Growing Older But Not Up
We had quite a weekend celebrating Clint’s birthday over here. I think our family crest, were we sophisticated enough to actually have one, would probably say something like, “Eat, drink, and be a Stancil.” So many delicious things, so little time, but we did what we could. We came, we saw, we celebrated the heck out of it.
I had this birthday garland made on Etsy and it has made me so happy, I want to leave it up year ‘round. It’s Clint’s face, wearing different party hats. Perfection!
I decorated with some childhood photos of the man of the hour, from his baby pictures in the high chair to those high school glory days.
Just keeping it festive around here at the breakfast table.
Friday was Clint’s actual birthday so we opened gifts before heading out for a night on the town. Among the swag: a shirt, a Georgia Tech sweatshirt, khakis, a fancy cocktail shaker, and new AirPods.
I’m so glad Clint had a birthday so we could indulge in a fabulous dinner at Steak 48! It is an absolute luxury meal experience.
We had birthday cake waiting at home, but when you see a fried banana split on the menu, you do not pass it up. So delicious!
The weather was so gorgeous on Saturday, we took advantage of what was probably our last pool day of the season. I made Clint his very own birthday playlist (today’s equivalent of the old mix tape) and a pitcher of prickly pear margaritas. It was a good day to have a great day.
Clint’s alma mater, Georgia Tech, took on Ole Miss in a football game Saturday night at 7:30 and he had been working for weeks to get an outdoor television set up for a birthday weekend tailgate. I did my part with a buffet spread including nuggets from Chick-fil-A, his favorite mozzarella veggie dip, hot clam dip with herbed baguettes, pigs in a blanket, chocolate chunk toffee cookies, and a few other nibbles here and there. We clearly do not believe in doing anything on an empty stomach around here.
Our friends Lori and Peter, who went to Ole Miss, came over to watch with us. I did not get their picture, so please enjoy this shot of some appetizers and Clint’s beloved outdoor television instead. Give a man a plate of food and an outdoor TV, and I will show you a happy man.
We may have lost that game, but we totally won the tailgate (and isn’t that what really counts?).
Even little Charlie was feeling festive.
Some people might have been full, or tired, or tired and full at that point, but not us. The celebrating must go on! We woke up Sunday morning to a major temperature drop, and the weather was cool and rainy. Well, neither rain, nor sleet, nor dark of night…okay, that might be the postal service, but along those same lines, we had brunch plans with friends and we were raring to go.
After all, it had been positively hours the last time we treated ourselves, right? Getting in our eggs-ercise!
Party all weekend, brunch the next day—what a great way to celebrate Clint’s birthday!
We stopped off for one last cocktail on our way home (thank goodness birthday calories don’t count—for anyone in the birthday party) and it was cool enough to sit in front of the fireplace at the bar. Here in the South, sometimes we get all the seasons in just one weekend.
We came home and got cozy and comfy, and the guest of honor may have taken a power nap (‘No, I was just resting my eyes….”). After a few leftovers from the tailgate feast the previous night, he finally blew out the candles on his actual birthday cake. Friends, you know you are having a banner celebration when it takes you two days to get around to cutting your cake!
Unlike his spouse, Clint won’t celebrate birthday month, so I think we quite possibly crammed a month’s worth of celebrating into a weekend—I know I tried! Here’s wishing Clint a very happy 47th trip around the sun. He is never one for the spotlight, and I am ever grateful for his work ethic, patience, kindness, and chivalry. It is hard to believe we have known each other over half our lives now; I’m looking forward to all the celebrations yet to come.
Happy, happy birthday, Clint! You get better by the day.