DeDe's 6th Birthday

I live 5 hours away from the majority of my family and even more than that from others. It was a choice I made - the worst part is when there are birthday parties that I refuse to miss.  No matter what. 

Like last Saturday for instance was my nephew Ethan's ( DeDe ) 6th birthday.  For numerous reasons I have yet to make it to one of his birthday parties thus far. I was not going to let lame adult excuses get in the way of me missing another one!

Lame adult excuses began to surround me: working on Friday, wanted to be in my ward on Sunday, couldn't afford to travel all 5 hours one way (have you seen the price of gas these days?)...  so on and so forth.

I made a non-lame adult decision - gather all of your money and gather up your best travel buddies ... and get in the car -  7:30 am to be exact!

sweetest dog in the world - Chewie

Mr. Mischievous - Rocky

              

They are the best kind of travel companions in that they don't complain about my selection of music, how loud I like to play my music, how fast/slow I drive, or even if I am taking pictures with my cell phone as I drive down the freeway.  They aren't much for conversation -

The trip started to get a little long once the rain began to pound my windshield -

I was really beginning to wonder what exactly I was thinking cramming 8 hours worth of driving and 3 hours at Chuck E Cheese into one day when I saw this face.

The Birthday Boy - Ethan "My DeDe"

He was so handsome on this day with his new haircut and smart shirt.  As soon as I saw him the whole trip was worth it.  Then there were more awesome children ready to attack all the rides at this incredible empire of children's magic!

Lil Olivia Michelle - how I love her and her crazy faces

 

 

 

DeDe's big sister - Hailey - she is an amazing big sister.... AMAZING

It was an awesome day - Bianca didn't stop moving long enough to get a picture of her. Another adult excuse - I didn't remember my camera at a nephew's birthday party.  Luckily, my Auntee Helen (as I still call her even in my mid-thirties ) took plenty of pictures and probably has them already burned onto a CD for the next time I visit.

I don't have children of my own - a fact that pains me most days and most nights. Being able to be a part of my nephew Ethan's 6th birthday for a while takes that pain away.  They are not my children but they are my blood.  I will be the best aunt I can be and hope to aspire to be as great as my Auntee Helen who in my eyes is PERFECTION. If she ever reads this she will cry - and I am glad. She has taught me a million things - including how not to be a lame adult with lame excuses that get in the way of a child's day.