Happy Happy Birthday, Michael Dear!!!

(above: one of Mike's "forgotten" art pieces...aka, ones he thinks suck and tries to throw away and I dig them out and keep them. Also, click on any of the pictures in this post to see them in their true glory)


Soooooooooooooooooooo it's Mike's 30th birthday today! He's finally entered the 30's with me and what a wonderful feeling it must be. I remember my 30th and it was not spectacular, so I wanted this one to be extra special for him.

Last night, we went to this amazing place on the "strip" of Palm Springs. For those of you who have not seen this, it's something amazing, I have to say. Forget all your preconceived notions of what a "strip" is and imagine a long street lined with old spanish style buildings and mid-century (50's retro style) stores all pressed together side by side. Then imagine millions of palm trees and quiet sidewalks and restaurants to DIE for oh and the best part!!! (other than the shopping, but who can afford that, really?) The Art scene there. Oh and there's a Shag exhibit right now and I can get discounts because I'm a crazy stalker of it! Wanna see my favorite new Shag piece???:

Oh and if you're not familiar with Josh Agle's work, a few years ago he did ALL OF THIS MERCHANDISE for Disneyland I'm sure you've all seen:






Anyway, my Mike's an artist and an incredibly talented one at that: (this was a "doodle" in ball point pen one day while he was on the phone. Not the greatest scan, but just know, it's detail is incredible in person)

and I'm an art fanatic but our taste is a bit different, but just similar enough to where we appreciate eachother's opinions and likes. Palm Springs is fantastic. I love it. We decided that if we were a childless couple entering their mid thirties/forties, we'd move there and live in a sprawling ranch style house like this one that we love:



So we went to dinner last night just after the sun set behind the mountains right behind the restaurant. We went to Kaiser Grill. I had the salmon and a mixed field green salad with candied walnuts and craisins and goat cheese, Mike had his favorite Asian Pear and Gorgonzola wood fired pizza and we shared the crab cakes as an appetizer. Oh my delicious. Sooooooooo good. A bit on the spendy side but it was only like $60 for both of us. Oh and we had streetside seating, and it was a Tuesday so there were not many cars but it was nice to see some of the locals strolling down the gorgeous quaint sidewalks hand in hand.

Anyway, today he went to work, even though I begged him to stay home with me and play (he's such a good dad/husband/provider) so tonight, when he gets home, I'll have something nice for him...this baby will be sitting in the driveway.

That's right kids, it's a Badonkadonk. Here's the description from Amazon.com:

Product Description The JL421 Badonkadonk is a completely unique, extremely rare land vehicle and battle tank. Designed with versatility in mind, the Donk can transport cargo or a crew of five internally or on the roof, and can be piloted from within the armored shell or from an exposed standing position through the hatch, thanks to special one-way steel mesh armor windows and a control stick that pivots up and down to allow piloting from the standing or seated positions. The interior is fully carpeted and cozy, with accent lighting and room for up to five people. A 400 watt premium sound system with PA is mounted to project sound both into the cabin and outward from behind the windows. The exterior is a steel shell with a rust patina, and features head and tail lights, turn signal lights, trim lighting, underbody lighting, fixed slats protecting the windows, and a unique industrial-strength rubberized flexible skirt that shields and protects the wheels to within an inch of the ground, while still allowing for enough flex to give clearance over bumpy and uneven terrain. Master power, ignition, all lighting, and stereo features are controlled from a single switchboard to the left of the driver, again accessible from either the seated or standing position. Standard drive is an air-cooled, 6hp Tecumseh gasoline (unleaded only) engine, with centrifugal clutch, giving the Donk a top speed of 40 mph. This vehicle is not licensed for use on public roads, and is intended as a recreational vehicle only. Badonkadonks are produced on an order-by-order basis, with each one having it's own unique set of features. With your order is included unlimited consultations with the designer and manufacturer concerning all relevant options (a representative from NAO will contact you shortly after your order). Price does not include shipping and handling.








...just kidding.

Anyway baby, if you're reading this, I love you so much. You have taken this old girl and her 4 kids and turned us into the family we never had. You're a patient daddy, a sweet husband, an amazing provider, a priesthood holder, an amazing artist, an incredible person and last but not least, my very best friend. I couldn't want more, and we love you so much!


Happy Birthday Michael!