Paul Turns 40

What you get when you ask for a cake with a gaming theme, incorporating lots of colors and Nerds. Perfect!

Paul wasn't exactly looking forward to turning 40 last Friday, but why not make the best out of a bad thing? We celebrated with about four dozen of our closest friends the following day.

We reserved a table at an arcade a couple of miles from our house, filled with old games and consoles. Paul had been there several times, but I never had. It turned out to be the perfect family-friendly venue for our friends and their kids. (Children are welcome during the day, but it's 21+ at night.) Atticus especially was enthralled by the games, and Edith, too, had fun. I already have plans for Paul to return with the kids while mom spends a few relaxing hours at home!

Our favorite pizza place is a couple of blocks away from the arcade, so a good dozen or so followed (or met) us there. After eating, I took the kids home and put them to bed, good and ready for the babysitter we had for the evening. Paul, a friend and I followed up the pizza place with a nearby bar.

Few people look forward to getting older, but you might as well do it in style, right? And thus the nine-hour birthday extravaganza was born.

Atticus showing off lots of "straws."