Happy Birthday To Me!

57 years old today.

I know!  I can't believe it either. haha.

♥

Random Thoughts

1. Did you have a nice Independence Day? We had Taylor and Lauren home for the last several days and it was a very nice time!  I need to see those big kids every so often! He turned 26 on Sunday, which is hard to believe. haha. They traveled home today and tomorrow we get back to our regular routines.  You know Wednesday is going to feel like Monday, right? 
2. I bid on this old chippy colander at an auction recently.  I thought I might sell it but it seems to have found its way into my kitchen to stay.  I'm thinking it will be a good thing to have when I'm out in the garden picking veggies!  It can go straight into the sink for everything to get a rinse!
3. Our new little rescue cat Pepper is doing great!  I still haven't gotten him into the vet but he is improving every day.  And what a sweet kitty he is!  Nobody responded to my notice on Facebook about him, so I guess he's ours forever and that's ok with us!
4. Can you believe it's July already?  The summer is flying by!  Here in Ohio our gardens are starting to flourish with lots of green fruit growing and teasing us before everything ripens.  It's always fun to watch sprouts break through the ground and thrive in the soil and a good watering every day.  Speaking of watering, it's hilarious to watch the cats when I use the garden hose.  They act like it's a big snake and they are ready to pounce if it makes a move. :)  Never a shortage of entertainment in this house!
5. I think I'll be picking my first basket of blackberries this week. There actually might be enough for a small cobbler!  Yum.
6. And God Bless you, America.  Happy Birthday to you!

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Happy Birthday, Boys!

Our babies turn 23 on Tuesday!

♥

Funfetti Flowers

My birthday bouquet.

How appropriate that it looks like funfetti cake, don't you think?

I had a very nice birthday.

And thank you so much for all of your comments, notes, e-cards,

phone calls and other birthday wishes on IG and FB.

I have the best friends, really!

♥

On Turning 55

That's right... September 21st is my day!

I asked The Mister recently to take a picture of me.

"You?" he asked in a sarcastic tone.  Well, yes...me!

He is not into photos, selfies, social media or any kind

 of sentiments.  If I didn't take photos of our kids the last

25 years, there wouldn't be any photos at all! haha.

If I didn't take selfies, there wouldn't be any photographic

documentation of my existence in decades. 

And no, he didn't take the above picture. :)

Some day when my great granddaughters inherit my

finer jewelry, I want them to be able to see who I was

  and laugh at the styles of clothes and hair "back then".

I hope they will hear something about who I was, too.

Good things, I hope.  And as I get older, the legacy I leave

 behind becomes more than a passing thought.  

There are quite a few things I enjoy about getting older.

Hopefully, we become wiser. :)  We aren't as shy.

We are more sure of ourselves.  We know when to stand

up for ourselves.  We know what we believe and why.  

Our faith is stronger.  We seem to be able to keep 

perspective when bad things happen.

We've learned how strong we really are.  We've learned from

our mistakes and we've learned from others' mistakes.

We've learned what toxic relationships look like.

We've learned to say no.   We've learned that quality is
better than quantity and that goes for everything from
friends to possessions.  We can laugh at ourselves.

We've learned that happiness is a choice.

We've learned that our story is just a thread in the tapestry

of history and it's up to us to make our little thread 

as beautiful as we can.  Since I love gray, maybe mine 

will be gray?  haha.  Or maybe it will look silver. :)

And just as importantly, our little thread of a life isn't

running through that tapestry loose and independently.

It is connected to those threads around us...every other life

we've touched.  They are all sewn together and influenced

by each other.  The length of the thread isn't as important

as the color, strength and beauty of it.

Didn't I read somewhere recently that the 50's were the new 30's?

Yes, I like that thought. You're only as old as you feel, right?

♥

She Had A Birthday!

The lovely Lauren had a birthday this weekend!

We celebrated yesterday with some of her favorite foods 

and presents (mainly a big wad of cash so

she can go shopping!).  We decided shrimp scampi

is so delicious, we need to have it more often and

not just on her birthday each year!

The big kids are turning 25 years old this year!

I can't believe that!  Time is flying!

The both get better looking each year, if

that is possible.  Aren't they a gorgeous couple?

♥

Make A Wish!

Alex, Spencer, Harry.

We had a fun, low key birthday for the guys today!

They got iPads with fancy covers, a new DVD player

 and new ink cartridges for their printer...
a few of their favorite things. haha.

Love these guys.

♥

Birthday Food

The Mister took me out to lunch today for my birthday.

We almost always choose McCormick and Schmicks when

we go out, and today was no different!

We both had a cup of clam chowder to start.  Yum.

Then here's what I had...pecan encrusted talapia with

fresh green beans and couscous with sweet potatoes.

I've had it before...so delicious! 

The photos aren't too bad for my cell, huh!

I didn't even have to do any editing!

The Mister had his favorite shrimp, fish and fries.

I didn't really mean to cut off his head...haha....I guess

I was more interested in his plate!

Just look at all that crunchy, fried food!  yum!

♥

♥

Monday's my birthday!

Geesh, I'm getting old! haha...

( 54!  Shhh! )

but let's celebrate anyway!

Who wants a cupcake?

♥

A Birthday Celebration

24 years ago today, our first little one was born.

So, I baked a cake!

And added some candles.

Set the table...

And wrapped some gifts.

As our tradition after dinner,

 Spencer helped sing Happy Birthday...

And Harry tried to blow out the candles.

And we all laugh, because you just have to be here

to experience how funny those things can be. :)

Happy Birthday, Taylor!

♥

A Little Birthday Celebration

Lauren's birthday is this week so we celebrated today.

As always we enjoy watching Harry try to blow out the candles.

The Mister is helping him move in closer to get a better aim!

I made a super tall cake!

Chocolate and white layers with fluffy peanut butter

frosting in between and milk chocolate frosting on the outside.

Chocolate and peanut butter is one of Lauren's favorite combinations.

Yum!  

Before cake we had Shrimp Scampi,

made with fresh lemon, basil and white wine.

Another one of her favorites.  It was wonderful!

And presents, of course!

I had fun folding her money origami style.

What will she buy?

A ring?  A purse? A dress?

Maybe one of each!

Love this girl.

♥

A Little Celebration

The boys turned 21 last Saturday!

They had already picked out their gifts earlier and I got them

some new clothes, shoes and slippers.

But they had a few little gifts to unwrap just for fun tonight!

If you think of the guys tomorrow morning, I'd appreciate it!

They each have a dentist appointment.  The Mister is helping

me take them.  Pray for calm, cooperative boys and smooth

visits, would you?  Any time I ask my blog friends to pray

for us in stressful situations, it never fails to help!

Thanks so much..you guys are the best!

**update...we're home from the dentist!

No cavities!  Things went smoothly except Spencer

needs to go back again for some additional cleaning

under anesthesia.  Today was fairly calm with no

melt downs, so I'm grateful.  Thanks for praying!

♥