Jeff turned 31 on May 31st and I really wanted to do something fun for him since his last birthday we spent it leaving the hospital with Noah. Best birthday ever if you ask me but since their closeness in dates likely mean that his birthday will be overlooked from now on we decided to make sure this one focussed on Jeffrey.
Our friends Adam & Andrea came along for the fun and we started the party at one of those racecar tracks. I got a Groupon several months prior and didn't really do my homework. I think I thought it was like bumper cars or something - wrong. We got there and they are intense, over 45mph racecars. I wanted to cry and my anxiety was through the roof. I could see people wearing helmets and was super freaked out to see that some people brought their own helmets. To me this is the equivalent of someone bringing their own bowling ball - but at 45mph. Anyway, they made us watch a safety video and gave way too much information about what different color flags meant when you were on the track. I stopped listening at one point.
They told us that after the video there were racesuits if we wanted to wear them. Jeff, Adam & I changed into our racesuits while a very pregnant Andrea waited for us. The boys took forever but I was out of that creepy lockerroom in a flash. The suits were horrible. All cut for men so the girls didn't really work. I panicked when I walked out and saw that NO ONE wore the racing suits. I immediately turned around to take it off but Andrea insisted we get a picture of all of us in our suits so I obliged. We took a few quick pics and quickly tore them off. Nerds.
We went out to the tracks and holy crap. Those things were flying. Ten people raced at a time and there was only one space open in the first race so Jeff went first. People wereHe loved it of course but came off the track and said he wasn't sure if he wanted me to go out there. Suddenly I had a mixture of panic and annoyance - why couldn't i do it it he could?!? huh? Then I remembered that I don't like cars slamming into me at 45mph and agreed. I decided to do it anyway because I'm cool like that. Next, all three of us were in the race. I started really slow and went pretty slow the whole time actually. I guess I only did 10 laps while everyone else did between 12-14. lame. I picked up my speed every once in a while but it was really intense. Some of the guys out there were really serious about it and got annoyed while I drove calmly in the middle of the track ha! I don't think I'd do it again but I'm glad I did it this time. Andrea and I took a lot of pictures during the races but the lights are really low and the cars move so fast that my little camera just didn't do it justice.
Adam told us that during one of the races he spun out and started driving the wrong way. hilarious. I do that in Mario Kart all the time so I see how he could get confused.
After leaving the track, we went and had dinner at a BBQ place because BBQ is Jeff's favorite food ever. We had drinks and chowed down for reals and stuffed ourselves. So good. After dinner we went to a little divey bar that has trivia. Jeff LOVES trivia and I do too so we were really looking forward to it. We (of course) drank more and we actually got 2nd place. Score! The team that beat us had like 8 people at their table so we got robbed a bit but that's ok. We won a $20 gift certificate to that bar so we'll need to go back sometime soon and try for 1st :)
It was a fun night and I think Jeffrey had a great birthday. Since Grammy & Papa Barnes kept the boys overnight it was amazing to get to sleep in on Sunday. Amazing.
Our friends Adam & Andrea came along for the fun and we started the party at one of those racecar tracks. I got a Groupon several months prior and didn't really do my homework. I think I thought it was like bumper cars or something - wrong. We got there and they are intense, over 45mph racecars. I wanted to cry and my anxiety was through the roof. I could see people wearing helmets and was super freaked out to see that some people brought their own helmets. To me this is the equivalent of someone bringing their own bowling ball - but at 45mph. Anyway, they made us watch a safety video and gave way too much information about what different color flags meant when you were on the track. I stopped listening at one point.
They told us that after the video there were racesuits if we wanted to wear them. Jeff, Adam & I changed into our racesuits while a very pregnant Andrea waited for us. The boys took forever but I was out of that creepy lockerroom in a flash. The suits were horrible. All cut for men so the girls didn't really work. I panicked when I walked out and saw that NO ONE wore the racing suits. I immediately turned around to take it off but Andrea insisted we get a picture of all of us in our suits so I obliged. We took a few quick pics and quickly tore them off. Nerds.
We went out to the tracks and holy crap. Those things were flying. Ten people raced at a time and there was only one space open in the first race so Jeff went first. People wereHe loved it of course but came off the track and said he wasn't sure if he wanted me to go out there. Suddenly I had a mixture of panic and annoyance - why couldn't i do it it he could?!? huh? Then I remembered that I don't like cars slamming into me at 45mph and agreed. I decided to do it anyway because I'm cool like that. Next, all three of us were in the race. I started really slow and went pretty slow the whole time actually. I guess I only did 10 laps while everyone else did between 12-14. lame. I picked up my speed every once in a while but it was really intense. Some of the guys out there were really serious about it and got annoyed while I drove calmly in the middle of the track ha! I don't think I'd do it again but I'm glad I did it this time. Andrea and I took a lot of pictures during the races but the lights are really low and the cars move so fast that my little camera just didn't do it justice.
Adam told us that during one of the races he spun out and started driving the wrong way. hilarious. I do that in Mario Kart all the time so I see how he could get confused.
After leaving the track, we went and had dinner at a BBQ place because BBQ is Jeff's favorite food ever. We had drinks and chowed down for reals and stuffed ourselves. So good. After dinner we went to a little divey bar that has trivia. Jeff LOVES trivia and I do too so we were really looking forward to it. We (of course) drank more and we actually got 2nd place. Score! The team that beat us had like 8 people at their table so we got robbed a bit but that's ok. We won a $20 gift certificate to that bar so we'll need to go back sometime soon and try for 1st :)
It was a fun night and I think Jeffrey had a great birthday. Since Grammy & Papa Barnes kept the boys overnight it was amazing to get to sleep in on Sunday. Amazing.
the rules said closed toe shoes - they didn't say anything about them not being pink.
you can take time to wave at the paparazzi when you refuse to drive very fast
jeffrey & I
jeffrey, who made his driver name be Jeffrey Barnes
adam, who made his driver name be Snake :)
posing with my helmet hair
some of the other kiddo partygoers - Jacob, Robert, Connor & Sam
The big cake and Noah's very own cake. Seriously, if you're local and you need a cake please let me know and I'll past along Beefcakes information. It's yummy, super affordable and she can do anything. She did Connor's Toy Story cake last month! She'll do exactly what you imagine too!
ROAR!!
