Popsicles, Popcorn, and Play

The 10-day forecast has only highs above 100 degrees.  These photos were from the end of April, and I can't believe we were still in long sleeves. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday, Craig! or What, we used to think 40 sounded old?

Craig turned 40 April 8th.  Fortunately he did so without any midlife crisis or even any anxieties over getting older and grayer.  For his birthday I had a "Not So Newly Wed" party with 12 other couples.  I took very few pictures, none worth sharing, but we had so much fun.  Below are some of the questions I asked.

Questions for the women to write the answers to, and the men to answer out loud:
1. What would our husband say he would most like you to take a course in?  (Most contentious answer given by a husband was "organization".)
2. What would your husband request as a last meal?
3. What adjective best describes your husband's family?
4. What is the first thing your husband would buy if he won the lottery?  (Most answers were cars or motocycles.)
5. Who takes longer to get ready in the morning?

Questions for the men to write the answers to, and the women to answer out loud:
1. What would your wife say is her ideal date night?
2. Where did you go on your last date? 
3. What one item of yours would your spouse like to get rid of?
4. Within 3, how many pairs of shoes will your wife say she has?
5. Where was the cheapest or worst place you and your wife have ever spent the night.  (Of all the questions of the evening, this had the most interesting and hilarious answers.)

Here are some photos from the birthday morning.  Craig is usually responsible for fancy birthday pancakes, so these are just my best effort. 

 

 

 

 

Red head at play

Another Ball

The ball wasn't so, so much fun, but I had fun dancing with the boys before.

Coach Craig

Craig coached the little ones in soccer this past fall and then baseball this spring.  It is just a way for the kids to learn a few skills and get out on a Saturday morning.  Not just because I am biased, but he really does a great, great job with having fun with them, keeping some kind of control, and teaching some skills.

 

 

 

The sorta serious Coach Craig

Coach Craig playing Rattle, Rattle, Here comes the Cattle

Navruz at the Kids' School

In March, the kids had a small production and celebration for Navruz, the time when this part of the world celebrates the beginning of spring.

Vic with his class with splashes of Uzbek clothes

Seth dancing with his class  (Sidenote:  Seth went through about two months when he insisted on wearing mismatched socks everyday.  I had no problem with the socks, but I gave up trying to find matches in the laundry.)

Vic dancing with his group

After the production the school had plov and entertainment for the parents and kids.  This is plov, a meat and rice pilaf, being prepared in the traditional manner.  (Also, per tradition, it is prepared by the men here.)

 

The entertainment was this interesting guy with dogs that did tricks.

... and a bird

... and a monkey.  How often can you say, "There was a monkey at my kids' preschool today."