As a kid, I never understood when my parents had a birthday - they would always say, "We don't need anything.  Just make something for us."  
    I get it now.  Adam's Birthday is today.  I have been racking my brain trying to figure out what to do for him.  The funny thing is, all he's been saying is, "I don't need anything...just have the kids make something for me."  Hmmmm. 
    I have gone 'round and 'round on what to do until we finally went to the craft store to see if something would jump out at us.  It did.  There was a little kit of "Paint Your own Pottery" with six tiny animals inside.  
    We actually took the kids to a pottery store last year, you know, the kind where you pick out what you like, sit down, paint it and then they'll fire it for you?  It sounded like so much fun and probably would have been for a family that didn't have chimps.  I swear that experience took about three years off of my life.  As the kids ran around like little bulls in a china shop, the woman behind the counter peered over her glasses at us the whole time with a look that said, "Don't come back here...ever."  
    Needless to say, we haven't been brave enough to try it again, but THIS?  This would be in our own house, with no "You Break it, You Buy it" signs hanging about. 
    I cranked some music up and let the kids do their thing and they had a ball.  It was so much more stress free - even when Lauren knocked her cup of paint water over, it didn't even matter. 
    So, six little pottery animals of ALL different colors were handpainted by four little monkeys for Adam's big day today. 
    I think he's going to get a kick out of them...especially the pink and purple kitten.  
    It will be a fun Birthday for him I hope.  Oh - and there's one big, crazy, huge surprise that he's not going to believe.  JUST in case he's reading this though...I'll have to wait until tomorrow to spill it.  Happy Birthday Adam!  We Love You!