Most Drawn-out Birthday Celebration Ever

Yesterday I received a Wii Sports Game Disc in the mail. "Wow, girls! Thank you so much--what a great idea for a birthday gift!" I gushed.

With confused looks on their faces, they both said, "Ummm, we didn't get that, Mom."

"Really? Well then, who did? It was a perfect idea. Maybe you should call your dad and ask him."

When Carl answered his phone, Hailey asked, "Dad, did you buy Mom a Wii Sports disc?"

Pause.

"If you didn't, who did?" Hailey asked.

Pause.

"Oh," Hailey replied to Carl, then turned to me. "Did you buy it for yourself, Mom?" she questioned with accusation in her voice.

I replied, "What? Hmmm. I guess I did. But wasn't that the perfect idea for a gift?"

See, I could tell by early last week that no one had given much thought to my birthday present this year, but I'm not one to pout. Instead I got on e-bay and found just what I wanted.

"We're making something for you, Mom. It just isn't finished yet," Katie informed me. Keep in mind, my birthday was Saturday.

"That's nice. Until then, is anyone up for some tennis?"

"No, we have something to do," they answered, then suspiciously scurried upstairs.

About thirty minutes later they asked if they could walk to Casey's for something, but they couldn't reveal what something was. I allowed it, knowing it was key to my birthday gift. I'm smart like that.

After returning from the convenience store and spending a few more minutes upstairs, they entered the dining room shouting, "Don't look, Mom!"

Finally, the big reveal:

The white sign says, "It's your day, be merry and eat candy." Then says "candy" again with an arrow pointing to--you guessed it--the candy.


They painted a flower pot and a tin can gold and attached turkey feathers left over from the turkey Carl shot this spring. "We disinfected the feathers, Mom. Don't worry." The "feet" are full of peanut M&Ms. Smart girls. They know that chocolate heals anything.

This present was worth waiting for.