A Big "Sumprise"

It's a busy day here with a big -hopefully - very exciting evening ahead!

Monday is Maya's 7th birthday but because of the work schedules of some family members and also, these things generally work out better on weekends anyway -we are celebrating her big birthday with a bit of a bash for her tonight.

And -let me also add this -It's a surprise! (Or, as she says it -"A sumprise!") We have said nothing at all to her about having a party for her for her birthday but it's definitely in the works.

Mandy is at work now -till about 4:30 or 5 p.m. and when she left this a.m., she took Maya and Kurt to her best friend's house to spend the afternoon with Jenn-Jenn and Nick-Nick and their three teenage children. Three kids who absolutely dote on these two little ones here and Maya and Kurt both love going there for a day on the weekends whenever possible.

That way, having them out from under my feet, it gave me the opportunity then to do some preparations for our meal tonight. Two of Maya's favorite things - Sloppy Joes and Macaroni and Cheese! We're also having hot dogs too and maybe I'll get really coordinated and figure out something else along the food lines that she likes and that I can easily pull together. Mandy's making the Sloppy Joes while she's at work and I already have the mac'n'cheese put together now plus, I have a pan of sweet rolls as well as a pan of flat bread that I hope will turn out like the Swedish Kaka bread the kids and I really love too.

Aunt Carrie called last night and we tried then to get Maya to tell us what she wanted for her birthday but she was really reticent about mentioning anything in particular.

Although the kids already have a small swing set in the backyard, I know Maya would love to have a big old wooden swing set but sad to say, that's just not gonna happen! She did finally tell Aunt Carrie last night that she would like to have a scooter but I'm pretty sure that won't be coming her way tonight either. She will, however, be getting a pretty good selection of little toys from the Hannah Montana stuff and I'll lay odds she'll be happy and excited over those items. (This kid is so into Hanna Montana that I'm wondering if maybe she's already the President of the local chapter of the Hannah Montana fan club!)

Mandy's worried whether Maya will be excited and if she will truly be surprised by this whole deal and I'm pretty sure she'll be surprised and I'm also pretty darned sure both she AND her brother Kurtis are gonna both be excited, hand-flapping little fools tonight!

Time for me to go check on my rolls and bread now and get them into the oven. Then, probably do up some deviled eggs as an "extra" food item more for the adults (Maya and Kurt won't touch eggs fixed like that with a ten-foot pole, ya know!) Too bad Uncle Clate is gonna miss out on that item since it's something he really loves!

I'll keep ya'll posted how the party works out and hopefully, will remember to get the camera in action with film and video at 11:00 - as that saying goes!