my superbowl par-tay

this year's superbowl party was somewhat non-traditional. the game was on, of course, but there was no yelling at the tv screen, there were no big groups of people. we didn't have buffalo wings. we didn't drink beer.

we sat around in pajamas. we ate poppa's chili, pasta salad, homemade salsa, cucumber dip, nana's bacon twirls, fruit salad (yummy, yummy), rotisserie wings (not the same as buffalo wings), hot dogs, and something else...oh yes...tida's amazing, fantastic, oh-so-incredibly delicious buttermilk pie. yes, i had some of all of that. i will try to ellipitcal it off tomorrow.

i played football with my three year old nephew, luke. he went grocery shopping and used uncle jj as a checkout counter (he purchased peas and strawberry cupcakes, among other things). i watched my husband give drawing lessons to our niece scarlet. i tried her new fave snack (carrots dipped in mustard...i am not a fan). i watched helplessly as the new "doctors" on duty (scarlet in goggles and her doctor's apron, luke helping out, and our other niece lily giggling hysterically on the couch) sawed my husband's leg off...and then carefully put it back together with nothing but an ace bandage and a few well-placed knots. fortunately for jeremy, they did anesthetize him with a few shots first. they tell me he will survive. later on, my eavesdropping was rewarded with a fabulous rendition of taylor swift's "tears on my guitar" sung shamelessly by lily and uncle jj.

there are moments in our lives that make us smile, moments that you put away in your mind and bring out when you are feeling sad...these kids always make me laugh, they always make me forget my troubles and allow me to revel in the simplicity of just having a good time, being silly, and looking at things from a child's perspective. i love my family...all of them...and these three little monkeys are so good for my soul, such salve to an often broken heart.

and watching my husband play...that, my friends, is good for my marriage. i love that he can love those kids the way he does. i love that they skip over me to rush to him when he comes in the door. seeing him forget himself and just hang out with them... they aren't our kids, but they were definitely placed in our lives for a reason.

so thanks for a good time tonight scarletto, lily bean, and lukey boy. we needed it. aunt jenn and uncle jj love you.