A Birthday Reminder

Birthdays. 

When you're a kid...so exciting!

Balloons!

Cake!

Friends!

The PRESENTS!

When you're an adult. 

Boring. 

At least at my house. 

Which is fine with me. 

I don't need to be reminded that I'm one year closer to "the home."

A year closer to glucosamine pills. 

A year closer to bifocals. 

A year closer to dementia. 

Okay, so maybe a few of those things have already happened. 

Who am I kidding, I'm no spring chicken. 

I'm more like a middle aged hen. 

Grumpy and molting on a regular basis. 

Now, I've heard about adults who do have large birthday celebrations. 

Even seen the photographic evidence on Facebook. 

I don't think those people have kids. 

Or if they do, the kids are grown ups themselves now. 

When you have kids, there's no money left for you to use to celebrate 'cause you spent it all on the dang kids. 

When I was due to turn 40, I had a plan. 

I wanted to take a cruise with my two oldest friends who would also be turning 40 in the same month as myself. 

Just think, cruising on the open ocean. 

Fruity drink in hand as we lay around the pool. 

We would get up whenever we felt like it. 

Not at the time the minions were demanding their chocolate milk. 

We would get massages by (hopefully) hunky men who resembled John Stamos. 

Sigh. 

It didn't happen. 

I spent my 40th birthday in my house. 

Eating Monicals pizza at my own dining room table. 

My husband designed me a cake made entirely of Hostess Ding Dongs. 

It was me, my husband, my two kids, and my parents. 

My daughter's cancer diagnosis and subsequent chemotherapy regime made her too susceptible to germs. 

She couldn't leave the house. 

I couldn't go in a cruise if my child was fighting for her life. 

I couldn't even go to a restaurant with her on that day. 

I was another year older and she was fighting the biggest brawl she had ever faced. 

So we celebrated low key. 

She's all better now. 

And I'm about to turn 43. 

Tomorrow. 

I am hoping to take that cruise next year. 

The ocean, the sun, the all inclusive buffet, girlfriend chit chat, and the knowledge that my daughter is alive and well. 

To celebrate another birthday herself. 

Birthdays. 

Another day. 

Another year. 

Another chance...

 

Monday Thru Wednesday

Monday. 

I snapped a shot of one of the buildings at Millikin University. 

Its a very pretty and old campus. 

Lots of gothic, and reportedly haunted, buildings. 

We spend a lot of time here since this is where Chad works and where Zoe takes piano lessons. 

It's a little Midwest gem that Decatur doesn't promote enough. 

Tuesday was Zoe's 9th Birthday. Gigi and I took her lunch and ate with her in the cafeteria. 

Then we passed out cookies that I had made to help her class celebrate with her. 

Gigi fit right in and we spent about 30 minutes in her classroom. 

Her teacher was absent on Tuesday so she had a sub. 

And what a sub she was...Zoe's 1st grade teacher, Mrs. Calvert, who we adore!

Wednesday saw Gigi and I at the dentist. 

She's very good there and they counted 20 teeth in her mouth. 

I, on the other hand, have a fracture in a tooth and they recommend getting a crown. 

Ugh.

Celebrating A Sunset And A Birthday

Thursday I stopped the car on the country road that is near our house to snap this sunset. 

We were on the way to piano lessons and this was to pretty to pass up. 

After I took the picture I glanced into the rear view mirror and reminded the girls that "sometimes you just need to stop and take a picture of what's in front of you."

Zoe turns 9 on Tuesday so birthday extravaganza began on Friday. 

I made cookies and some other snacks in preparation for Saturday's party. 

Zoe has an Art Theme this year. 

This is my attempt at a paint palette cookie. 

The Arty Party was Saturday and it was fun!

I've cheated here on the "photo of the day" and added "photoS of the day!"

We had the party at the Decatur Area Arts Council and they provided a magnificent space and a great teacher. 

She taught the kids an hour of art instruction in oil pastels and then we had pizza, opened gifts, and played art bingo.

Zoe invited a few friends from school and her cousins.

So. 

Much. 

Fun!

Sunday we had a family party. 

Aunts, Uncles, Grandpa and Grandma, and cousins. 

Zoe wanted a cookie cake this year. 

We were all very, VERY impressed by what Mrs. Field's Cookies at the mall created for her. 

Zoe is wearing a birthday gift created for her by her cousin Hanna, an infinity scarf in her school colors. 

Year End Review

2013 is coming to an end. 

Here's our family end of the year review. 

In pictures. 

The girls bought three hermit crabs in January.  Today, there are two. 

 

Then they tried roller skating...

We now have an 8 year old and a 5 year old. 

And a 3rd grader and a second-year pre-schooler. 

We met Illinois State Senator Manar and the Governor of Illinois, Pat Quinn.

Zoe got her ears pierced. 

Zoe cut the ribbon (again!) at the Midwest Charity Horse Show representing Camp COCO.

And she had a great time at her 3rd year of camp.

We went to a hockey game in Chicago. 

And to Ohio where the girls got to pal around with their cousins, Julie and Hunter, whom they had never met! 

We went to Hannibal, MO. 

And to Chicago, again. 

Zoe had doctor appointments and one more surgery. 

There were dance classes, piano lessons, carnival rides, and a trip to learn about Abraham Lincoln's life. 

Zoe and Grandma sewed. 

And we swam in our pool. 

As well as took swimming lessons at the public cement pond. 

We canoodled with our pets. 

And we canoodled with our cousins. 

We had family gatherings. 

We laughed with friends.

And Grandpa drove the girls in a parade.  

We celebrated holidays.

And said goodbye to my mom's brother, Uncle Jeff. 

We enjoyed a big snowfall in December. 

And are preparing for the spring. 

 

We have made much progress with our license plate campaign. 

We are excited to see what happens for us in 2014!