up even when I'm on the verge or in the thick of hysterics..  no one knows how to make me laugh quite like you!