Rays 16th Birthday

Rays 16th birthday was last Monday and we had a great time of celebration! I meant to get a post up that day but I had to be careful of what I wrote because everything planned was a SURPRISE!

Ray is not one for surprises, although he loves to give them, so I was unsure how things would be receive by him.

When Scott got home he told Ray to get dressed the three of us were going out. Ray had several guesses as where but they were all wrong which was pleasing to us.

We took him to Texas De Brazil which is located downtown very close to our favorite library so at one point Ray thought we were taking him to the library for his birthday.

Once we got close to the restaurant and he could see the flaming torches on the wall outside the restaurant he knew, his face lit up and he smiled sooo big. It was worth the planning and cost just to see his face outside the restaurant; once we got inside his smile turned to a look of being overwhelmed. The restaurant is huge and everything in it seems over sized and grand, it is overwhelming to me too.


Scott and I have been several times but this was Ray first time and he truly enjoyed it! Ray is very much a carnivore and since we had to almost completely stop eating red meat earlier this year because of Scott's gall bladder Ray has often mentioned "missing Meat".

We had made reservations so we were seated quickly and when making the reservations they asked the occasion so our hostess and wait staff knew it was Ray's birthday and each told him Happy Birthday.

After Ray had his fill of food they brought him his birthday slice of cake and although he insisted he had no room for it he managed to get it down.

When we arrived home Ray was in for another surprise, his sister and brother had decorated the house and had his gifts on the table for him. We each got Ray one of the books in the Eragon series so he now has all three and a bookmark that has the dragon on it.

I truly could not have asked for a better night with everyone especially since I know we did what we set out to do, make a wonderful memory for Ray to cherish. You see Scott and I had purposed a few years back that we did not want to just get the kids gifts for the sake of having something to open, we wanted to give gifts that would include/create a lasting memory.

While we were eating Ray looked at me and said "I think this is my best birthday ever, I will never forget tonight". He then went on to add the night with us in a very grown up restaurant was better than any gift. I smiled and asked any? His reply was "yes, I have everything I want for the most part and this is something that will last forever". All I could think was perfect!


Be sure to stop back by later in the week for my post on giving memories not gifts. I hope to give you some creative ways to give gifts that create lasting memories.