Carl's 25th Birthday

Carl's birthday fell on Easter this year so we decided to celebrate a week early. It was, once again, a low key, no stress event. Usually I would plan a day full of adventures and presents to celebrate Carl's special day but we decided to just have a small family gathering instead. Max is mostly responsible for this change in tradition. It is a lot more difficult to have an extended day of outings with a 3 month old. The full day of birthday fun will make a return once Max is a little older and can accompany us (or stay with a sitter for more than 2 hours).

My mom made Carl's special birthday meal after church. Brock, Jen,Tyler, and Isabel joined us for the fete. Instead of having ice cream, his usual birthday treat, Carl opted for a healthier but equally delicious dessert. We had strawberry almond crumble. It was quite tasty but didn't hold up his birthday candles very well.

Carl received lots of great presents this year. Brock, Jen, and family got him a Subway gift card and new running socks*. My mom, dad, and Jordan said they would pay for a few application fees and I bought him Quantum of Solace and Bolt. All in all, it was a nice way to spend a Sunday.

*If you are wondering why there seems to be an emphasis on healthy food and exercise, we are currently having our own Biggest Loser competition. We are at our halfway point and Carl is the man to beat. Everyone is doing really well and making healthy and lasting changes in their life. In my quest to shed the last of my baby weight, I am trying to focus on proper nutrition. Eatingwell.com is a great resource for healthy recipes and the like. It even has a feature that makes your favorite recipes healthier.