Oh yeah... I forgot!

Another little tidbit about my birthday yesterday...

I had 4 people call and sing me "Happy Birthday"!
(along with the gifts, and cards in the mail, phone calls and messages on my answer machine.... I loved all of those too)

Thanks to Royce, Wilma, Pyper, and My Dad (yep, one for the record books, my Dad SANG me the "Happy Birthday Song", well he did have a "senior moment" and forgot my name at that part of the song... but it was the most special gift he has probably ever given me.... see I told you some of those things that make you feel special were free).

The rest of my Special Day...

My Strong Silent Mysterious Man got off of work early and came home to be with me for my birthday... it was a great surprise because he doesn't ever do things like that, unless he is taking me fishing or something that is in his best interest.

We took a ride over to Costco, and walked around browsing... he told me after we left, he was hoping I would find something I couldn't live without and he could buy it and count it as my birthday gift. I said if I would have known that, I would have picked out something really cool, like the $700 piano/keyboard with weighted keys and programming. He was glad to have scrapped by without having to buy that for me.

So by this time, 2J's was out of school, so we picked him up and drove to town. We went to the mall and held all the puppies in the pet shop, then went to the massage chair store and tried them out and got personal demo's from the salesman there. Then we stopped into See's Candies and we got a sample coconut cream and milk chocolate... and we each picked out two pieces of candy to take with us. (it was better than a whole birthday cake right?)

Then they took me out to dinner to Joe's Crab Shack... my Man ordered coconut shrimp (I know, Mr. Picky eater actually ordered something other than cheese enchiladas), and 2J's and I had combo buckets with crab legs and shrimp, keilbasa, corn and potatoes... but mostly crab legs. They were super yummy, but I think crab once a year will do me... it is too much work to eat them. But the time you get the meat out of the leg, you have worked up a sweat, and juice running down to your elbows. It was a fun place, pretty casual, with a nice river front view... but it probably won't be a regular hang out or anything.

A really fun place to take people who come to visit from out of town... so come visit me! (not like any of you from Seattle would come to Idaho for crab... oh well).

It was a super fun, very special day, and I felt so loved by my family and friends!

Happy Birthday to me!!

Me me me... and more about my special day...

I took this picture last week because... last year when the leaves fell off our little trees, they all fell at one time. Really I was sitting at my desk looking out the window and it was like a cartoon in front of me... all the leaves went pluhhhh to the ground at one time (yes, that is a real word if I want it to be).'

So I knew it was coming soon, and wanted to have a "before shot".

This year the leaves have just fallen one at a time, here and there, and while the yard was covered with leaves, there was still too many on the tree to start raking. Well if you want to do it all in one shot... like me.

Today, my Man took me to get a bite at lunch time, and to go vote (note to self to write about my voting story later)... and on my way home, for some reason, I couldn't stand the leaves in the yard one more day. So even though I have a policy not to cook or clean or rake leaves on my birthday (okay it's not a real policy, I made that up today)... anyway I found myself out raking leaves. It's really good exercise, and the weather is beautiful today, and I was going to get something accomplished on my birthday.

Sometime shortly after I figured out we actually had a rake (the previous owner left some tools in the garden shed... I have NEVER owned a rake) I realized, I wasn't sure if I knew how to rake. I couldn't remember if I had actually ever raked in my life before? See how spoiled I really am... the truth comes out! I did chop and stack my share of wood in my teenage years though... I don't want my parents reading this thinking they had gone too wrong. So do you rake in a circle and bring them to the middle, or in rows like vacuuming? Slowly, some remembrance came to me about blisters from the rake handle, and wet leaves, and the wind blowing them back over what I was raking... so I must have raked at some point, you don't just dream those things.

These leaves were really dry and light and fluffy which made for super easy raking.. they piled up super fast... it did make it difficult to get them into a bag (unlike our neighbor who blows them into the street UGGGGG!!!! I hate that deal). That must be why I don't remember raking, they were probably always too wet to rake in Seattle.

Before long, I had the job done, well until the next batch falls to the ground... I will save those for 2J's, I don't want to rob him of fond childhood memories. I broke a little sweat, got some fresh air, and you can see the semi-green grass underneath now. It's amazing, I still feel special, and I worked on my birthday... it didn't cancel it out. I won't push my luck and over do it... better go put up my feet and get ready for Cake!!

More about me and my day...

Mom, here is my vest... it still doesn't show up well in the picture, but it is so velvety soft and I love the deep purple color... AND it's reversible to black on the other side.

Thank you!

I am off this morning to deliver a meal...

I made one lasagna to go, and another for my boys to have later this week (I'm not cooking my own birthday dinner (stomp of the foot) ... see how spoiled I am...)

Another lady brought by french bread and brownies to go with it... it should help out, so the family doesn't have to fix a meal tonight.

It's My Birthday...

I know I am really spoiled... we always had a rule you couldn't open any presents before your birthday.

But when I was in Seattle, my Sis got me some New Balance shoes... and My Mom got me a new Purple Vest (it's so dark in this picture, I'll take another pic wearing it)... and my MIL was here this weekend and got me a beading book, necklace and earings. And I already got 2 birthday cards from a friend I used to work for, and my investment company (they always remember my birthday... I don't care, it makes me feel special to get birthday cards, and I think they actually hand write mine, it's not printed) I love them all!

See I really am special today! I can't wait to start my day!!!

The Weekend...

Saturday we were out all day until 5pm putting campaign flyers on doors... we must have walked 10 miles or more. It was good exercise, and I suppose a good service, but we were pooped out when we got home.

Sunday after church, we went to visit with Grandma and Grandpa before they left to go home on Monday morning...

My man with his Mom and Harley (the dog)...

Two J's with Aunt Fay...

And of course it doesn't really matter where we are when Sunday nap time comes around, he will be sure to get one in...

I put some of my brother and SIL's soup in the crockpot for dinner when we got home... YUMMM!! Cheddar Cheese and Brocoli... it's the best stuff! I hand carried it home on the plane from Seattle with me to savor and enjoy at home. Thanks Ralph and Panda, it was worth every mile I had to tote it!!!

Grandma and Grandpa came to town...

We got to go over to Aunt Fays and visit with Grandma and Grandpa for a little bit this afternoon. She made us some homemade corn dogs with a new little mini cooker she brought with her. They were AWESOME... when she said she would make us corn dogs for dinner, I was thinking like frozen Costco dogs. These were not frozen Costco at all... they were amazing... even picky husband ate one and loved it. Thanks Grandma!

We have to giggle because 2J's towers over her now!

Harley, Fay's new puppy was the center of attention...

His has the best little personality... what a cutie.

Oh yeah, back to the visit (I can't help it, I LOVE dogs)... well it was pretty quick, we had to eat and run. And Grandpa and Gene and Fay were there, I just didn't get any more pictures. We will see them again tomorrow... I will get more pictures then.

No School Day...

TGIF! I love Fridays! No School today... do I love no school days? Hmmmm....
Is it okay to just let the kid NOT do anything productive, on a no school day?

Maybe if I planned something fun and exciting to do on our no school day....
Maybe if there weren't so many things I always feel like I HAVE to do on our no school day...

We get to go see Grandma and Granpa, visiting in town, that will be fun for the no school day...
We get to go have lunch with Dad, that will be fun for the no school day...

I have to get better organized so I can have a plan for these no school days. There are more just around the corner, with teacher conferences, Thanksgiving (I don't even have a plan for that yet), Christmas, Winter break...

It's not like me not to have a plan for everything... someone pinch me! I'm spinning out of control!

Halloween 2007

I got the call from My Man all the way in Nevada, that he was waiting on a truck and wouldn't be home before 10pm last night. We had originally thought 4pm... so it was a blow to my already fragile system. But there was nothing I could do about it, so I just tried to endure.

2J's had signed up to go help at our Church for their annual "Trunk or Treat". He was going to help hand out Hot Chocolate, and Apple Cider, and donuts with the other kids that were just too old to go begging for candy at this age.

So the night before a lady from the church called and asked him to dress up, but nothing scary, just something fun or funny.

The night before...

As he gets out of school on Halloween, we do the "have to have a costume in 2 hours" rush! He wants to do "Ace Ventura"... but that was way too much pressure on Mom, and nobody would recognize him anyway! And I was not going to spend a ton of money on this... I was "Grinching" very badly. So we found some pieces to put together and he went as a Hawaiian for $3.

Can you believe he is letting me take his picture?

Okay I kind of tricked him into this one... "No Mom I am not doing the Hula"... Snap!

His friend Conor dressed as "Jared Zabransky", the Boise State football player... I guess that would have been a little more masculine! Duh!

Oh well, a good time was had by all. I stayed home and paid bills inbetween door bells. I have to say, I am not a fan of Halloween, but I do like it when the little kids come to the door all excited and I have candy for them. (I can't wait for grandkids!!)

Of course our dogs were totally freaked out with all the goblins stopping by and ringing the door bell. But they were much much better when our Main Man got home. All the pieces of our Family Unit were back in place.