And Now, I'm 35.

Well. What a birthday I had! My mom, who reads my blog, jokingly mentioned she hoped all my "advertising" paid off. I'm almost embarrassed about it. I think the last time I got this much attention and stuff for my birthday, I was nine. Next year there will be no soliciting.

Paige and Celia sent me this gorgeous black and white bouquet of flowers with one yellow spot. Actually, I made them black and white. In case you were wondering. They smell so good, and are a breath of fresh air in this snowy, wintry state.

We went out for Mexican on Friday, since Skip was going to be gone most of the weekend. Mmmm... black bean dip... Good on Friday, bad for everyone on Saturday.

Skip loves watches, and is trying to convert me. I'm so simple, I could wear one cheap watch all the time and not care. He wants better for me. I'm willingly being made-over. I absolutely love the watch, and if I had a "style" this would be it.



Marji, my friend who does not blog, sent me a very cute hanging plaque. She was one of my first friends ever, and a true testament to her that she is still my friend. Thirty years is a long time to put up with me.
Mika surprised me with a birthday greeting in blue stones. He ran out of stones, however, and improvised the rest with chapstick, a colored pencil, and a polly pockets car door. (I have no idea where he came up with these things while laying on the floor looking under the couch.) He also gave me what he considered to be a very pretty glass sculpture of two teddy bears by a present. It's one of those "mom" gifts that you love because your child loves, and you proudly display it on the nightstand next to your bed, where company never goes.

I love lemon cake. I was going to bake myself a very nice one to eat with the kids on Sunday. Skip reassured me I would not have to bake my own cake this year, he would be taking care of the cake. I gag at the thought of store-bought baked goods. Once again, he is making me over. He bought "the moistest chocolate cake ever" (that's what the label says) and it was quite tasty.
I got lots of other things in the mail and on email (thanks for the killer CD, H-Dawg, the GENEROUS iTunes gift card Lisa, and I love the new outfit, Mom!!) People were so kind to me all month and it totally made my birthday.

But the BEST surprise, by far, came on Saturday night. I went out with my girlfriend Mindy (who is very cute, and single, so if anyone has a hook-up, bring it on) for a late supper. I got a sitter for 8:30, so the kids would all be asleep. We went out, and my husband was texting me from the mountains, asking how late we planned to stay out, if I had left the house yet, if I was on my way home yet, etc. I figured he was concerned for my safety, or worried that guys would try to hit on us because Mindy is so hot. Turns out... he had arranged with his colonel to come in early from the training exercise to surprise me! So I came home, thinking I'd find my 16 year old babysitter watching cartoons. I found candles and music and children still sleeping... and my out-of-this-world husband waiting for me.

I am so fortunate to have great friends, loving kids, and such an amazing husband.

THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who made my birthday so incredible this year. I don't know that I deserve any of it after my shameless advertising. But I enjoyed every second of it. When I tucked Keola in last night, he said, "Mom, now you're going to have to wait a REALLY long time until your next birthday. Happy Birthday!!" I think I have enough to tide me over another year. Here's to being 35!