Emma is 7!

Thursday was Emma's 7th birthday and we celebrated in typical Lindner style- just the 7 of us! I think this is my favorite way, since I could happily commit us all to hermitude. I don't mean to say that I don't like people, (I don't like a LOT of people) but my most comfortable place is here with my husband and kids.

Since I had a doctor's appointment in Odessa that morning, it was a mad dash to get Anna and Leah to their second babysitter of the morning (big thanks to both!) and McDonalds for the obligatory "Happy" Meal and lunch at school. She was so happy to see me...probably because of the "happy" meal, it made the whole morning rush worthwhile. Whatever it takes to give her a "happy" birthday. I digress. I suppose the icing on the cake was when I stopped suddenly at a light and her special request cake flew across Edward (the new Nissan Armada) and met a frosty end in it's box. We had our very own "cake wreck" (a great blog, by the way). I smeared the icing back on in a pitiful attempt at salvaging the cake (and saving myself the work of baking!). See pictures to fully appreciate the shame. It just goes to show you that it doesn't matter what the cake looks like as long as you cover it with "kiddie crap" (one of Dad's favorite sayings).

The birthday girl got High School Musical Sing it, which made for a weird afternoon of karyoke. We aren't really performers in this family, we mostly just like to sit back and make fun of them!

Since our family is so spread out, our birthdays tend to be also. Emma got birthday clothes from Grammy to wear to school and church this week, then the microphone of humiliation on her birthday, and Saturday a little more from her friends.

We had a few families over for a barbecue to celebrate again. Good food and lots of it, good friends and still getting the kids to bed at a decent hour. I'd say it was a success!

I may have used parentheses somewhat liberally...(you think?)