Birthday Redemption

Well, my birthday has come full circle. Besides the sweet wishes that I received here on my blog (thank you sweet friends!), I also received an abundance of great things which I thought I should share, since this blog is about the good, the bad, and the ugly.....and I already covered the ugly.

I had one need and one wish for my birthday.

The need? A trip to the maternity store so I could clothe my body. A solo trip with some cold hard cash. Thanks Gigi & Daddy :) It's always fun to try on clothes that are too big for a change!

Can I just make one plea with the maternity clothes designers? I don't desire to expose my belly when it is in it's non-pregnancy form.... I DON'T WANT IT EXPOSED WHEN MY BELLY BUTTON FLIPS INSIDE OUT EITHER!!! Or my bosoms either for that matter.

Thank you and good day.
















The want? Well, it could easily fit into the category of *the dream*. But don't you know that your 35th birthday is the stuff dreams are made of ??? Feast your eyes on my most favorite tangible item, right after my bible & my wedding ring.....Chris still holds the record for buying me the best gifts ever!

I am highly unqualified to use such a fine piece of camera but I don't care. I am teaching myself and loving it! Here are a couple, I mean a few, O.K. a plethora of photos taken with my beautiful camera.












































































































































































































































Uncle Scott & Robin came down for a visit and Samuel claimed Scott as his personal pitching machine for as many hours as we had daylight. Thanks for indulging a 4-year old's wants and needs and for holding my boy's attention span for longer than 42 seconds. I believe you may have set a record.

On Friday night I went to my friend Karen's house to fellowship with ladies from church. We called this gathering, "Ladies of Grace".Doesn't that sound elegant? Regal? Classy?
Truth be told, when I first read that phrase, at my newly christened *advanced* age, I was pretty sure it sounded like the blue-haired ladies who meet at the church on Wednesday morning and travel by van to the botanical gardens....or the craft show...or the bingo hall. Maybe I was feeling a little over-sensitive?

Anyhoo, even though this was my actual birthday (Friday) we had already decided to go out for our birthday dinner next week, when my friend Dusty returns from her year-long 3-week long trip to Texas. Since she shares a July birthday, we will hit the town next week for some "graceful" lady dining. No bingo or botanical gardens on the agenda.

My gift booty included:

From Jenn- showing me the true love with a tub of butter cream icing.....and she didn't even take one lick. I'm proud Jenn. I'm real proud.

To those of you who do *not* suffer from the icing/addiction/affliction then this gift will mean nothing to you. Go eat a carrot.

But for those of you who could easily eat themselves into a sugar-induced coma when faced with a tub of goodness like this.....look away....look away quickly.










From Kelly- loving me with my love of fresh flowers! Beautiful :




























I also got a wonderful Vera Bradley umbrella in my most favorite pattern (my pattern won't show up...it's Botanica) from Lea Ann. She gave it to me like 8 months ago. She's one of those "can't wait" kind of people. I love it, cause by the time my birthday rolls around, she ends up giving me ANOTHER gift. Here's a hip-hip-hooray for impatience!

I plan on spending my day washing hoards of laundry because during my birthday hiatus I allowed about 65 loads to pile up. Couple that with a dirty house and a jillion phone calls and you can definitely tell it's Monday and I have a birthday hangover.

I think this calls for at least 2-4 tablespoons of icing.....

Blessings!