Happy B-Day to Me 2010

I turned 59 this week. This has not been a good year as far as aging goes. This is a warning....at this age you will look in the mirror one day and see nothing, and the very next day you have eye wrinkles, neck wrinkles, yellowing teeth and your hair starts to fall out. How come the outside never reflects the me inside? I am glad that Wayne has to wear reading glasses now because he can't see my defects as well with his glasses off.

Have you ever tried to paint a face? When you are younger, it is harder to draw or do portraiture of those young faces because there are no lines or character in them. This year I have officially reached the character status. Do I care? Yes, a little. Who wants all those things? Does it bother me a lot? NO! I would prefer not having jowls or having to dye my roots so often, but in the scheme of things, it just doesn't matter that much yet. I will continue to use my moisturizer, pluck the extra hair out of my chin once in a while, spend money at Sally's beauty supply and wish I could fit in my high school jeans and yet not obsess about it. I try to eat healthy things, hope to ramp up the exercise and to continue to take my supplements. I don't want this body to wear out before it's time and despite my short comings, I really do love myself for who God made me to be. He gave me a great working body with a loving heart, a contrite spirit most of the time, my own special talents, and family and friends who care about me. How great is that?? I can smile.

Amy made me this beautiful handmade lace and floral card. Ahhhhh! Thanks Amy.

Oh, but here is the inside. We have a family joke that at Christmas Santa comes, at Easter the bunny comes and at your birthday, it's the birthday badger. Scary isn't it? And oh so funny at least in our minds. Tee hee!!

The attending grandchildren dog pile. Nick always gets the worst of it because he is always on the bottom.

My birthday hug.

Isabelle, Emerson and Mama Amy. Let the party begin!! Emerson LOVES ice cream just like his Mama, but it always gives him brain freeze and a cold throat so he cries while eating it but he won't stop.

Millie Moo, my youngest granddaughter and cutie patootie

Colett, my daughter and chef of the lemon birthday cake tradition
which is one of my favorite traditions.

Nick...my soon to be teenager (next week) grandson

Matt... my son-in-law and my personal computer tech

Wes, the sous chef and son -in-law

Top chef and birthday coordinator

It's always nice to have help blowing out the candles. We just put on 9... for the 9 years.

The extra 50 would have burned down the house.