Update on the birthday post

Ok, one more addition to the amazing birthday I had this year. My stepmom, Debby, made me a scrapbook of pictures she found in a box of my Dad's and an album of my grandma's (Nanny) and it is AMAZING!! It goes from my birth to my marriage, and I hadn't even seen some of the pictures she found. This takes a huge load off my mind, because I had always intended to work through those pictures and make a scrapbook one day, but I knew it would be a huge task.
Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of Debby and I together, but here is my Dad and the girls and I looking at the book, along with a few pages of it. I can't thank her enough!!





On a side note, I love this page that shows my sister and I with our good friends, Gary and Adam. I'm always telling Sara that boys and girls can be friends longer than the preschool years:)

Thanks again, Debby!!

A birthday to remember

What an amazing birthday I had this year! I was able to celebrate with so many different friends and family and I appreciated every second of it. It's funny that I actually kept forgetting how old I was turning - seems like once I hit 30, I can't keep the number straight. I actually had to count the years from 1975 a few times! That must mean I am getting old. Oh well, I had a great time turning another year older!

The week before my birthday, Derek and I went to a Tyrone Wells concert with 5 other couples. We all had dinner together at a place called Quinns, went to a meet and greet with Tyrone, then found some great booths to sit together and chat until Tyrone was on. So much fun. Then the best part was we stayed downtown Seattle in a hotel that was practically walking distance from the concert - that was what I had wanted for my birthday. It was super nice and I loved not having to drive an hour home!
The next day, I got to have lunch at Mama Stortinis with these great friends - Amy Jo, Chrissy and Heather. I don't get to see them nearly enough, so I love our tradition of getting together for each of our birthdays.
The night before my birthday I worked on Project 365 at Lisa's - what a small group this has usually become! But it was actually really nice just being able to visit with the two of them, even if I didn't get near as much as I wanted done. Lisa made delicious cupcakes for us, complete with a candle and everything. And I am going to be looking good in the kitchen with the most adorable apron she gave me!
On the morning of my birthday, the girls could not have been more excited. Hailey told me later that she was tired because she had to get up so early to prepare for my birthday! They brought me breakfast in bed and let me SLEEP IN (one of my all time favorite birthday presents). Then they created a cute little scavenger hunt for me to find my presents. Here are some of my clues (written by Derek, said by them)...
After church and an afternoon nap, we went to dinner at Red Robin. Of course, the people had to sing and bring me a sundae, the girls insisted. Notice where Hailey's eyes are in this picture!
The next day we celebrated at my Mom's house, and she had been talking for weeks about how excited she was about my present. I had no idea what it could be, and I could never have guessed. This has to be the most thoughtful present I have ever received! I first opened a little box that held this letter in it... If you read my blog, you might recognize this as a post I did a while back about how there are so many things I want to fit into a day and just can't do it.


Then I opened 12 separate gift bags , and each one had a printed strip of paper with one of those things on it. Each gift addressed one of those goals! For example, "Going to bed at a decent time," was a bag with new sheets and a reed diffuser from Pier One. Or "Friend Time to chat and catch up" was a gift card to Olive Garden and pedicures for two. And "Laughing with Derek, time to hang out," was a gift certificate to Amtrak to take a train to Leavenworth, while Mom keeps the kids. I won't explain every one to you, but let me tell you, it required so much thought and effort and was SO nice!! I hope I can give such thoughtful gifts to my girls one day, because I know how awesome it is to receive them.
I actually got to go to coffee and breakfast with Sara this morning, as our own little celebration, but I can't believe we didn't take a picture! I know, it seems like I should be all celebrated out, but I couldn't forget to mention her. And then I will still celebrate with my Dad and Debby on Thanksgiving and the Edwards family a couple days after that - it is starting to seem a little ridiculous. But once I mentioned a few here, I couldn't leave anyone out... hope I didn't! Thanks again to all my family and friends who made me feel so special, it was way more than I deserve and I love you all!!

Reading with Ramona, Ralph and Fudge

Symantha has become quite the bookworm lately and I can't get to the library enough to keep up with her habits. She reads mostly at bed time, and if we forget about her, she will read WAY too late. I've been working hard at reminding myself or setting a timer!

The funny thing is, they are seriously like old friends, these characters that Symantha is now reading about. I can't believe she is reading authors like Beverly Clearly, Judy Blume, and a bunch of others that I remember reading when I was in Elementary school! She does read all sorts of the newer books too, but I can't help pointing out some of the ones I used to like. Some of my favorites were Mouse and the Motorcycle, The Boxcar Children, The Little House on the Prairie series and the assorted Fudge and Ramona books. I do, however, discover now as an adult, that a number of the children in these stories are BRATS (except Laura and Mary, of course. We love them). This was sad for me, as I don't remember them this way! I wonder what this says about me as a child.... but I digress. Luckily, it usually provides good opportunities for Symantha and I to chat about that bratty child and how NOT to act!

So what were your favorite books growing up?? Any great ones I am forgetting?

My first Ten on Ten

Here's the challenge: Take a photo once an hour for ten consecutive hours on the tenth of each month. Document a snapshot of your life and find beauty in the ordinary things of each day. I've been meaning to do it for months, and thanks to Andrea for reminding me to finally do it this month! It was fun to be more creative and artistic with my shots, since I wasn't totally focused and worried about capturing the memories. Check out this blog of others doing it too, for some fun inspiration. Here goes...