It's OVER!!

Basketball season ~ check
Celebrated a birthday ~ check
Sent out invites for birthday party #1 ~ check
Sent out invites for birthday party #2 ~ check
Sent out invites for Jewelry party ~ check
Changed the ivory outlets and switch in the black granite to black ~ check!

This isn't everything, but it's what comes to mind when I think about what's been done this last week.

Saturday was a 2 for 1 ~ the final tournament of the BB season AND Chris' birthday
The tournament. . .
I won't bore you with the details, we will NEVER recommend that DV send a team to HULL, IA for a tournament again ~ just one thing I'll share and you can go with it from there in your mind. . .

The referees from our first game were also the coaches of the team we had to play the 2nd game ~ yahhhaaa, not sure how that one works!

After the game, though, most of the players were able to stop in LeMars to the ice cream shop for a treat from the coach.

 There are our boys (minus a couple little ones) :~)

 Lori and I were going to get a picture with our boys all day on Saturday and it wasn't until we dropped them off at home that we were finally able to.  I'm not sure why the photographer/coach didn't tell Taite to stand in back since he is the biggest of the boys, but next time. . .

When we got home that night, our "electrician" had gotten a ride from his neighbor (who was on his way to St. Louis) and was at our house.  Chris didn't feel like grilling on his birthday so we went to RED ROBIN yuummmmmm. . .  for supper.  Nothing too exciting so I hope the birthday boy wasn't disappointed, but we can make up for that tonight!  We are celebrating Chris and Jane's birthdays at Pasta Night at the club since Chris' birthday was Saturday and Jane's was Sunday but she was gone for the weekend. 

As most of you know, I hate planning and hosting birthdays, so the next week and 1/2 are going to be stressful for me!  To add to that stress, I'm also having my jewelry party on Tuesday night (once I have the house clean, I might as well, utilize it to the fullest! haha).  I'm very excited for this party for 2 reasons.  The main reason ~ whenever I see one or two or all of these women I have invited at something we always share a good laugh and have fun!  You know how you are supposed to surround yourself with others who make you happy?  That's what I'll be doing ~ can you feel the excitement???  Add a little wine to that and shopping and you've got the perfect evening!!!

Oh, yeah, about the outlets in the kitchen "barland" (bar/island).  The electrician who worked on this house initially just used the same color as he did in the walls despite the granite being a black mix.  They looked terrible and stood out like a sore thumb!!  So, one day while I was at work and our electrician was at our house waiting for his return ride :~) he changed them out for me ~ YAHOO!!!  It looks SOOoooo much better now!!  Now about getting some things on the walls. . . haha! 

I suppose, I'd better get to work so I can pay the bills ~ hehe.  Actually, with Japan in the situation it's in, each day we are waiting for "the email".  It seems as though the "it's not as bad as we had anticipated" email we received last week from one steamship line lifted our spirits (just Chris and mine, well, on second though, probably just mine) but that was only from a company who was "stopping by".  'The lack of fuel at the port was not as bad as anticipated.'  'The congestion of containers at the port was not as bad as anticipated.'  But, these are not the people who have to deal with everyday cleanup and, unfortunately, the email we received from the company in Japan we work with, it's not good. 

With so many people lost, that cuts down on the demand.

With so much to clean up and fix, that cuts down on money to be spent on the product.

People saving money and cutting back will not be entertaining others, which cuts down on demand.

The age of the population of Japan is cutting down on demand (we actually learned this last summer ~ the younger generation of Japanese people do not like Tofu and traditional food, they prefer a more western diet which includes a lot less soy!)

The number of small-sized tofu manufacturers who will not re-open their business producing food products will be reduced by the 1000's.

The larger tofu manufacturers are expecting huge reductions in demand despite being the "big dogs" in the market.

That is our little lesson for this week, so please continue to pray for their recovery efforts as we are all so very blessed and fortunate.