Happy Birthday to ME!

The day (Thursday, the 17th) started off with me sleeping in a bit. The kids played quietly while I got up on my own terms...it was great. I finally rolled out of bed around 9ish and started the day. My MIL and SIL were planning to come sometime in the late morning to take me out to lunch, so I had time to spare. While frosting the cake my husband made the night before (for me), the phone rang and I had the joy of spending the next hour chatting with one out of the four of my dearest Grandmothers. We set a lunch date for next week and said our goodbyes. By now it's about 10:30 and I've got to hurry and get ready before my in-laws arrive to poke fun at tardiness. Halfway through I get a call from another one of my dearest Grandmothers. By now I'm feeling pretty special and the day is only beginning! We chat a while, my in-laws arrive, and I finish getting ready for the day.

The kids were enjoying spending some time with their cousin Alice and ogling over new baby Cash. I received some lovely gifts and another deliciously homemade CAKE! It's not even noon yet and I've got visitors, 3 phone calls (one also from my mom), gifts, and TWO cakes! We all hop in the car and head into town to get some lunch.

I didn't want to eat anything big since I knew that dinner was going to be even bigger and my newest weight loss strategy was/is working fabulously. Ruining my weekly weigh-in on an overindulgent birthday just wasn't part of the day's goal. Since we had 3+ kids with us, we opted to pick up sandwiches at Weesie's shop and go to Tapiola Park. We all stopped in to visit with Mom and Elise, and Mom and I made sandwiches to go. I even had the pleasure of being sung to by one of the Wheelhouse Coffee regulars!

We ate, the kids played...did I mention it was a beautiful day!? Anyway, we headed back to my house to eat some of the cake my MIL made. I allowed myself a sliver...*sigh* it was good. We continued to visit and Adam came home. I had told him the week before NOT to get me a gift since his gift to me would be purchasing the remainder of the flooring that wasn't going to be covered by various birthday gifts of money (will explain in a bit). It was just like him to buy me something anyway. Fortunately, it was something inexpensive that I needed...a shop light for my little work area in the garage. It may not seem like something you would want...but to me, it was a very thoughtful gift.

Cash, Alice, Synnove, Soren

We said goodbye to Patty, Faith, Alice, and Cash and headed into Warrenton for a big birthday dinner. A day or two prior to my birthday my dad smoked his 4-H bacon. So, I decided that breakfast for dinner would be the perfect birthday meal. I was dying to try Dad's newest smoked treat, and eggs, bacon, and hashbrowns are likely my favorite menu items EVER! Why I have never asked for breakfast as my birthday dinner in the past is really quite puzzling to me. It's a new tradition! Dinner was hands-down awesome and I ate way too much. I even had a piece of the cake Adam and the kids made me. It was a very nice time...even Grandma Barb came!

It's after 7:00 and the day still isn't over. In fact, we've gotten to the best part...the part where we take a trip to Costco to buy new laminate flooring for Synnove's room!!! I was, and still am beyond excited about this purchase. If you are a regular "In The Sticks" reader, you know how badly I've been itching to do various projects in the house...but funds have fizzled, and unnecessary projects have been put on hold...indefinitely. It's a depressing prospect that has me searching for ways to, well...*ahem*...get my way. Long story short, after some searching, I decided upon flooring I found at Costco that was going on sale ON my birthday! All of the generous gifts of money I received went towards the purchase (a little over half the total!).

This year my Birthday was made extra special by many of the loving people in my extra-large family. I loved it! There was never a dull moment in my day...even at 10:30 PM when I ate my 3rd "sliver" of cake!