Birthdays

Birthdays -- you gotta love them!  In spite of the inevitable changes in eyesight, the complaints of growing a mustache, hot flashes, and other maladies that can strike at any moment as you get older...

...In spite of the challenges and trials that come just from life.  Letting your children, grow, leave home....and cooking for fewer and fewer (which is actually incredibly difficult)....

...In spite of all these things -- LIFE IS GOOD!  And every year just gets better and better.  As I sort of "look back", I can't think of any year I'd like to do over.  And I haven't had a hard time turning any age, except 20, for which I have no explanation.  I've earned every year....I love every year and I'm thankful I had another Birthday!

Here are a few photos -- and for the record....I don't look great in any of them....but since I post of everyone else, I'll be a good sport and post of me too.....

Sunny and Scott got balloons and brought me a dozen cupcakes from Pinkabella

Gonna have help blowing out the candles.....

We/HE did it!  Hooray!

Gotta love my new apron too! 

Letting the balloons go....it's a ritual.....

I had a great few days!  Yes!  At our house, birthdays take DAYS!  Sometimes WEEKENDS -- depending on when your birthday falls!

Thursday -- Kyle and I went to lunch with our friends.....MaryAnn, Susan, Kris and crew --Anna and Markus -- Laura, Loretta and Amy.....we had a fine lunch at Panera Bread,  many laughs and some very thoughtful and sweet gifts -- how well do these ladies know me?  Well, they all gave me funny cards. 

Susan found an awesome book, and bath salts.  Laura found me a new apron!  I love this apron (I'm wearing it in the pictures)!  It's frilly and girly and cute....I guess she was sick of my old striped one.....and I do love this apron! 

Friday was my birthday, and Kyle, Susan, Laura and I made one of our weekly runs to Safeway for $1 Diet Cokes and a snack.  Then we all convened at our house for dinner.....bbq ribs, hot dogs, potato salad, funeral potatoes and a massive chocolate cake that I spent all day baking -- OKAY -- it was a Costco cake, but it makes a good story.

Derek sent me a game of strategy based on the "Hunger Games".....and Jon got me a Kindle.

Now a few words about the Kindle -- I have long held the opinion that the only way to read a book is to hold the book in your hands, smell the pages, feel the weight and indulge the mind and senses.  Books are easy to loan to others, can be marked and noted and highlighted.  Books go on shelves and add ambiance to your home.  Books are magical.  Books allow you to escape for moments in time.  Books open your mind, enlarge understanding, increase vocabulary and broaden horizons.  I have always loved books! 

Now I have a Kindle and I'm reminded of the saying....."Change is inevitable.  Growth is optional!"  A Kindle is a "techie" thing.  I am not "techie".  But I can learn.  Scott set it up for me and helped me get my first book -- it's been an excellent adventure -- learning how to use this thing!  I see many advantages to the Kindle.  It's sleek and compact.  It's light-weight!  It holds up to 3,500 books....and you can carry those with you.....on a plane, or to the beach, or the doctor's office.....you couldn't carry 3.500 books.....two get heavy.  The scriptures just got a whole lot lighter, than carrying the books to church, and the hymn book was included too.  I even discovered that you can (and I don't understand this) "loan" a book you've purchased to another person.....isn't that cool?  You can highlight, type notes, and mark pages you'd like to return to.....so, I'm looking forward to this new adventure......this Kindle is going to be fun!  Of course, there are some books I'm gonna still want on my shelf.....but that can happen too.  Neither is exclusive -- isn't that grand?

I would be remiss if I didn't express thanks for the blessings I have -- for the years, the family, the friends, who all enrich my life!  I am truly blessed.

So thanks to all who made my Birthday one to remember.....48 is a great age to be! 

As I leave you -- here is one of my favorite quotes.....

"Age does not diminsh the extreme disappointment of having a scoop of ice cream fall from the cone." ~Jim Fiebig