Happy Birthday, Nate!

Nate's birthday was this last week!

Kezia set up a pinata in a paper bag the day before.

(here we are with our pinata prizes)

If there is someone who is hard to find a gift for, it would be him. His passion is stand up paddling, and as the editor of supsurfmag.com, he's usually able to get what he wants for a very steep discount, so no need for me to pay full price for something! But there was one thing that is always on his mind that he does not get discounts on, and that is food. So I made him cinnamon rolls for breakfast and (drumroll please) BACON. And not just the skimpy transparent bacon. I got him the thick and juicy kind.

Kay gave him a new white shirt and nice shoes, a well-needed gift. The girls, as always, were so thoughtful in their gifts. Ivy colored pictures of him and made him a ball out of tape and streamers. Kezia asked me what he really wanted. I said a massage, so she gave him tickets for a free massage and a gold necklace. As a gift from me he received frozen burritos, beef jerky and Milano cookies. It turned out to be a gift for me as well, since he hasn't complained once this week of being hungry. ;)

Since it was conference weekend, and he said he was able to lie around without a bit of guilt, and even got the pleasure of a midmorning nap. (see him in the background?)

Our good friends the Plotts came over and we walked to the beach to watch the surf.

(Elysse, aka, snow white, promenading to the beach)

The girls and I walked around the rocks looking for shellfish.

(Ivy relocating a mollusk into her collection)

Nate received calls from family and friends. Thanks for calling!

Nate at 34 -- Does this man look relaxed or what?

Kay made chicken curry and Kezia and I made beef and broccoli for him. We had a bunch of friends over to enjoy the delicious chocolate-coconut cake Kay made. The crowd was bigger than we expected, and we crossed our fingers that there will be enough for everyone, and yet somehow we ended up with leftovers! And it wasn't because it didn't taste good.

So I hope he had a good birthday -- full of "Man"-food, plenty of rest, and good friends.

And then the day after, another birthday gift -- a new company sent Nate a "Skupboard" to review for the magazine. It's like a skateboard, but more geared toward surfers, kind of like a surfing training board, and it's super fun.

Kezia and Ivy had fun with the box of peanuts the board was sent in...

...but was it just a box of peanuts?!?