Birthday sum up

I am filling up the kiddie pool right now as I type this. It's 100 degrees and I don't like it one bit. I'm liable to jump into the pool with monkeyface. At least I have a fabulously shaded back deck and a giant umbrella so that I can pretend I am made in the shade.
The gardenia bush finally bloomed this week and the nights smell so sweet. They perfumed the air yesterday at Monkeyface's birthday party. I feel like the party went off really well. I worked the whole time but it was a lot easier this year compared to last thanks to my crockpots. I made creamed corn which was devoured, barbecued beans and weinies, and spinach artichoke dip. It was so easy to serve those along with a Mexican pasta salad that the hubby had whipped up the night before. If I haven't said this before, let me say it now...I love my crockpot. I hate cooking in the heat and this lady has made it easier than any cookbook ever could. I was able to serve 22 adults and 10 kids with minimum effort except for making sure that I spoke to everyone and that the food was being eaten. The hubby has a huge family but I secretly love it. Everyone is very family oriented and I'm glad that I married into such a great family. There is no such thing as a small get together though.
We had a friend videotape when Monkeyface opened his presents and he loved watching it on TV last night. He kept pointing to everyone and naming them and then looking around the room for them. The presents were of course fantastic and he has been running around like a maniac playing non-stop. I actually had to get him out of bed at 10am this morning because he was still sleeping. This is the same kid that is up at 630am every day. Forget a nap! I'd call yesterday a success.