Finally!!

Life has slowed down enough to post again. I can see how this summer is going to be with blogging!! LOL
My birthday week was fab...

Well, first we cropped on Friday night. I think it was the first time I cropped since last summer. It was great. We laughed a ton, ate great food (tried eggplant parmesan) and chocolate, and I got my prayer journal done. Rhonda dropped in on her way to a night away with her husband, but the rest of us were there for the duration. My box of dark chocolates were cracked in to immediately and have been enjoyed ever since!!

Take 1: Joseph is an idiot for the first of almost every shot I take. I could do an entire album of Joseph outtakes. This is me looking at him, sensing his idiocy, just as I'm pushing the button. Perfect timing!!

Take two: Cassie decides to blow a bubble, which I pop, at the exact same time I push the shutter. We were laughing so hard we had to take a break before the next shot!!

Success at last!!

Saturday, Kimberlee came over and gave me a bag of great goodies, including some of my favorite paper and a "G"!! Then we went out to B&N for some cheesecake. I have convinced her that Godiva chocolate cheesecake is fabulous. It took no convincing on my part!!

Sunday, it was church and Cassie came. She brought a beautiful, full red rose and gave it to me! I just love it when she walks in places. Her presence alone makes it better. After church, we came home and decided to go out to breakfast in Naperville and walk around up there...after I opened my presents...which were AC/DC magnets from Joseph, and a beautiful set of chimes; a digital frame from Paul and a lunch/manicure from Cassie. I'm looking forward to that!!

I listened to my messages while changing...Lynda left me the longest message I've ever had and Sherrie and the kids sang...

Off to Egg Harbor, checking my texts on the way, and more voicemails from my nieces and sister.

Lunch (it was 130 before we ate) was great and the kids were getting along, so it was a wonderful day. We came home and played cards (ok it was my bday, but I still didn't WIN!!).

More messages, from my mom and brother, and some email greetings too!!
Check out Cassie's balloon head!!

By then, I wasn't feeling very well from the corned beef hash, so that was the end of my bday... but it continued on on Monday!!

Bible study, which was great as always, and found out that Paul had made several calls to find out the recipe to a chocolate cake that I loved. He called Sherrie, who called Lynda, who called Kimberlee, who called Melissa, who had a recipe. A great recipe. Yummy. Rich. Dark. But the cake I was watching him eat on the day he discovered chocolate cake, was the cake I MADE from a box. Duncan Hines Triple Chocolate cake, with a half of a bag of mint chocolate chips on top and a can of frosting. I thought that was the funniest, nicest story for bday prep.

Monday afternoon, I had some mentor moms over for lunch. That was great too. What an amazing group of women. I am humbled to be part of their posse. Wise, funny, kind, great women. Anyway, I started telling the cake recipe search story, and Evelyn started laughing right away, because she remembered me bringing the cake to Lynda's house!! It's a keeper story.

Monday night, out with Lynda and Kimberlee to Portillo's and B&N again. We had so much fun. It was totally unexpected and wonderful.

Lynda gave me a beautiful necklace and earring set that I know I will wear alot, but the best gift was their TIME!!

Thus ends my bday story...which is good because my "niece visiting story" begins Monday. And I need a little rest!!