Advent Birthday

It has become a joke about how long I celebrate my birthday each year and how it keeps getting longer. 

The reason the whole lengthening of my celebrations started in the first place was that so many people wanted time with me I could not fit it all in at once, so the lunches became extended over several weeks.  

Recently the discussion came up about how many weeks would I celebrate this year and I told the girls, meaning Jill, Loni, and Mina, that I wanted an advent birthday, with a gift to open each day of April leading up to my birthday.  Joking and not really expecting anything to come of it.  

Well, Loni showed up the other night with a green (my favorite color) bag full of 30 gifts.  I get to open one each day, at any time of the day I choose. It is the greatest thing! 

The first day she suggested a gift for me to open as she thought I would need it first.  It was a box of Thank You cards, which I do need to thank everyone for all they have done for me during my recovery.

The next day I opened Post-Its that say "I'm a Fabric Fanatic..."

Yesterday I opened a package to find a beautiful piece of fabric.  

I have to admit my grief has overshadowed the opening of the gifts, in fact I am not even given much thought to my birthday, but I am starting to get into them now.  

Thank you Loni.  You are such a good daughter and friend. 

Best Birthday in a While - Yeah 50!

I have been celebrating my birthday all week. First Marie took me to lunch at Olive Garden on Monday. Then L took me there on Tuesday night (all my choice). Then last night Sis took me to San Miguels.

Today I got up singing about my birthday, and the boys and I headed down to Live Green Expo, only to get there with it raining and so crowded at opening time that we turned around and left to buy socks at Target.

We got home to find the workmen already digging up the pipe in the back yard.

The youngest made my cake icing and I iced the cake while we waited for my BFF to go to lunch at Olive Garden. During that wait, another friend stopped by with terrific gifts, a cd, jigsaw puzzle and chocolate. She said I could listen to music, work the puzzle and eat chocolates at the same time. Works for me. BFF arrived right behind that friend, and then as she was walking in the UPS man brought my Kindle2. What a terrific few minutes.

Once the flurry settled down, BFF, the boys and I headed to Olive Garden. When we got there BFF asked for a table of 6. I counted only 4 in our party so I wanted to know who was coming, but she wasn't telling. I finally started jumping up and down and saying it was my birthday and I wanted to know. Well it was the girls, L & M. I didn't even think I would get to see M for three weeks so I was thrilled. BFF and the girls don't know each other, but BFF contacted them through their blogs and made the arrangements. It was such a surprise and so much fun, as well as delicious.

After lunch and a couple of errands, BFF, the boys and I went back home to open presents and have cake. The presents were terrific, and the cake delicious.

BFF had to leave after a little while, but we are going out next Saturday for a special time together.

I played around with my Kindle2, which I love, and the oldest played around with his gifts since he turned 19 today, then we decided to go to the movies. We went to see "Sunshine Cleaning."

The movie was very good. Youngest didn't care for it as much as oldest and I liked it, but it isn't his birthday.

Appetizers at Chili's after the movie, and then an errand, and home to eat more cake and play Quirkle.

In-laws called and we chatted.

I finished "Handle with Care" by Jodi Picoult, and will now start a Kindle2 book.

This was the best birthday I have had in a while. Yeah to turning 50!