I’m married to a 40 year old! That pretty much makes me 40! Crazy how fast time flies, and how young 40 feels now that we are there 🙂

We’ve been celebrating the year of 40 and had a pretty good birthday week. In a perfect world Ben and I would have disappeared to a remote island while he turned 40 BUT pregnancy made that near impossible and the other 6 kids are always a factor so…. we stayed home and celebrated the awesome person that Ben is.

The Friday night before his birthday we went out to eat and then met up with most of Ben’s siblings and his parents at the AVENGERS movie – – this has been a tradition for several years – there is always a Marvel Super Hero movie that comes out in May and Ben loves his Super Heroes. After the movie I surprised him by staying over night in a hotel and not having to do the nightly put the kids to bed routine! We had a night away and let Shannon deal with the kids. We ate breakfast at a cafe the next morning and took our time getting home. Coach Ben did have 2 soccer games to coach on his bday but he enjoys that time with his boys. We opened presents and hung out and Ben tested out his new Blend Tec Blender making us some yummy food and treats. We played a game with some of my siblings and That night Ben and Benji went out with the older Nettesheim crew and played Laser Tag. So he’s officially 40 – but the youngest 40 year old I know 🙂

The next weekend on the 15th we had one more party with his Parents and Siblings. Ben loves to play board games and card games so I invited adults only over to his parents house for some gaming. This is a big deal because we usually have too many kids and things going on to just sit down and enjoy a game. So we hung out all night Friday night. We played 3 games and snacked and talked and opened gifts and celebrated Ben AGAIN. His mom made him the traditional Netty Wacky Cake – (just like when he was a kid) and we had a great evening staying out late with family and letting Brady handle the kids at home.

I LOVE THIS GUY

In fact here are 40 things I love about him:

1. committed to God

2. Music in the mornings

3. interaction with kids

4. sunday dinners

5. makes me laugh

6. looks good in a hat

7. put up with my daily ponytail

8. he Lives in the NOW

9. always the optimist

10. always ready for church

11. endures chick flicks

12. Each baby that joins our family he take on more family responsibility

13. spoils my siblings

14. spiritual and political insight

15. TRADITIONS

16. Generous with possessions

17. best soccer coach

18. we have RSL season tickets

19. let me watch as much football/sports as I want

20. scriptures at dinner

21. 10 years of pregnancy and newborn hormones and he still love me

22. best Primary Teacher and Scout Master

23. smart with money

24. except when it comes to buying me gifts

25. the kids LOVE wrestling him

26. we both love chocolate

27. willing to drive to CA at least once a year

28. extended extended family loves this guy

29. computer fix it man for family

30. not smelly

31. perfect scruffiness

32. plans and leads FHE

33. family can live with us

34. never under minds my decisions

35. tucks his shirt in for me

36. Hawaii, New York, Costa Rica, …

37. Salsa and Chocolate Cake

38. daily Goodbye’s with our kids

39. has learned to bridle his green bay passion and not take it out on the family

40. He likes me for me