It's birthday time around here. Jacob and Hunter took their friends on a journey to Camp Half-Blood from their favorite books the Percy Jackson and the Olympians. They had 5 boys over and after receiving their official Camp shirts they went to the church for a game of capture the flag, the official game of the camp. They came back for pizza and blue jello, Percy's favorite color of food, and then went on a quest for the hidden treasure that took them to different scenes from the book. They climbed high into Zeus's liar, down into Hades underworld, and even fought off Medusa with worms(spaghetti noodles). It was a so fun. In the end they found their treasure, blue cupcakes with of coarse blue frosting. They played a Percy Jackson trivia game and won the coveted drachma (gold coin bubble gum) for each right answer. To finish the party they watched the movie. All in all it was a great success and we had fun putting it together. They are excited to celebrate their actual birthdays tomorrow along with valentine's Day parties at school. I can't believe they are really 11 and will be receiving the priesthood next year. Where does time go. They are such great young men.

Jonathan and I got to go out for a great Valentine's Day date last night. We had a gift card to Toucanos. We had a wonderful dinner complete with linen, candlelight, a take home long stem rose, and chocolate strawberries. We of course ate way to much and I don't even want to think about all the calories I consumed. We walked out of the restaurant into a wonder land of lights and fire. I don't know if any of you have been to the newly renovated Riverwoods but the courtyard at night is breath taking. We were able to stand by fire waist high fire pits and look and beautiful trees colored in lights and listen to a wonderful violinist. It was awesome and totally unexpected. We then went bowling, an activity that we haven't done in years. My scored reflected it. Jonathan on the other hand got multiple strikes and got a great score. It was fun but over all to fast for the money you pay. we remembered why we haven't gone for so long. We came home to a very fun decorated bedroom from the kids complete with paper hearts, and chocolates all over our bed. I had asked them to put up some hearts but they did a fabulous job. I wish I had taken a picture. We enjoyed foot rubs and a great movie, Inception. OK anyone who has seen it I would love to talk to year. That movie is mind bending.

We have a been a little jolted this weekend with two earthquakes. Maybe better described as earthshakes. The first one was Friday night during the boys party. It was at the same time all the boys jumped up yelling to go eat cupcakes so I thought they had just shook the floor until we got a phone call minutes later from MaryAnn asking if we had felt the earthquake. It shook the house enough to knock down a family picture from our shelf and shatter the glass. Then last night I was tossing most of the night with that movie going through my head when I felt the house shake again about 2:15am, this time much longer. My heart about pounded out of my chest. I was really awake then. Jonathan didn't even flinch so I wondered if I had imagined it although I knew I hadn't. Katy came in this morning asking if I had felt it. She too had felt it and it had knocked her letter off her shelf. It was nice to know I wasn't going crazy but unnerving to think the earth is starting to grumble!