Birthday Boys

The last time Dylan and Jacob shared a birthday party was in 2009,

nine whole years ago, for Jacob's 18th and Dylan's 12th birthdays!

I've written in the past about the fact that all three of the men in my family have their birthdays over a ten-day period, each five days apart: Mark on June 21st (last Thursday), Jacob on June 26th (today), and Dylan on July 1st (this coming Sunday). I've also mentioned how we combine Mark's birthday and Father's Day every year since they are never more than six days apart. However, I've always been conscientious about celebrating Jacob's and Dylan's big days separately despite the fact that their birthdays are only five days apart. I felt it was important that they each knew their own birthdates were of consequence.

The big exception to that was in 2009, when Jacob turned eighteen and Dylan turned twelve. It wasn't me who planned their joint birthday party. Rather, Jacob suggested it and Dylan loved the idea because he totally looked up to his big brother. And Jacob put it all together, planning a barbecue and games and inviting friends for both himself and Dylan. It was a memorable experience for both boys.

On June 22, 2018, Jacob and Dylan once again shared a birthday cake 

at a combined party for Jacob's 27th and Dylan's 21st birthdays.

This year, nine years later, we again had a family party that combined both boys' birthdays. We began with a celebration of their dad's fiftieth birthday on Father's Day a week ago, and things rolled on from there when Jacob drove up from Mesa with Mark and me on Thursday night. On Friday, although Jacob's birthday was still four days away and Dylan's was still nine days away, we knew that Jacob had to return to the Valley on Saturday. Thus, we only had the whole family together for the two days of Jacob's visit in which to celebrate together. (Plus, Dylan and Jake may be in Mesa on Dylan's birthday, but I will not.)

June 22, 2018: Our whole family together at El Rancho for dinner. 

Left to right: Chris, Mark, Mary, Jacob, Jake, Dylan, and Sarah.

And Jacob and Dylan still doing the silly-brothers-thing after all this time.

After spending most of the day together, we began the celebration on Friday evening at our traditional birthday restaurant, El Rancho. Since El Rancho will provide free deep-fried ice cream for only one birthday boy (or girl) per meal, the guys voted unanimously to let this dinner be for their dad, whose birthday had fallen on the previous day.

Mark gets the sombrero, free ice cream, and a song from El Rancho's staff.

So, at the end of the meal, the restaurant's staff came out to sing "Happy Birthday" to Mark and present him with a sparkler-festooned margarita-glass of deep-fried ice cream. He took a few bites before passing it around the table to share, but most of us were too stuffed with chimichangas (or, in my lone case, enchiladas) to have room for even a tiny bite of ice cream.

Jacob and Dylan's gifts await them.

Then we went back to my house to start Jacob and Dylan's party. We enjoyed watching them open their gifts, and then we visited awhile, until we felt we might have room for a slice of birthday cake. That took quite a long while!

Dylan and Jacob are ready to start opening their birthday presents.

Dylan opens a card from his dad and reads it aloud.

Then it's Jacob's turn to share his card from Dad.

Mark gave each of his sons a $25 Walmart gift card. And

Jacob gave Mark a belated gift card for Father's Day and his birthday.

Sarah and Chris were tricky. They gave Jacob and Dylan gift cards

but hid them in boxes of Rice-a-Roni and macaroni-and-cheese.

It was fun watching the guys try to guess from shaking the boxes.

There was a lot of exchanging of gift cards this year, which we all joked about. "Hey, you could have saved your money: 'Here's twenty bucks, happy birthday,' and then hand it back, 'Hey, here's twenty bucks for you!'" In reality, Dylan's cell phone was dying and he wanted money he could use to buy a new one, so it was a practical gift for him. As for Jacob, after a big move and settling into a new and needy house, you can't go wrong with money!

Being "old school," I gave my sons gifts instead of gift cards.

I still believe in actual presents, though. Since Jacob is big into wolves, I bought him a wolf clock for his new house. To Dylan, who tragically lost his and Jake's beloved kitten Zelda four months ago, I gave a ceramic keepsake of a kitten and paw prints on a crescent moon emblazoned with the words "I love you to the moon and back," which happened to be the theme of Dylan and Jake's wedding.

A better closeup of my gift to Dylan.

Jacob and Dylan with their birthday ice-cream-cake.

Eventually, everyone except Dylan decided they had just enough room for a tiny slice of cake. It was actually an Oreo ice cream cake, the flavor both Jacob and Dylan had agreed upon. (Dylan came back for his slice the following day.) Not too long after that, the party broke up and everyone went their separate ways for the night. Jacob visited at Dylan and Jake's place for a while before returning to Sarah and Chris's new home to sleep on the futon in one of their extra bedrooms. (They couldn't ever say that until a month ago!)

On Saturday, we were able to enjoy more time together before Jacob left for the Valley, except for Jake, who unfortunately had to work. After a stop at Walmart to purchase painting supplies (Jacob is gung-ho to patch the walls and paint his living room), we went to China Wok around 2:30 for a late lunch. Then Jacob was on his way.

What a great blessing to have my whole family back to living in the same state. I look forward to many more opportunities to celebrate together over the coming years!

One last meal together, at China Wok, before Jacob returns to Mesa.

Dylan and Jacob on June 23, 2018.