Yesterday

Ashley turned 7 yesterday. I know! Seven!

And I didn't write my usual post dedicated to her and this past year. I just couldn't bring myself to it. Every time I started writing, I started crying. I know every parent says this, but I really can't believe she's seven.

See? I am crying just typing that little bit. So Happy Birthday Ashley. From your pathetically emotionally Mother. I am pretty sure on your wedding day you may as well set up an entire barricade of tissues around me. That or sedate me, either one.

So for her birthday, we let her pick her dinner place. I was thinking she would pick Red Robin which is the only restaurant Ray truly hates. Worst case I thought she would pick McDonalds.

She chose The Pit, you know, the downtown Raleigh restaurant that has been featured on the Food Network a few times. Yea, that place.

She loves their mac and cheese. And you can only imagine how good the mac and cheese is there. To.die.for. Yummy stuff.

Our friend's daughter's birthday is today, so they joined us for dinner too. We successfully stuffed ourselves, and then ordered dessert.

This was after I took Ashley cupcakes at school for lunch. And the celebration continues this week. Ray is taking Ashley golfing after school this afternoon. Tomorrow night we have a pool party to attend (not one for Ashley, but playing in the pool with free food and drinks will be fun). And then Saturday is her birthday party. We are taking her and 8 of her friends to see the new Ramona and Beezus movie and then back to our house for dinner and cake.

The other good news is that Ray doesn't have to work his open houses this weekend, so Sunday we actually get to go to the pool as a family, instead of me taking the girls by myself. And considering we are on target to hit a record number of days in a row in the 90s (seriously, last night driving home from the restaurant at 8:00pm is was still 91 degrees out...), the pool is a must on the weekends here.