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25 July 2013

Birthday at the Camp

***DISCLAIMER***
Today's post is being written by Simon, not Grace because...today is her birthday.  Part of her birthday present is getting to take some time to herself which means no blogging and only light kid duty (well as light as it can be around here).  I am sure if you were to take to your social medium of choice to join me in wishing her happy birthday she would love it.

I tried to enlist the kids' help as well but as you can see from take #15:


...there must have been a miscommunication somewhere.

I'll spare you the whisper video and the one where they just yell (more).

As Grace documented here, her birthday 5 years ago was also the day we were engaged, which means two things:
1. I am always reminded today of how lucky I am she said yes
and
2. It set the birthday present standards bar pretty high

In terms of number one-I really am lucky that 30 years a few decades some years ago Grace was born and fate decided to bring us together.  As the loyal readers know Grace is funny, witty and a dedicated mom (understatement of the year).  What some of you know and many may not is that real life Grace blows blog Grace out of the water. 

Regarding number two--tune in tomorrow where (maybe) you can find out how she spent her day.

Please join me, Julia, Bash, and Theo in sing-yelling...."HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you...."


142 comments:

  1. Ahhh, I am sure her heart just swelled seeing this! Happy day of birth, Grace Patton!

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  2. Happy Birthday Grace! Have a wonderful day!!

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  3. Happy birthday, Grace!!! What a sweet post :)

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  4. Happy Birthday, Grace!!!

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  5. Happy birthday! What a sweet tribute.

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  6. Enjoy your "light" kid duties, Grace-- happy happy birthday!

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  7. Happy Birthday Grace!! Hope you have a wonderful day.

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  8. Happy Birthday, lovely Grace!!!

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  9. YAAAH! Grace, Happy 30th Birthday! I I just turned 30 earlier this month! I hope you get a chance to relax and basically not change any diapers!

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  10. Happy birthday! Thanks for the update, Simon! Grace, enjoy your day, you deserve it!!

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  11. Happy, happy birthday dear Grace.

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  12. Happy birthday, Grace! Hope you have a lovely day.

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  13. I'm thinking both real-life Simon and blog Simon are pretty awesome too!!! Happy, happy, happy birthday Geace!!

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  14. Yay, we have the same birthday! And what's funny is that I was also engaged 5 years ago...I thought it would be on my birthday (that same Friday night you blogged about!) but he threw me for a loop and made me wait 5 more days. That guy.

    Happy birthday!

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  15. Happy Birthday Grace, I hope it's filled with all the fun, love, and family you can take!

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  16. Happy birthday Grace! And Simon WELL said!

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  17. So sweet! Happy Birthday Grace!

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  18. Very sweet post-- Happy Birthday, Grace! You deserve a day as fabulous as you are!

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  19. Hope you have a wonderful birthday Grace!!!

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  20. Well this is simply the most darling thing ever. Happy Birthday, Grace! And, Well done, Simon- hats off to you!

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  21. Adorable. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

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  22. Hey, it's my son's birthday too! Although he is ever so slightly younger (3 today). Such a coincidence could only mean that I need to shirk my lurking status to say-

    Happy Birthday!

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  23. Happy Birthday Grace!
    Looks like the Simon is spoiling you & the minions are 'behaving'.
    :)

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  24. HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRACE!!!! I hope it's wonderful! (You definitely deserve it!!) I can't wait to hear how you spent it :)

    P.S. Simon this is wonderful and that video is hilarious. All the people in my office are wondering what in the world I was just laughing at. Now they think I'm crazy.

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  25. Oh, sweet Grace, happy birthday! Welcome to the big and beautiful club of 30 :) Hope you have a wonderful day!

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  26. way to go!! Simon,that was sooo great of you. I agree...real life Grace is amazing. happiest wishes! Andrew says,"Kick the Tires, and Light the Fires!" :)

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  27. "Can you tell her you love her?" Silence. "Happy Birthday Dear Mommy." So cute. I will be laughing all morning.

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  28. love that video, kudos to you simon! Happy Birthday Grace!!!

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  29. Hey! We share a birthday. So happy birthday to us and happy feast of St. James the Greater! God bless you, Grace Patton!

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  30. happy birthday, grace!! this is the sweetest post! good job, simon!

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  31. Happy, happy birthday, Grace! Hope you have a fantastic day!

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  32. The video is absolutely adorable! Happy, Happy Birthday, Grace! I hope you have an amazing, wonderful and relaxing day!

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  33. Happy birthday, Grace! ENJOY YOUR DAY "OFF"!!! And awesome post, Simon! The video is priceless. :-)
    ~Allie

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  34. This was really sweet! Happy birthday, Grace!

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  35. Happy birthday Grace!! Enjoy your light-kid duties and free time! Hope it's a wonderful day!

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  36. Happy Birthday Grace! Have a fantastic day. You deserve it!!

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  37. Oh what a nice husband! Hope you have a wonderful birthday Grace and blessed year ahead!

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  38. Dear Grace,
    Wishing you a birthday that involves no pantry picassos, no blow out diapers, fewer toddler tantrums and all the things that make life worth living. You are a bright spot in my day and I hope that the joy you put in the lives of others comes back to you ten fold!
    Hugs
    Heather

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  39. I love that Simon wrote this. Happy birthday, Grace!

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  40. Happy birthday, Grace! I hope you enjoy your day off :) and great post, Simon!

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  41. Happy birthday, Grace! I hope you have a lovely, fun, relaxing day.

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  42. Happy Birthday!! I hope you enjoy your day!

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  43. Happy birthday, Grace!! I didn't believe it when I turned 30, but my 30s have blown my 20s right out of the water.

    Enjoy your day!

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  44. awwww happy birthday!!! that is the sweetest thing!

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  45. Yay for birthdays! Hopefully you get to enjoy some vino..or drink of your choice..HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

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  46. Happy Birthday Grace! You have the best husband and the cutest kids ever! That video is priceless!

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  47. Happy Birthday, Grace!!!! I hope you have a great day and really did only have to do light kid duty. You have the sweetest family.

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  48. Happy Birthday sweet lady! Mine is Monday! We are birthday week buds!

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  49. Birthday greetings. May you have an uneventful ,relaxing day.

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  50. Happy Day! I hope it's wonderful!

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  51. This post is so sweet, and the video is too cute! Happy Birthday!

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  52. Ahhhhhhhh...Happy Birthdaaaaaaaay!!!!!

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  53. Happy birthday! I hope you have a wonderful and restful day. We're living the dream, Grace. We're living the dream! Bomb diapers and all.

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  54. Happy birthday Grace! Both you and Simon are hilarious.
    Take care.

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  55. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!! (I'm sing-yelling it at you) :)

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  56. Have a great day Grace! Thanks for making the blog world a happier place!

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  57. This is soooo great! Happy Birthday, Grace! Hope you enjoy your day on "light duty"!!!

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  58. Happy birthday to one of the best!

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  59. Happy Birthday Grace!!! Hope you have a great day because you deserve it. Thanks for making all of our days brighter!

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  60. Sweetest thing ever. My hubby needs to take notes. Happy Birthday, Grace!

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  61. Happy, happy birthday! I'm sure it'll be a beautiful day :). Thanks for all the chuckles and laughs!

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  62. Happy birthday Grace! I hope you get to let loose, cut a rug and enjoy a cocktail or two :) or just sleep. Whichever you would enjoy most!

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  63. What a great post! Happy Birthday Grace!

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  64. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0t3M0G4Hiw

    Happy Birthday!

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  65. Awwwwwwwww, you guys are such a sweet couple! Happy birthday Grace! May this year be filled with lots of happiness, never-ending naptimes and diet soda. Thanks for the difference you make in so many lives. With love from the other side of the world xoxo

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  66. Happy birthday, Grace! Real-life you must be pretty darn awesome, since your blog persona is absolutely great.

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  67. Happy Birthday!!! So glad your hubby hijacked the blog for the day!!!

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  68. Happy Birthday Grace! I hope you have a fantastic birthday full of relaxation and fun! The kids are adorable in that video.. so full of spunk! I can only imagine how much they make you laugh on a daily basis :)

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  69. I am a new-ish follower. Love your stories and good humor :). Happy birthday!

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  70. Happy birthday Grace! I love your blog and am very happy you were born! :)

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  71. Happiest birthday dear Grace! You are one of the funniest human beings I've never met! So glad you keep this hilarious blog, so I can have a daily treat to look forward to reading. You da best girl!:)

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  72. Coming out of lurkedom to say...

    Happy, Happy Birthday Grace!!! Hope it was great and can't wait to hear all about it!

    Simon, you're too sweet taking over Grace's blog to wish her a happy b-day!

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  73. Happy birthday, Grace!! We're all so glad you were born :-)

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  74. Happy birthday! Hope you aren't at Costco...

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  75. Happy Birthday Grace! July birthdays are awesome! my son, my husband and his twin and Mrs. Patton :)

    love ff your blog. and when I tell my hubs about Julia or Sebastian or Theo -- he knows what I am talking about. "oh the camp...from St. Louis, right?" that's how much I read your blog.

    happy bday again.

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  76. It's your birthday but YOU, my dear, are the gift! Thank you for graciously [Grace-shushly?] sharing your life with us - even when we accidentally act like crazy-stalker-people.
    [And yes. I'm waiting in the Costco parking lot with balloons and a cake.] <3

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  77. Happy birthday, Grace! Welcome to the 30s!

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  78. YES! can't wait for tomorrow's post !!!!!

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  79. Happy Birthday! time for yourself, priceless!

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  80. Happy Birthday pretty lady!
    Hope you got a nap or some quiet time in a corner somewhere!
    (ever notice how the punishments we deal our children are the very things that we wish upon ourselves? quiet time... nap... sitting in an area by yourself being ignored by everyone else)

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  81. That video - awesome. Can you tell her you love her....

    Happy Birthday, Grace - and in case it wasn't said WE LOVE YOU! :)

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  82. Happy Birthday, to one of my favorite bloggers!

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  83. Happy Birthday, Grace!!! I wake up thinking about what wonderful blog entry might come from you each day. Is that creepy? I think it is but whatever...so glad you write!! Hope your day is great!

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  84. Happy Birthday, Grace! Your column routinely makes me laugh and reminds me that I am not alone in this crazy, stay-at-home mom world. I'm just not funny enough or motivated enough to write about it every day! Cheers!

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  85. Happy birthday, Grace! I love your blog! Hope you have a great day!

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  86. Happy Birthday Grace!! Thanks for lightening up our days from your corner of the blogosphere :)

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  87. Happy birthday Grace!

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  88. Happy birthday, Grace! Hope your day is happy and as relaxing as it can be! Love this post from Simon and love your sweet family. Best wishes for a wonderful day!

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  89. Nice work, Simon! Happy birthday Grace! I hope your 2nd 29th birthday year is filled with less sh** than your last. Literally and figuratively.

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  90. Happy Birthday, Grace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  91. I love this post. And I love this blog. Happy Birthday!

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  92. Happiest of Birthdays to you!! I hope you spoil yourself by indulging in a Wendy's Frosty all to yourself that you don't have to clean up after (unless you spill on yourself, then you're on your own) and paid for by a card from your very own purse!

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  93. Happy Birthday, to one of the very best bloggers out there!!

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  94. What a great post! Happy birthday, Grace!

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  95. Have a fantastic, wonderful birthday!!!

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  96. oh silly grace, writing happy birthday posts to herself.

    KIDDING. this may be the cutest f-ing (can I type that around here? I know kids are involved) post ever. you found a keeper!

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  97. What a good husband :)

    Happy, happy birthday, Grace!

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  98. Happy Birthday Grace! and Good Job to Simon and the Birthday Krewe!

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  99. Happy birthday dear Grace!!! This post was so incredibly cute and sweet. Just wanted to say I love your blog the most.

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  100. so stinken adorable! hope you got the bday you deserve!

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  101. Happy Birthday Grace! That video is priceless and one I hope you enjoyed after having, hopefully, some much deserved "Me" time.

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  102. Happy Birthday, Grace!

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  103. Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday dearest Grace, Happy Birthday to you! I hope you got to spend the day chilling out and relaxing my friend. You deserve every happiness. May the coming year be more wonderful than the past 30 combined!! Hugs from VA!!

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  104. Your kids have a sweet side! ;-) I knew they did...sometimes not shown-off as much...

    Happy birthday! I hope you had time for yourself, lucky you have a pretty awesome husband.

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  105. Happy Birthday, Grace! Thanks for writing my favorite blog. :)

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  106. Happy Birthday Grace! Sweet Simon!! I hope you had some major you time and some wine. Or tequila. Whichever.

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  107. I knew it! I had a feeling she was actually a good mom ;)

    Happy Birthday, Grace! Much love!

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  108. Happy birthday! Thank you for being who and how you are and also blogging about it! You bring people so much joy! Hopefully at least some of it is finding its way back to you as well! Let the glasses clink!

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  109. Awwwww. Sweetest post ever! I'm sure real-life Grace blows blog Grace out of the water -- but I think both are amazing, and I love reading about your wonderful life. Happy birthday! :)

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  110. Happy birthday, Grace! Thank you for being honest about your struggles, and adding that much authenticity to the Wonderful World of the Web.

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  111. Happy Birthday to you! You have a pretty great hubby and I think he should do a frequent Simon update and tell us more about how real-life Grace is much cooler than blog Grace. Cause seriously, you must be pretty damn cool if your level is higher. Anywho, hope you had a great day! You deserve it and more xoxo

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  112. Happy Birthday to you Grace, my first read, funniest and most genuine blog read.. HAve really enjoyed reading here the last couple months, and finding new blogs, and recieving quirky comment responses.

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  113. That video seems like a pretty excellent bday present, with Theo squeaks and all! Happy Birthday!

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  114. Adorable. Happy birthday Grace!

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  115. Ahhhhh. What a sweet birthday present from Simon, especially since lining the kids up and getting them to stay there and look happy probably wasn't that easy. Thanks for making the time to write your blog, I save reading it for the times when I am feeling discouraged because I always come away feeling better for having laughed.

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  116. Happy birthday! And how awesome is that you get to relax from blogging duties and bring in an understudy for the day.

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  117. Hey, July 25 is my birthday, too! Happy Birthday!

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