Happy Belated Birthday to Me!

When you're the mama, and the one who documents all of your family's memories, and takes all of the photographs and is the only author of your family blog, and your birthday rolls around, then you either play a director of your own blog post or your birthday comes and goes with no one knowing! (At this age, that's not a bad idea!)

Yesterday was my birthday. And, my family made it a great one for me!

On Friday evening Rick told me that for my birthday he wanted me to sleep in as late as I wanted, get up and get ready, and then leave. Yes, he wanted me to go away on my birthday! Well, what he really wanted was for me to have some leisure time alone. So, I left the house at about 11:00 a.m. and headed into town for some solo shopping. I really didn't have anything to buy, but that wasn't the point. The point was to enjoy myself ... alone! That's a strange concept when you are used to someone being with you all the time!

I browsed through Hobby Lobby, Kirkland's and even PetSmart. Then Rick called and asked if I was hungry yet, and met me for lunch at Red Robin ... Yum!! I had a birthday coupon that I needed to use. So I took a break from my shopping spree to meet my sweet husband for lunch!

After I devoured my 'Shroom Burger ...

I went shopping again. This time I went to Old Navy, T.J. Maxx and Target. Of course I bought some school clothes for the kids, some new sheets for our bed, and some birthday gifts for a couple of the kids. I did get myself a shirt and some North Face flip flops (is it strange to anyone else that North Face makes flip flops?) Thank you honey for giving me that time alone! As I told my husband later, hearing all of the screaming kids and impatient parents, it made me love and appreciate my sweet kids even more.

While out, I got a phone call. A realtor wanted to show our house today, the day after my birthday. Figures. We haven't had a showing in over a month and the day I don't want to clean house, I had to clean house. So I came home to get started doing just that. 

The kids had already started cleaning their upstairs (bless them!!) and I got started on my end. Rick was mowing. 

Rick had me take a break so he could give me my gift .. an external hard drive for my computer! That might not thrill some people, but I can store all of my photos on there so I don't lose a couple of years' worth like I did off of our old computer (thankfully a sweet little computer genius was able to retrieve the unretrievable and I again have the photos of my sweet Brynne from the ages of 6 months to 2 years!). The gift was a practical, but extremely sweet one!! 

The kids got me a paperback novel from a favorite author. Now, I thought this was a really sweet gift because I didn't ask for this. Kyndal thought it out and bought it herself. I love that my kids, or at least one of them, knows me so well! They all signed the "card". I also got cards from some sweet friends and money from my parents. (have you noticed how many times I have used the word "sweet" in this post?) And I received several phone calls from other family members and friends. I got some great gifts .. but it wasn't over!

Kyndal and I had run to town to buy some flowers to replace some dead ones in a couple of pots, and to pick up some pizzas for dinner. While we were at Wal-Mart I saw it .. the patio furniture I have been wanting since last summer was marked down half price! Last summer when the price went down we waited too long and didn't get it. When I saw the price reduction yesterday, I came straight home to tell Rick because there were only two sets left! We immediately loaded up and went and bought it. I was so excited!! Patience pays off.

Here I am sitting on our new patio furniture.

All-in-all it was a great birthday! Those seem hard to come by when you're as old as me! But, my family did so much to make it special, and stress-free, for me.

Thanks everybody!

Sweet!