kevin's 32nd birthday weekend

Kevin's birthday got off to a great start with a game at Target Field on the Thursday of his birthday weekend. The Twins lost, but as always, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves --- I don't know if we are capable of not having a good time at an outdoor baseball game (Target Field totally kicks the Metrodome's marshmallowy butt, by the way).

Baseball is a birthday tradition in the Shevlin house, ever since Kevin's 26th birthday (the first of his birthdays we celebrated together, which I can't believe was 6 birthdays ago!), when I threw him a giant party that began with a group outing to an A's game. I think baseball games are one of the best parts of summertime birthdays, and also, they just happen to combine some of Kevin's favorite things: beer, hotdogs, the outdoors, baseball, and a crazy wife who yells things at the players like "What are you doing?! After what THAT GUY just did?!" I once yelled that at an A's player who totally bumbled an easy play right after a downright spectacular play by one of his teammates. I happen to think this is a totally legitimate thing to say at a baseball game, but Kevin found it absolutely hilarious --- granted, I did stand up, with absolute wild indignant abandon, and shouted this in front of a lot of other, much milder-mannered, spectators. What? I'm Latin.

After the game we went to Mickey's Diner (the slightly sketchy one down on West 7th Street, not the one in the cool dining car downtown), a St. Paul classic, for burgers and shakes, and so that I could serenade my husband the instant his actual birthday began. We were the only people there at 12:01 am, so it was very cheesy and romantic, and just right for a guy like my husband.

This is where we had the french fry as a candle situation, because, apparently, Mickey's doesn't get enough requests for birthday candles in scoops of ice-cream to keep a stash of them on hand.

Kevin's birthday dinner request was for "a big, non-fancy, authentic burrito," so after he got home from work on Friday, we did an online search and discovered Pinedas Tacos. From the outside, the Pinedas we went to (there are three or four in the Twin Cities) definitely seemed to fit the description of a hole-in-the-wall/dive. I think it's housed in an old Pizza Hut, near a strip mall, in West Saint Paul. We actually almost didn't go in because I was too busy being snooty and forgetting that the best Mexican food tends to come from places that look sort of questionable from the outside. Kevin however, looked at me like I was totally missing the point (which I was), so we decided to give it a whirl, and holy carne asada, am I glad we did. The food was SO good! It was the perfect place for us  - Mexicans cooking the food (we talked soccer - Mexico had just played South Africa), Mexican customers (the best endorsement I can think of for any Mexican restaurant), a hole-in-the-wall type location, totally non-fancy, and horchata and flan on the menu. Also, I think our meal came out to about $15 for both of us. Perfect. 

It was by far the best "non-fancy" Mexican food we've had since leaving California, and I can't believe it took us three years to find this place. We are slipping, people. I mean, for Pete's sake, we are two seriously enthusiastic Mexican-food eaters, and one of us is even a Mexican. Three years! 

Here's Kevin enjoying his non-fancy, and very delicious, Pineda's burrito:

After our big time score with the burritos, we went home to do a test run of the backyard movie set-up. Kevin borrowed a projector and screen from work (with permission, of course), and we bought some inexpensive computer speakers at Target. Kevin fiddled around with everything for a bit, and then voila, "The Princess Bride," one of our favorites, right in our own backyard. 

No more rhymes now, I mean it! Anybody want a peanut? 

The next day it rained for most of the morning, while we ran around shopping and getting ready for Kevin's birthday party. Kev kept checking the Weather Channel online to see if it was going to clear up in time to actually watch "The Goonies" in our backyard with our friends that night. The party started at around 6:30 (still raining), and we had a great time - lots of good friends, lots of kids and babies, Lola running around simultaneously terrified by, indifferent to, and excited by all of the commotion, plenty of drinks, and good food. The crowd sort of thinned out by 9 pm, and the rest of us gathered on tarps in the yard for the main event. Yep, it stopped raining just in time to watch the movie. Kevin was stoked, and everyone settled in to enjoy the awesome birthday slideshow movie preview (a giant THANK YOU to everyone who took part in it), and, of course, the Goonies were a hit. There were even two kiddos - ages 5 and 3 - watching it for the very first time. It's always fun to experience a childhood favorite from the 80's with kids who have never seen the movie before. 

We stayed up until the wee hours of the morning hanging out and talking (and maybe doing a birthday shot or two) with our buddy, Chad. We finally called it a night at around 3 am, and fell into bed exhausted, and in unanimous (Lola voted) agreement that the party had been a success. A great 32nd birthday for Kevin. 

Your 33rd year is underway, babe, and I know it's going to be a great one! May you be granted all the love, light, peace, joy, harmony, and adventure you desire. I'll be here for it all. I love you.