My Birthday Theme: Then I Opened My Door

Roll your eyes, be disgusted at the Fast Food, plastic soons & straw spread, but it's one of the sweetest Birthday Dinners I've had since I became a mom.

Simply because Eden has learned how to count coins and she loaded her purse with her own money; we went to Baskin Robbins and Taco Bell and she checked out separately and bought me my favorites: BUBBLE GUM ICE CREAM and a BEAN & CHEESE BURRITO.

(it didn't hurt that they fully supported eating dessert with dinner for this special occasion!)

This was 4 days before my birthday.  I absolutely positively was so spoiled and blessed and ended up with a full Birthday "WEEK"

On the day it was actually my Birthday Hallé said:

 "Good Grief MOMMY, you have a LOT of Birthdays!"

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The next day was Birthday Dinner at my parents. The girls dressed up and the menu of course included Broccoli and Angel Food Cake with Strawberries! The party night included some Tball, indoor foam croquet, presents, and raiding my moms closet for the best fashionista show EVER!  Thanks you guys.

I'm so glad my mom is a Kindergarten teacher so we always have "age appropriate" Birthday hats to celebrate in!

While I was in the shower 2 days in a row....Eden organized she and Hallé to make the arts and craft foam flowers with jewels on them and wrapped about 15 other tiny items from around her room and the house that she knew I loved.  I had no idea what was in the bags they brought in the car with us to my parents. To say they were PLEASED WITH THEMSELVES is putting it lightly.  To say I was PROUD....is putting it lightly also.

(some wrapped items were: used lipglosses, an old necklace of mine, pieces of gum, etc.)

grandma roxie, eden, me, hallé, mom

(my grandpa was too sick to come this year... I was teary eyed thinking about how much I miss having him there, we've celebrated almost all of our Birthdays together.  He turned 80 on 3/30)

And my favorite presents:

These following 2 photographs with the girls actually looking at the camera the first attempt!!!

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Then I opened the door on my actual Birthday

and got and start the morning with:

(Thanks Dad!)

Then I opened my door and was surprised with:

(Thank you Emily and Hailey for the Pink Dinosaur covered cake!)

Then my girls wanted to lay out around the cake and have me wear the jewelry they'd been taken out to pick out just for me the night before:

Then I opened my door  to the UPS guy who delivered this bag I wanted!

(Thanks Paul & Steph)

Then I opened my door and got to end my daycare day with:

(Thanks Will and Katie!)

Then I opend my door and took the girls and I to AZTECA!

(Thank you fellow patrons for not scolding me for allowing Hallé to do her flamingo dance over and over an over.... It makes me laugh!)

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The Day after my Birthday

Then I opened my door to the most gorgeous yellow flowers in my new favorite vase

(Thank you Liz!)

Then I opened my door that night: And was picked up to go out to PF Changs

(Thank you Becky and Jonni!)

Then I opened my door the next night: And was totally caught off guard and scared to get picked up for a surprise Birthday get together at a new Restaurant & Roxy wine bar!

(Thank you Amber, Daneille, and Robin!)

I got many other sweet gifts and cards and books, etc in the mail and here and there....my camera had just probably died or I was changing a diaper and didn't snap a picture of them.

Thank you, Thank you everyone.... Getting older this year was easy!

I hope that my blogging and pictures made it clear that it wasn't the things I got or the types of gestures that were overwhelmingly special to me, it was literally every ounce of my being, being able to believe for 32 years now wholeheartedly in the fantastic God I love....showing me His love and affection for me through these acts of kindness.  Truthfully some phone calls, texts, and things people wrote to me were the things that brought me to tears and have replayed through my head many times!   I have THE best friends in the world.

~I'm so grateful I was born~

Thanks MOM & DAD!