It’s the most wonderful month of the year: “Ambruary!” OK, more like our most stressful month juggling three trips (including a family reunion next week with Jamie’s family), my birthday, our anniversary and Valentine’s Day. Money is super tight so we’ve already agreed not to buy gifts and really, nothing can compare to 2007 when Jamie surprised me with a car.
Lest you are blown away that Jamie bought me a car for my birthday, let me clarify something: we’d been in the market for a while. He had just received a promotion at the newspaper so we could finally afford an extra car payment. Now, that car is almost as old as me and desperately needs to be replaced.
We also decided to go to a new snazzy restaurant. Our cruisin’ friend Ivan gave us a $50 gift certificate he and his fellow attorneys received for their grand opening. That should have been tip-off #1 that we’d have to mortgage our house to pay for the balance. Tip #2 was when there weren’t any menus…or prices listed anywhere. Tip #3 wasn’t until we received our bill and learned they charged us $20 for Haddie’s meal. You know: the food she picked off our plates that consisted of one green bean, three bites of meat and a roll.
I won’t divulge how much we ended up forking over for our fantastic dinner, even after the discount. Just know in that month, we blew our entertainment budget. For the entire year.
And then for the pick-me-up conversation with my mother I had that day:
“Yeah, I’m 35. Can you believe it? Doesn’t that make you feel kinda old, Mom?”
“It should make you feel old, Amber!”
Good to know the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree…
Baby Bode also had a birthday gift for me: he slept through the night and didn’t wake up until 5 a.m. Or so I thought. Until I realized that my poor rheumatism-ridden honey woke up with him.
Jamie: “You mean you didn’t hear him screaming bloody murder?”
What I said:
“I didn’t hear a peep! I’m so sorry you had to endure that!”
What I wanted to say:
“Thank you, NyQuil.”
Here’s for surviving another epic Ambruary.
I'm a Canadian-born mom of two, former Denver Post columnist, family travel writer, editor of MileHighMamas.com and 9News contributor. Expert on all things Utah, Denver, family and travel. Lover of laughter and life. Happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin. 