Family Love, Anniversary Cheesecake, and an Early Birthday Celebration

Last month my parents told me that they were able to get a week off in January close to our anniversary. When sharing this they told us to try and plan some fun Anniversary time for ourselves while they were going to enjoy their grandsons as well as have a mini-birthday celebration for Linus since his birthday is coming up in early February. 

Making two back to back trips up here for a birthday is tough so their thinking was great and helped us to take advantage of time - something that can so easily be brushed aside when taken for granted. See, that's the nature of things when you live far from family. Ordinary is flexibility and making things happen when you can! It's really really trying to embrace that time together because, since we don't see each other easily on the daily, we have to strive to be as present as possible when we are all together. The memories happen. The smiles and conversations flow. And, love grows.

That evening nothing was taken for granted, we enjoyed each other, ate good food, and blew out some birthday candles!

There's so much love between this little boy and his uncle. You can just see it in their faces!

This BBQ place was interesting. A good portion of it was outdoors and being that it was stinkin' cold outside, we are all trying to snuggle to keep warm and Bigfoot enjoyed being a cloud-breathing dragon for the night.

That my friends is where there was quite a bit of grilling going on.

And that is the menu. Good night! Talk about too many choices! When I see menus like this I get super overwhelmed and scatter brained and then end up under or over ordering or forgetting something major. Like that night. I forgot to get ribs. Of. all. the. things! The ribs???!

Sigh. My mama is so beautiful!

A shot of the main grill with all of the meat.

Where they were keeping the mesquite and whatever other wood of choice burning. This kept the toddler dragons at peace for a little.

These faces are hungry ones.

The above bad boys were chosen by none other than the almost two year old himself. There is much resemblance. And, I say this with the fondest of mama hearts.

Dos.

He did it!

The grandparents!

The older brother all too happy to partake in the sweets and claim all gifts.

The leftovers. Oy! I really wasn't kidding on the messing up the ordering part.

My parents also got us a little Anniversary cheesecake to enjoy. Like what I did there in the pic? 5 years of love and goodness, ups and downs, and lots to be thankful for! Also, I really really really really am wanting to write our How we met story but between teething two year old, vomit and diarrhea between two toddlers on our actual Anniversary date because Hard Eight BBQ did not agree with them, I haven't found the time! But, soon! Because I heart the story and it makes me smile because God's Will is kind of amazing and crazy and hard and awesome and we are testimony to all of it!

And now a special feature of the soon to be two year old. This mama can't even believe her baby is about to turn two! The floodgates have yet to be released. Probably because we're still trying to wean and your two year old molars are wreaking havoc on your sweetness; but I love you, my sweet boy, something fierce and always will.

Hope y'all enjoyed that bit of ordinary and bit of beauty that we were able to embrace with family in town!

Linking-up with Gina for Embrace the Ordinary.