As luck would have it, we were in California for Karen’s birthday so we imposed on the grandparents to watch the kids while we went out for a couple hours. First stop, was the San Diego temple, since we’ve never been there. When we went inside they told us we “had” to ask to see the atrium on the top floor. Above the celestial room there is an indoor roof garden/sitting area where you can look up and see the top of the towers. Pretty.
Then we had the perfect birthday meal — a sandwich. Nothing like cold cuts on your B-day. Actually, one of the paintball guys I know co-owns this restaurant in San Diego by the beach, so in our nice clothes we went to the sandwich deli.
Since I brought a suit for the wedding I’d be flying out to in NY in a couple days I was definitely way more over dressed than Karen. And attempting to eat a meatball sandwich in a suit was quite fun. I made it all the way until the end, when I spilled on my sleeve. Dangit! But a little baby wipe and water scrubbing, plus a dab of bleach and it was cleaned up.
Here we are in front of the beach. Karen loves the smell of the beach.
Then we went back home for some birthday cake with the family. As you can see, Karen got what must be recognized as the only true “Happee Birthdae Harry Potter” birthday cake. It’s an exact replica of the cake Hagrid made Harry in HP Episode I. Right down to the part where I skillfully frosted it so it looks like I may have sat on it a time or two… but I imagined it will taste fine just the same.
Here is Karen’s reaction on seeing the awesome Harry cake. She was also excited she only had to blow out 11 candles. I was almost overruled by the Chapmans, but I insisted the cake needed to remain as authentic as possible, and even using candles was a violation of my deep HP Ep I cake-replica principles. But I let it slide since Harry was 11 when he received his invitation to Hogwarts. After thinking about it, we realized that this Karen’s 11th birthday celebrated since we got married.
Marion really liked the singing. We’re excited for her birthday.
Here’s Elora abandoning all pretense of eating with cutlery and just picking up the cake with her hands to lick off the frosting.
Marion, meanwhile, was happy to be out of the highchair and playing around with a hard hat. Which was helpful on their tile floors since she’s walking like crazy now.
