Happy Birthday Trent

Last week we celebrated Trent's birthday. The fact that his birthday falls right when everyone is going back to school and work combined with the fact that Trent doesn't tend to like making much of his birthday means we usually have a very understated affair. Well, it isn't like we did anything major as far as celebrations go, but we made a real effort this year to take some time and celebrate Trent's day. He is such a great man, and he deserves to celebrate a little even if we have to make him do it.


I made him a german chocolate cake, because it is his favorite. I made the frosting from scratch this year, and I cooked it too long, so it was almost like caramel. It still tasted good, but next time I would cook it less or go back to the canned stuff. The kids and I picked out the Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock figures the week before, and the kids helped me make the cake a little more special by turning it into a scene from the bridge of the Star Ship Enterprise. It was fun.



Trent didn't open any presents early this year. He even waited until he got home from work and enjoyed the dinner he chose so that the kids could watch him and jump and down and get all excited about it.



Trent received a hammock to take camping. Jon wouldn't stop until Trent pulled it out and showed him even though we obviously couldn't set it up in the house. The kids are already demanding a warm weather camping trip to use Dad's hammock. Trent is in complete agreement.



Remember those pictures Al Bean did representing the Apollo Missions? There is a book about the paintings with lots of pictures of the art. Trent was excited to receive that book and a Smithsonian membership. Two words go with that last item, FREE PARKING! There are other great things about it too, but it is great that we can go to the Udvar Hazy Center at Dulles Airport, which is part of Air and Space, and not pay to park.


A few days after his birthday, Trent received these little things. He loves the ability to plug in his MP3 player and listen to music in his office, and these are small but have good sound and are super portable.

We are glad Trent let us make a bigger deal out of his birthday this year. The kids and I really enjoyed making things special for him. Thank you to all of you who helped make his birthday so great as well.