Year 3, July 12th, 2018: The Day of My Birth Adventures

That's what it was!  An adventure!  So much to write about! Where do we begin? The day started out great with lots of birthday hugs.  Then we quickly got ready because we were going to the mall for Build A Bear's "pay your age" annual event!  Build A Bear is a stuffed animal store where you pick out an unstuffed animal, put a special heart or voicebox in it (and other things), they stuff it for you and sew it up, and then you can buy accessories for it.  It's very, very expensive, but on this day, you had to pay only what you age you are, therefore, Keturah could get any stuffed animal without any extra insides or outsides, for $10.  Stuffing is free.  Well, it was utter chaos at every store in the nation!  We got there about 10:15am, the store opened at 10.  People had started lining up outside the mall at 8am.  As the pictures below indicates, the line from the store wrapped around the entire inside of the mall and out one of the entrances on the opposite side of where the store is located.  I am not kidding that there were probably 2,000 people or more lined up.  Benaiah was awesome and went inside, walked the whole mall, and asked the clerk what was going on.  He noticed that the clerk was actually counting people off because they only had 800 stuffed animals.  He watched as she told someone that they would be the last person in line and to tell the people behind her that she was the last one.  Well, that person never did, nor did the clerk keep going and tell the rest of the line not to bother standing there.  They did dismiss the people outside the mall, but it wasn't until we were leaving about 2 hrs later that we saw security people actually stepped into the back of the line and shoo everyone else away!  The only smart thing that the clerks did was to only allow a few people into the actual store at the same time, which reduced any stampedes, but also created a wait time of 8 hrs for some people!  It was incredible!

We weren't one of the 800, so we got out of line and walked the mall instead, visiting a few stores along the way.  We didn't bring the stroller in, because I thought we would be in the Build A Bear store and it would be crowded.  Never again will I not take the stroller! Or a leash for the little boy who has a hard time standing still.  It was a long 2 hrs with him, and Justin forgot his water and developed a headache so he started to whine about leaving.  Keturah was upset because she was really wanting a stuffed animal and I did buy something else for her because I felt bad for her.  Benaiah was a saint and very helpful in stepping in like Jared would.  Overall, the kids did an excellent job, but it was hard.  Everyone got a turn to go in their favorite store though.  And we got some exercise.  And we learned why Mommy doesn't usually take you to these "events" or places that are crowded like the parades downtown, or free days at the children's museum, or grand openings somewhere, and especially not Black Friday sales.  My kids witnessed first hand the effects of greed and consumerism.  We also got to practice for how we will behave on vacation, especially with longer days outside in the heat.  We learned that we try to see things that each person wants to see, but that means we can't do everything.  We learned that we are going to bring a stroller, a backpack leash (which he laughed at on the car ride home and said, "I can undo that buckle!"), and the wrist leash for Abishai.  We did practice going potty when Mommy goes potty.  They did obey and stay close to me most of the time.

AND we experienced first hand some very rude behavior by a couple of women.  This story is worth telling because it will help us remember what NOT to do in chaotic situations.  We were in Claire's, a girly girl store, and it was crowded.  I think only one clerk was working at the time.  We were in line checking out, and behind Keturah and I was a mom probably with 2-4 kids.  Benaiah had just come in and grabbed Abishai for me to take him out of the store because at that point we were "done" with all the chaos.  Well, on his way out with Abishai, this woman in a scooter and her friend were trying to get into the store.  The friend literally told Benaiah to wait to the side so they could enter the store, when Benaiah was clearly trying to get out of their way! And then two seconds later, the children behind Keturah and I apparently walked in front of the scooter lady blocking her way.  Again, the friend was rude and told this poor mom "Can't you see she (in the scooter) is trying to get through?" with a tone of voice like, "control your children." The mom tried to defend herself and red flags went up in my head to just finish our transaction and run because I will not be a witness to a cat fight.  The clerk that was checking us out paused and was talking to the woman behind me (as I tried to duck my head and ignore what was going on) saying that she would kick the scooter lady and her friend out if they persisted and to not to worry.  You could tell that the poor clerk was already tired of the chaos of being busy, too.  We finished up and duck and ran pretty much.  I didn't know what else to do.  Benaiah said he would have defended himself if necessary, with words only, while I play chicken and run.  We had a good discussion of what happened on the way home.  I wish I could say that I told the kids to pray for the women but I mostly just talked about how we should never behave like that.  That it's hard to control kids in a chaotic environment, not matter how good a parent you are.  I'm sure the mom was just as tired and overwhelmed as I was.  She did at one point tell the clerk that she was trying to just smile and stay calm (or it could have been someone else behind us).  I feel like we dodged a bullet though and it makes me want to hide in my little bubble some more.  It still shocks me every time when I actually witness or experience this kind of stuff.  I heard someone using God's name in vain in the parking lot and it makes my skin crawl.  Wow, I hope the shock of it never wears off!  This stuff can't be normal, can it?

So we finally left the mall, ate some snacks in the car while Benaiah went into Best Buy for a few minutes, and drove home.  I was thinking of going bowling, too, but my back was hurting so badly from picking up Abishai and carrying a much too heavy purse for two hours.  Wow, it hurt!  So we just came home.  And it was a good thing because Justin ended up with a migraine and missed most of our dinner out.  The three other adults took turns with sitting with him in the car.  In fact, Leah ordered her food to be put in a to go box so she could eat while out there with him.  Then as Keturah was watching TV, she nose started to run, like having a head cold!  Great! Not! We don't need sickness on vacation next week!  Benaiah, Abishai, and I all had electronic time, too.  For me, I caught up on email, especially all the extra happy birthday wishes and loading pictures, which is a fairly brainless activity and allowed me to relax.  It did seem a bit awkward at dinner, but all I could keep thinking was that I have come to a dinner sick or with a headache and carried on because it was someone's birthday or special occasion so why leave after ordering drinks and be even more rude?  So, we made it work.  We worked out some details about vacation, which was starting to stress me out.  It was a yummy dinner and the kids ate some yummy Ritters' Frozen Custard.  Then Grandpa dropped Benaiah off to band rehearsal at Shelby St. (he's playing drums there on Sunday), and we took Grandma home.  Then it was time for the normal bedtime routine.

Overall, for me, it was a great day!  I went into the Build A Bear thing expecting utter chaos, so I was only a little disappointed when we couldn't even get into the store.  And I think I am relieved because I didn't have to spend money on things we don't really need to be spending on right now.  I had bought extra special foods and medications for the next two weeks of vacation, so our funds are low right now.  And we learned some lessons for the day.  And I didn't have to unpack or set up house, which 6 out of my 37 birthdays I have done.  And I had enough time earlier in the week and over the next two days to stay current with our daily to do's and then prepare for vacation.  So, I could thoroughly relax and let the day unfold.  And Jared was sweet all day with lots of "Happy birthdays" and hugs.  That's the stuff I love.  No gifts.  Just family and a decent meal I didn't prepare.  I spend enough money on my "needs" and "wants" with special food or this or that project.  So, I got to bed feeling like it was an eventful, adventurous, rich, full, tiring day.  Here's to my 38th year of life!

That's a mug shot if I ever saw one!  He doesn't know that I took a look at his drivers' permit, but it's too important not to take note of it.  Bwahahahaha, love you, buddy!

 This video is of my 7 1/2 yr old nephew Auggie, my sister Stefanie's son.  She's always had him call me "Aunt Mindy" and that's ok.  No one else does.

I remembered my selfies today!  Here we are standing in line waiting for Benaiah to find out what's going on at Build a Bear.  Oh, and they did actually close down the stores early, too, when they ran out of stuffed animals.

I'm going to show you a picture of the line every time we turned a corner just to show you how long it was!  This was right when we walked into the mall in Greenwood.

First turn to the right.

Next turn to the right.

And another turn.

Almost there.  The store front was just a few stores further.  Crazy!

So we walked right past them and into Von Maur.  The story about Von Maur is it's the store that Gary shopped at often when Benaiah was little, both for himself and for Benaiah.  A lot of Keturah's toddler fancy dresses came from here.  It's a beautiful department store, and often has a live pianist playing.

Whenever I brought the oldest three to the mall (once a month maybe?), we would go upstairs in Von Maur to this quiet little corner in the children's department.  In fact, taht wallpaper, the circus theme, and everything else on the wall was original to when Benaiah was 3 yrs old.  And their train was running, too!  The TV probably hasn't been working for about 6 years, lol.

What a great big brother!  Abishai asked for someone to help him see the train better.  Benaiah was sitting on the floor testing out his wifi and data, and I knew I would need him later, so I left him alone.

I remember when the older boys played with this steering wheel.

Unfortunately, they replaced the Thomas the Train table and trains with a restaurant play set.  But Abishai actually enjoyed it a ton!

Keturah with bunch of JoJo Sewah's (sp?) bows.  JoJo is that 15 yr old YouTube Disney star that acts like she's about 6.  Ugh.  And since Keturah hasn't worn bows since she was 3, I refuse to buy her any.  I will not contribute money to a brand that is just that, a brand, with no real content.

Yes, Justin was playing with unicorn pillow.

And he played with some dinosaur sunglasses.

Sweet diner though.  Another special thing about Von Maur is that they have a Women's Lounge complete with a quiet nursing mom's room!  I remember nursing Justin and Keturah back there several times.  It was so peaceful and quiet, too.  Right next to the woman's bathroom.  It also had a changing table. 

Um, why would you want to lather glitter on your body if you are out in the sun?  Wouldn't that blind people? Strange.

Cute!  It was hard to pull Abishai away from this.

And he loved these little rides, too.  I didn't put any money in, but he ran from one to the other just the same.

Hi, Keturah!

We went into Dick's Sporting Goods, which is technically separated from the main mall by patio area. We were looking for pools and trampolines.  And I remember how much Jared loved to come in here and buy ammunition for his guns or dream about outdoor things like camping.  Aaron, too, love this stuff.  It was a little more difficult to navigate with tired kids and a 3 1/2 yr old who wants to touch everything, but we survived.  I let him get into one kayak because it was cute, but was sure not to have free reign of the whole store.  He thought it was cool though!

I want to get into the boat, Mommy! Um, no, you can't.

Traffic cones!!  He literally squealed and ran over to them!  I thought about buying them, and probably should have.  He would have loved them!

Abishai also found a little ball and wanted to play basketball!  They put plexiglass or something over the rims so you can't actually get a ball through, but Justin tried anyway by throwing it up from the bottom.  You goofball, Justin!  Abishai tried throwing it a couple of times but the ball ended up hitting other things and we called it quits.

Back in the mall we went to the expensive comic book/nerdy fanboy/girl memorabilia store where the statues start at $200 and go to $10,000 for the life sized Ironman at the front of the store.  It was fun to watch Abishai point out and talk about the different superheroes he's seen on the Lego Superhero game.  Of course, he found a motorcycle and pointed that out, too.

Mommy, it's Batman!  And Ironman! And Superman! And Spiderman! (That's about the extent of his knowledge so far.)

And the big fan boy picked up this massive gun, which costs $200 or more because it is made of actual metal, not cheap plastic.  He also picked up a $150 lightsaber made with real metal.  It was pretty neat, but way beyond our pocket boooks.

Wait, what?! Let's just relive all the '80's feels why don't we?  Fraggle Rock! I grew up watching them!  I guess it's just another indication of my generation not wanting to fully grow up.  I mean, I understand the whole "kid at heart" thing, but I think our generation tends to take that too far and doesn't take responsibility serious enough.  Too much play, and not enough work, at least some people do that who "live for the weekend life."  You know what I mean.  I try to guard myself and make sure I know that these fun things have a time and place and we shouldn't bemoan the fact that we are adults and it is our duty to do adult things well.  In fact, the life skills class at Southside this year is being called "adulting" and you all know how I dislike that word and how it's used to bemoan the things that we must do as adults.  "I need to go be an adult now and do the laundry #adulting."  And that's being said by adults 25 yrs old and older.  I'm ok with the transition years of 18 and 19, maybe 20 to 21, but beyond that, get a grip and grow up.  Moving on now....

I did NOT tell him to pose like this!  He has latched onto Ironman and was super excited to stand in front of him and take a picture.  So adorable!

They do have a little kiddie play area in the mall, but of course that has changed drastically in the last few years.  But Abishai had a blast running off some energy.  And secretly, Keturah and Justin did, too!

Always having fun, this one is, although, he does it cautiously sometimes, with feet first.

LOL!  And then there's this one, always charging into life head first!

I nearly made my step goal in 2 hrs of walking at the mall before lunch time!  Final count was 6,880 for the day.  Yeah!

More kid ride fun.  He told the grandparents all about how the helicopter goes up high (which it didn't because we didn't put any money in it to make it go).  What an imagination!

You should hear how Abishai says "four wheel wer."  It's so adorable!

Oh goodness, I can't even take this one anywhere without him acting up!  Lol!  Actually, I couldn't do trips well without his or Jared's help.  And he was a good sport about it, even when he really didn't want to go.  And that's all I ask for, especially on my birthday.  He laughed and said, "Look, I have wings! (i.e. his knees sticking out).

Snack time in the car while Benaiah went into Best Buy to look at stuff.

That's his "this is incredibly yummy" pleasure face!

Made a special coffee drink at home instead of waiting in line for Starbucks at the mall.  Still felt a little bit yucky afterwards because I can't tolerate coffee beans well anymore.  I should have gone with half-caff.

Flowers off the back deck.

Abishai screen time watching Fireman Sam.  He brought the tablet over to me at one point and said, "I want to go to museum and play with Blippi." I guess he really like the place where Blippi was at in the video and wanted to play with him!  I hope he will have fun at the places we are going on vacation.  Not everything will be on his level of understanding though.

Watching videos of himself that I'm uploading.

I'm not sure what size jar this is, but it's bigger than the ones we have at home.  Maybe a quart size jar?  It a was massive raspberry lemonade with real raspberries.  I choose no carbs at dinner and no pop and no dessert because I knew this was going to be enough sugar for 3 days straight.  And it was a random pick.

Regular sized A1 sauce jar next this humongous mason jar.  We went to Logan's steakhouse near the Greenwood mall where we had just been a few hours earlier.

I always order steak, medium rare, but today I didn't go with mashed potatoes because usually there's milk and butter in it and my stomach was already unhappy with the coffee I drank.  So, I played it safe with a sweet potato (real butter on it, but it was ok) and roasted vegetable skewer so I could get some veggies in for the day.  Otherwise, I had no fruit and veggies today.  Lunch was portable snacks.  Anyway, it was delicious!  The steak was very, very good and didn't need any extra sauce.

At Logan's, you can watch them grill the meat!  You can also eat peanuts directly from the shells and throw the shells on the floor.  This would not be a good restaurant for someone with a severe peanut allergy.

Upping the selfie game. Plus Abishai asked for him to take a picture of him.

First time at Ritter's Frozen Custard for Keturah and Abishai.  We went for birthday dessert!  Justin doesn't recall coming here either, but I'm pretty sure we did once or twice when he was little.  I didn't eat anything because I was full of that raspberry lemonade.  Benaiah skipped dessert because he figured out that too much dairy affects his stomach and he was going to rehearsal tonight to play drums.  Smart choice.  Leah didn't have any because she had sweet tea earlier in the day and Jared doesn't eat sugar either.  We are pretty boring people when it comes to dessert, lol.  Abishai asked for "white ice cream" and that's exactly what he got.  Frozen Custard does taste a little different than other ice creams or frozen yogurt.  I used to have it when we were dating and early marriage.  I liked it.

There's no indoor seating at Ritter's and it's only open for the summer season.

Keturah and Justin got "worms 'n dirt" sundaes, so chocolate custard and gummy worms.  I bought her those arm sleeves/bands as a consolation prize after not getting a Build A Bear today.  They are a little goofy, but she wanted them and it was a way for her to not feel so sad about the whole affair.

Selfie game on point!  Me and the crew at Ritter's!

The palm trees are fake, but the custard is real.

Well, hi, there, let's just hug a lamppost shall we?  Reminds of the lamppost in the Narnia book series after Lucy goes through the wardrobe.  Just a little bit.

Hug away little man.

Sunglasses dude with WHITE facial hair.  I love it!

Sunglasses dude 20 years ago with his 5'o lock shadow I love.  And hair on the top of his head, too.  Cuteness!

Let's talk.

Got his game in the mail.  He waited six months to buy it until it was reduced in price.  It's Minecraft for his DS.  Yeah!

I asked for a birthday selfie.  He said yes, IF it included one of his baby trees.  So I let him.  And we laughed.

Sorry, but yes, I am going to document this.  That's a TON of WHITE.  And he will shave it off before tomorrow.  I love the scratchy growth though and Abishai loves it when Daddy tickles him with it.

Cracking up at me trying to take pictures of his white hair.  I really do love it and I think it make him look older and wiser.  I don't want a baby faced guy.  I want a smart, wise, experienced guy, thanks.  And the laugh lines are on point, too.  Sweet!

After we came home from the mall, Abishai started calling out for Daddy thinking he was home.  He was very sad when he couldn't find him.  Daddy's his favorite human being ever.  He's a Daddy's boy.