Hello 40!

We squeezed in another big celebration last weekend! My big birthday! Hello 40! I can't believe I'm writing that. It feels like I went from 30 to 40 in a few blinks.

Monday was actually my big day, but we celebrated Friday night with friends at a new restaurant at Bridgestreet. Texas deBrazil was a lot of fun, with great food. Thanks so much to these great friends for joining us, and to my sweet hubby for planning the night!

I have been determined to enjoy this big step, even though admittedly it has bothered me a little more than 30 did. Thanks to Mom, I took a few hours earlier in the week to shop for a new outfit (or two!) and some fun new jewelry. I also decided to pick up a favor for each dinner guest from Mel's Sweet Treats. Who said party fun is just for kids?! I had ordered a fun pair of Hunter rain boots in glossy red for myself a few weeks ago. I have been crushing over them for awhile and decided this was a good time to splurge....to bad they are back ordered since today would be a perfect day for them. Yes, I do believe in Retail Therapy! Everything in moderation. I also got a few sweet surprises from the family. Mike and Brennan went shopping Friday afternoon. After checking out all the stores downtown, they came home with two pretty bracelets and a small art piece. I love it all! The fun thing is I would not have picked any of it probably, but it's perfect.  It was also so much fun to see their excitement, especially Brennan's. He could hardly wait for me to open them, and had a really hard time keeping a secret for the last gift until today.


When I turned 30, I remember feeling like I was finally a real adult. 40 feels like it's getting very real! Life really couldn't be more different in 10 years. I thought I might start both decades with similar weather, snow, but luckily I enjoy rainy days too. 30 was big city Minneapolis, teaching in a suburb, living in a duplex, with snow mounded all around, and the only thing I had to keep alive was Wells. Wells is the one constant. I'd say 40 fits much better. 40 is back in Hartselle, with the job of a lifetime, in a house we get to love on, with three living beings to keep alive... who make my world go round, and my wonderful husband.  I could never have imagined I would be here then, and I can't imagine being anywhere else now. 30 was a lot about me, and learning who I was and what I was made of.  I think 40 is going to be a lot about loving on others, and helping them to know who they are. It's here, it's happening, so let's do this!

Sweet Valentine's!

We've had a fun few days! We kicked off our Valentine's celebration with Brennan's school party last week. On Monday night he came in while I was doing laundry, and in a distraught tone proclaimed he HAD to call his teacher immediately. When I questioned why, he explained that she said their family was supposed to come to their party and his daddy wouldn't be able to come because he was traveling. Thinking that Mike planned to be back by then, I suggested he call his daddy instead and invite him to the party. Much to Brennan's delight Mike accepted his invitation, so he got to have both parents for his special party. It was a lot of fun. Brennan's Valentine's were Yoda cards with glow sticks for light sabers, since he is obsessed with Star Wars at the moment.

On Valentine's day, we had family time and a little cousins party. We started the night with dinner at Pizza Hut. It always feels like a throwback to my childhood when we go there. I remember many sleepovers and fun nights starting at Pizza Hut when I was a kid. Then we came home for chocolate fondue. I thought it would be something fun and different for the kids. Maeleigh and Brennan were excited about it, but Rowe ended up being the one to love it. They all had fun celebrating with a dance party and lots of play time. Maeleigh set up a school for us and made lunch passes. Brennan was the helper teacher, and lectured on Star Wars. I wish I had a video, but I was instructed to sit in my seat until lunch time.