September 14, 2020

Lordy, Lordy, Jerry is 40!

Way back before COVID turned the world upside down, I started thinking of plans for Jerry's 40th birthday this year (today). I wanted to do something that I knew he would love--a very cheesy, romantic getaway for the two of us. Somewhere tropical. Basically, the opposite of something I would choose! Haha.

I was thinking of the types of resorts on The Bachelor--the types of trips that I make fun of because of the corniness. I asked Becky for some ideas and I started researching destinations. 

And then there was COVID. I had no idea that this quarantine was going to last so long, but I knew that the plans for a trip (or even a large party) were out of the question. My second idea was to have a "roast" of Jerry with our friends--he would LOVE that--but again, a large gathering was out.

I gave him an early birthday gift (the beer beverage refrigerator for the man cave). But I am SO SO SO ashamed to admit that I actually forgot it was his birthday today. I didn't realize it until around 2:00 in the afternoon when his mom called to wish him happy birthday. I started crying and apologizing and I just felt horrible.

He honestly didn't mind, especially considering all that I've been through this week, but I have NEVER forgotten his birthday before. So I am hoping this blog post will somewhat make up for it. This is going to be long--lots of pictures!--but only short captions.

In honor of his 40th birthday, here are 40 of my favorite photos/moments of Jerry:

I wanted a little garden and got this idea to use a kiddie pool from my friend Hilary. I hated the way the dirt smelled (fertilizer?) so Jerry did the planting for me. I was so grateful!



Jerry and Chandler. Jerry adored Chandler, who was the most loyal cat ever, and still talks about how he misses him.



After I ran my first marathon (in Cleveland, 2012), I had a black toenail and another that seemed to be falling off. Jerry asked me if he could paint my toenails. He was pretty enthusiastic about it! 



This was shortly after Jerry completed Insanity (a truly "insane" workout plan). I couldn't believed how defined his muscles were! He didn't even realize it until I showed him this photo.



Purina invited me to a cat adoption event about an hour from my house, so I took the family to check it out. They had people there giving massages and manicures. So, Jerry and the kids each got a manicure! I love it :)



I find this picture so funny because I think Jerry's face goes PERFECTLY in the painting!



I love this picture because of Jerry's shirt. He designed it before he went to San Diego to visit John. It says, "I'm Jerr-ific!"



Jerry grew to love Mark almost as much as I did, and Mark really loved Jerry. Sometimes after we visited Mark at the nursing home, he'd pull Jerry down to whisper in his ear, "You got to hold on to her! She's a good one!" <3



Jerry and I CRACK UP whenever we see this photo... I have no idea why it is, but his head looks enormous and his neck looks ridiculously long. We think it's hilarious.



When Noah was a toddler, he absolutely LOVED to watch the garbage truck go by. There was a Hispanic man who drove it, and he didn't speak more than a couple of words of English. But he would see either Jerry or I holding Noah on the porch every Monday morning to watch for the truck. He learned that Noah loved to watch, so he would drive back and forth a few times and dumping the big bucket into the back, then crushing the garbage. Noah loved it! 



This picture was just moments after Eli was born in January 2006. Jerry adores babies, and the second Eli was born, Jerry was by his side.



This is a day when we took the kids to see Thomas the Tank Engine at Greenfield Village. (Whoever came up with that show... UGH!) While Thomas was the most boring show ever, the kids loved riding on the train. And I love this photo because of how much Jerry and Noah look alike!



We did the Warrior Dash in 2010 in Joliet, IL, and when we got back to the hotel, Jerry took a hot bath while wearing his viking hat. I just thought this was a cute picture!



For Noah's birthday in 2010(?) he invited friends over to go on a nature walk in the marsh across the street and then have a party in the back yard. I love that Jerry took the kids on the walk--they loved it!



Jerry was on a co-ed softball team for work called "Chix N Sticks" (haha) and I loved the pink shorts and socks he wore! 


Jerry desperately needed a haircut, and he decided to let the kids give it a try with the clippers. It was so much fun! This is what it ended up look like before I finished it off ;)



This was Jerry's very first time eating a Big Mac... can you believe it?! He even worked at McDonald's for a few years when he was in high school!! (He loved the Big Mac, by the way, and I think it's his go-to at McD's now.)



This is one of the sweetest things Jerry has ever done for me. He knew how much I LOVED my old scale. I'd had it for the longest time and it was the most reliable scale ever. I'd tried other "fancier" scales, but always went back to this one. Until one day, it wouldn't work anymore. I was really upset about it, so Jerry (not know what he was doing at all) tried his best to fix it for me. He wasn't able to, but the fact that he tried so hard meant a lot to me.



We went to an aquarium in Tennessee and saw these fish--we couldn't stop laughing at the "faces" on them!



This was right after Jerry and I got married. I hadn't seen this picture until much later, but I love it! Clearly, he was thrilled to be hooked to me for life ;)  (He had no idea what was in store for him, haha)



I took the kids to a fountain to play on a hot day while Jerry was at work, and he somehow got out of work early. He surprised us by showing up at the fountain, and without hesitation, he jumped in with all of his clothes on. The kids thought it was hilarious.



My friend Stephanie took this photo of Jerry during a photoshoot she was doing for me (when I was at my goal weight). Jerry was looking really good, too, so I wanted some pictures of him!



This is how excited Jerry gets for Christmas! Literally. And Jerry was particularly ecstatic during this Christmas because my friend Caitlin, who lives in Boston, managed to get her hands on a bottle of Utopias, a beer that is only made once every two years by Sam Adams. It's $200 for a bottle! Jerry loved being able to share a little with his friends when they came over for a Christmas get together. (It's meant to be sipped in a very small portion because it's VERY potent.)



This picture cracks me up because of these ridiculous "chairs" that Jerry and I have. They are basically like beach chairs, but they don't really have a bottom (just a piece of canvas to sit on). They allow you to sit up or recline. We use them in bed once in a while, but mostly just when we go on a picnic or something. They're pretty hideous, though!



In this photo, Jerry was in one of the happiest moods I'd ever seen him. He was SO excited to visit Fenway Park in Boston, and it was the highlight of his trip.



I love this photo of Jerry teaching Luke how to make the "Jerry face" for pictures!



I love this photo of the two of us--peas in a pod--when we were up north at Jeanie and Shawn's place. We sat and had coffee in the hammock and it was super cozy. It gives me warm fuzzy feelings to think about it :)



As you know, we love quoting from Forrest Gump. This was our, "I'll lean back against you, and you just lean right back against me. This way we don't have to sleep with our heads in the mud." --Bubba



I lecture him about sunscreen ALL THE TIME and he still ends up looking like this sometimes:



Jerry's senior photo :)  (He used to have a mole on his cheek, which he had removed in 2002. In school, he was teased for it--people called him "Chocolate Chip" or "Holy Moley!"



This was when we were waiting to get the Certificate of Occupancy for our home in 2003. We were so excited to move in to our first place together!



Jerry may have been slightly high on morphine when I took this photo, but he was telling me to take a selfie with him in the background "looking all sick" so that my haters could talk about what a horrible person I am to be so vain--bahaha!



And of course I love this photo... I'm so jealous he shamelessly asked for a selfie with "Ian Gallagher" at a Star Wars event. He told him that he wanted the photo to "make his wife jealous". 



One of the only photos we have of Jerry when he was little. Remember when it was popular to have the photo-in-photo like this done? haha!



Again with the Forrest Gump reference. Jerry was trying to sit like Forrest was when he was waiting at the bus stop.


Of course we had to get his picture with the "J. Foster Jewelers" sign :)



Totally in his element in Seattle. A flight of beers!



This was just moments after Noah was born. 



Jerry got so emotional when Noah was born that everyone in the room thought he was going to pass out! (That's my friend Sarah in the background, clearly finding it amusing.)


Finally, I picked this one because I thought it was funny--we were playing Guesstures (similar to charades) and Jerry was acting out one of the clues. I don't remember what the word was! 


And there you have it! Forty pictures for forty years. And as a bonus, I'm going to include two of my very favorite videos of Jerry:




19 comments:

  1. Happy 40th Birthday, Jerry!!!!!

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  2. Aw Happy Birthday Jerry x

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  3. Happy birthday, Jerry! You guys are so much fun.

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  4. These are fantastic, and I love that you shared the Jerrific t-shirt! Happy Birthday to a great guy!

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  5. What a super sweet birthday post! Jerry truly seems like the greatest guy! You make a great couple!! Happy birthday to him!

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  6. Happy birthday, Jerry! He seems like a great husband and father.

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  7. Happy Birthday, Jerry! I turned 40 in January and apparently turn the entire world upside down. You’re welcome!

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  8. Happy 40th Birthday Jerry! You have an amazing wife who obviously loves you.

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  9. Such a sweet tribute! Happy Birthday Jerry!

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  10. OMG I loved this post! You two are so lucky to have each other! Happy 40th Jerry!

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  11. Can feel your love for him and it is all just so sweet! But holy cow how much your boy looks like dad. Crazy!

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  12. Happy Birthday, Jerry!! You're a lucky man to have a wife love you as much as yours does. But then again, she is lucky to have you as her honey.

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  13. HAPPY 40TH JERRY!!! Loved this post...so fun!!! & the videos at the end. Ya'll are too cute!!!

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  14. Happy Birthday, Jerry! Forty's not so bad.

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  15. "That's why I call him Bart!" The video and and elf pic totally had me LOL! Happy 40th Jerry!

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  16. Happy birthday Jerry!! The Bartholomew video had me cracking up! That was hilarious :)

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  17. What a sweet post for a sweet husband. You guys are couple goals for sure! You should be so proud of the wonderful example you are setting for Noah and Eli!

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  18. Happy birthday Jerry! All uphill from here I reckon, you guys will be making heaps more fabulous memories together :)

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  19. Adorable post and yes Jerry, let's just go with Bart!!

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