A Happy 32nd Birthday.

My birthday spanned two days this year. I just realized I loaded the pictures in the wrong order, so get ready for me to skip around a bit. Skipping is fun!


On my actual birthday, I woke up, got the girls ready and off to school and opened a couple of cards and the package Melanie sent me. I love birthday mail! I love getting mail any day. The package arrived at least a full week early, but it had "do not open until your birthday" written on all sides of the box, so I obeyed.

This adorable apron was inside the box! It's perfect! When Mel called me a little bit later to wish me a happy birthday, she asked if I got the present. She told me that when she saw it, my name was written all over it. I concurred!


After I got all cleaned up, dressed and ready for the day, my visiting teachers dropped by with some beautiful freshly picked roses and a plate of cookies. Two of the things I love the most!
(Well, flowers and treats in general.)

By then, I had less than two hours before Ryan had to leave for work, so he was kind enough to keep Oliver at home so I could run off and do my own thing for a bit. I went to Target and Ross just to look around at stuff. I love what I find when I'm in my zone, just happy and wandering around.


I found this Beatles mug at Ross. Just for me. Only $3.99. I couldn't "help" but help myself.

It turned out that my sister, Erin, found this mug for me at another Ross location. It's so nice having an extra pair of eyes at stores around town. =)


I found and adopted these cute Halloween sprinkles at Target. And to think I almost missed them! They were in the $1 section up front and I only went over there as an afterthought on my way out. Bingo! Just what I needed to amp up the birthday cheer.

I came home, Ryan went to work and Ollie went down for a nap. Actually, I think I took part of a nap with him. Then I got up and enjoyed the silence for a while before the girls came home. I love my quiet afternoons!

At about 5:00, I drove the kids over to Ryan's parents' for a little fairy party they had been planning with Grandma Shirley. From what I heard after the fact, they all dressed up pretty and played fun games and ate and such. Oliver played with Grandpa so I could go out with Renee. The girls spent the night over there, but Ryan picked Ollie up after work and took him home.

Renee and I went to see Gavin (my brother) doing stand-up comedy at the Bull's Head Pub. He was quite funny! I don't know how people do that! So much to memorize - and delivery is key! He was opening for a friend of his, Heath Harmison, who was also very amusing. Megan (my little sister) was also there, operating the video camera for them. Renee and I shared some spinach artichoke dip and split a French dip sandwich. I guess we were in the mood for dip. The food was not my favorite. It was a very fun night. After the comedy, we stayed for a bit to support the Dueling Pianos. It wasn't just pianos- they also sang and there was a drummer, who happened to be a former Capital High student. I think he was a year or two my junior. We didn't expect that the drummer would be their best singer, but he was. I was very impressed! They took requests for a while, then we decided to take off. We went back to Renee's, where her husband was playing poker with his buddies. Renee and I slipped outside for a little walking and talking. It was getting late, and I'm getting old, so we called it a night and I headed home. It was such a fun time while it lasted!



Alrighty then. This is where I messed up the photo chronology. And I like order so much, too...

Ryan had previously arranged to have some friends and family come over to my parents' house for cake the evening before my birthday.

Earlier that day I was watching my very good friend, Becky, get a beautiful tattoo of flowers and a butterfly installed on her leg. The artist prodded at me a bit, wondering why I didn't want to get a tattoo. I just said I've never wanted one. By the time I had to leave, he had dropped the idea of persuading me to get one and suggested I could get some "stuff" pierced. "Stuff?", I asked. He told me I should get my nipples pierced - that my husband would like that. Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's one of the things he's always wanted but was afraid to ask!

Anyway, Becky was telling me that since she needed to go back into work after the tattoo was finished that she probably wouldn't be able to make it to my party. Uh... what party? She thought Ryan had told me by then. Not so much. =) She said she had asked him if it was intended to be a surprise, and he hadn't acted like it.

Fast forward to that night >> After dinner at home, Ryan announced that we were all heading to my party! What a surprise! ;) We went to my mom's for a yummy cake Ryan had fashioned solely out of mint chocolate chip ice cream and crushed Oreos. So fresh!

I was so excited to have Maria and Renee show up! I didn't know what or whom to expect! So all together it was my parents, my grandma, Gavin, Maren & Maisie, Megan & Fletcher and, of course, Ryan and the kidlets.


It's either her 311th or her 32nd birthday. Based on her posture, I can't tell which.


Little Maisie brought a few party hats to help heighten the excitement.



That's the back of Maria's head sitting on the recliner. (Her body was also sitting on the recliner, and was/is presently connected to her head. ) From left: My mom, Renee, Megan, Maisie, Gavin, Maren, Me, Jane. Backs to the camera: Cora and Ollie. Fletcher also pictured in right-hand corner. Not pictured: Grandma and my step-dad, Brad. What a nice little gathering of people I love to be with.


Ryan and the kids made this fun poster for me. They worked so hard on it. He plowed through my whole collection of pictures weeks ahead of time and ordered many of them for this top secret project. The best part? Whenever I croak, they already have a collage handy to display at my funeral!



Here's some material evidence of my birthday.

The sweet cards from loved ones near and far...


My friends know me too well. Renee gave me a cute bracelet, along with a sampling of one of my favorite kinds of candy. I don't get why people don't like Circus Peanuts. Pure sugar (and cute in shape and color!) with a perfect melt-in-your-face texture. What's not to love?

Maria gave me this cute Halloween plaque (is she calling me a witch?) ... and more Circus Peanuts! What a fun treat. Anyone who knows me knows no gift is complete without candy. :)
Yeehaw!


Maren, Gavin and Maisie gave me bacon scented lip balm, Turkish Delight (I'll have to try it while watching "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"!) and Tabasco Brand spicy chocolate. I need to give that a taste, and I'm wondering what would happen if I wore a heavy application of the Bacon Balm to choir this week. Yummy!

My parents gave me a card promising lunch or dinner out at our soonest convenience. (They took Ryan and me out to lunch at Mongolian BBQ the Monday following my B-day). Lastly, my Grandma Pinney gave me a nice card with some money for a treat.

Oh, and Ryan is "letting" me go get my hair colored and trimmed up as my present from him, if I ever decide where and when to make my appointment.

It was a happy birthday, and the treats and fun were plentiful. Another year down the drain. I mean that in the most optimistic way...