Happy and Sad

We'll start with the sad so that we can end with the happy.

We woke up this morning to a dead Paul.

Yes.  I did take a picture of dead Paul. 

And yes, after taking the picture of dead Paul I did google "how to bury a fish".  This book was the 1st result.  I love the idea of this book.  I went with the fifth result, though, and decided to just put Paul in the ground (no bag or box) so his body can decompose quickly and nourish the plants.  Isn't that so spiritual of me?

We held a little "funeral" for Paul.  I dug a hole, Michael carried the trifle bowl outside and we each said something nice.  Well, Spencer and I said nice things.  Michael rolled his eyes.

I told Paul that he had been a good fish and that we would miss him.  I apologized for not taking his illness seriously until it was too late. Spencer told Paul that he hoped he felt better real soon.  Then we poured Paul in the hole.

We buried him and put rocks over him and then put 2 bricks on top so that neighborhood cats don't dig him up.

When we went back inside Spencer walked over to Paul's tank and said it was a good thing that Paul was buried in the ground because now we don't have to feed him any more food.

I don't think his emotional growth will be too stunted by Paul's untimely demise.

After all the sadness of Paul dying we got ready and headed to Jacob's dinosaur themed 1st birthday party.

Shireen made this cake and the dinosaur topper.  The dinosaur is made out of cake and fondant.  Can you believe that?  She needs to open her own cake business immediately.

Jacob got his own smash cake.

He wasn't entirely sure what to do with it.

But he caught on quickly.

Spencer was the oldest kid at the party and was the only one to help with the pinata.  He decapitated the dinosaur.  Michael helped a little bit.

There was a bounce house outside too, but it was close to 100 degrees today so I stayed inside where it was properly air conditioned.  I didn't get any pictures of all the bouncing, but thank goodness for facebook, because I already "borrowed" some from Shireen.  Apparently Joshua and Michael almost brought it down once.

When we got home tonight I was getting Spencer ready for bed when I heard pounding in Spencer's room.  I went in there to check it out.

See what Michael did?

He mounted the head on the wall.

Spencer wasn't a fan and made Michael take it down.  Good call.

Highs and lows.  That's what today was all about. 

Despite all my grumbling about how expensive Paul was, we did like having him and I think we will be getting another fish.  I'm thinking maybe we'll pick out a George and get a whole Beatles thing going here.