I Changed My Mind

I had a hallmark birthday yesterday and was not happy about it.  I have never had a birthday bother me before.  I turned 30 with glee, 40 was wonderful, 50 was fine but 60????  I was mad, mad, mad.  Then I got a couple of phone calls.  A friend from Montana (age 57) passed away in a diabetic coma, another dear friend and sister-in-law (age 59) has more health problems than about anyone I know and is just trying to keep going, and  my Dad's friend just passed away.  I got to thinking (sometimes a dangerous thing, but in this case a good thing) and my attitude truly changed.  I don't embrace 60 but I accept it now.  I am surrounded by a loving and generous family, I have most of my health, I have a beautiful home and all the necessities of life and many of the NOT necessary but fun things.  I am blessed with gifts and abilities from my Father in Heaven and have no reason at all to be sour.  I repented.

The family came over for dinner on Sunday night.   Wayne had made chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes. One of my childhood favorites.  Colett made me a lemon cake with strawberry ice cream that was more than delicious.  My little grand daughters had each made me a birthday card and Millie said she loved me so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so (yes 9 so's...I counted them).  That just melted my heart right there.

My soon to be 14 year old Nick gave me hugs

My son-in-law picked out my silly and racy birthday card

My hubby not only cooks, but cleans up after himself

Grandson Emerson laughs and finds fun in a cardboard box

Daughter Colett gave me pretty new scarf and a new "red" purse, which happens to be my favorite color.

After opening it, the kids had a ball just playing with the paper stuffed in it.

Here they are.  Won't I be stylish?

This is the bad part.  It is what 60 candles looks like....unlit,

and this is what it looks like when lit.  The heat was so intense I had to back away.

On Monday I went to lunch with dear friends Susan, Tricia and Laura and they showered me with gifts and sparkling conversation, my Facebook friends sent me birthday wishes and I got a visit from my sister and phone calls from my loved ones.

This was dinner on Monday night, also cooked by Wayne.   See why I keep him?

Not too many things better than salad, crab with lemon butter and

hot French bread.  He also got me a black purse and shoes.

The only down side was that Amy is very sick with her new pregnancy and I was not allowed to take pictures of her.  She was here, I was not snubbing her.

There is also a rumor that another friend is bringing me the best creme' brulee' in the world today.  I am waiting at my door.  If it doesn't happen that's OK.  It's the thought that counts right?  It was a very good 60th birthday after all.  Hold on I am hyperventilating, but now I am going to try to embrace the # 60.

Winter 2011

I do hate the cold.  When I get really cold my back gets tense and starts to ache.  I start to shiver and my feet and hands get cold even if I have on socks and gloves.  I thought I had left the real cold behind when I moved to Utah.  This is the coldest and snowiest winter since we moved here 8 years ago, and the snowy ruts in the road are reminiscent of my old home in Montana.  I planted box woods which do very well in Utah except for maybe this year. I may lose them all.  When it gets down to 6 degrees, they surrender.  I was looking through my picture files though, and it reminded me how lovely November was.  These are all pictures of my yard around Thanksgiving.  Oh, the good old days. Can I make it through March or until the thermometer hovers around 50 degrees?  I am going to go sit under my down throw and contemplate just that question. 

What?

I got this in the mail a couple of days ago.  I was not pleased and needless to say I did not subscribe.  What is going on?  I am not a kid, nor even a middle-ager, but at 59 (For a few more days anyway) I don't think I am a senior citizen either.  Now if the offer was 80% off all my future dinners at Carrabba's  I would probably feel differently, but to have a magazine company call me "old" is not a pleasant thought.  When did a senior citizen become 55 or 60 instead of 65?  I especially don't want one reminding me it is the Sunset of my life.  This is especially not the case since most older citizens can't even afford to retire until their late 60's  or 70's now.  If I want a senior citizen discount, I want the option of asking for it. 

Thank you Kee

I love getting stocking stuffers on Christmas morning.  This year my daughter-in-law outdid herself.  Candy, fuzzy socks, note pad, calculator key chain, scrabble game and holiday plaque.  I don't usually get that many stuffers and this was really a treat.  Thank you for being so thoughtful.  Shon may have had something to do with it too, but we all know the woman is the one who does the little things right? 

Hand Made Christmas

My daughters and daughter-in-law decided that 2010 should be a hand made Christmas.  I jumped on the bandwagon and made my granddaughter a photo album of and for just her.  Then I saw a great idea on the Internet that I wanted to make all the girls.  I saved it on my computer and then when I went to find it, it had disappeared into cyberspace.  I Googled every site I could find and there was no photo or mention of the idea anywhere.  I didn't get it done.  I will look all the coming year and do it next year if I can find it.  I am beginning to wonder if it was all in my dreams.

The girls did a fantastic job on their gifts though, and I am sure you will agree.

Colett made me this decoupaged wall box.  She ordered a special crackle medium from France that made it look aged.  I love, love  the tree and the sentiment. Her hubby Matt actually made the wooden box and helped with the graphics. It is very special to me. (She sells them now and if you want one let me know.)  She has lots of different graphics to choose from.  Enlarge to really see how it looks. She really has an artist's eye.

Amy made this necklace and put it in my stocking.  It is made of simple glass beads on a silver chain. It's so pretty.

Kee made me these beautiful earrings from chocolate pearls.  Oh I love them so.

Amy knew that I wanted a cute apron and sewed this one up for me.  She has such a talent with clothing design. A while back,  I told her I didn't like the feeling of a strap around my neck and she made this one that crosses in the back.  Isn't it just the most darling apron?  The apron actually has an apple green pocket and trim.  I don't know why it photographed yellow.  I have never had that happen before. Enlarge once again to see the detail.

I had seen an item like this at the Beehive Bazaar and commented how cute they were but didn't buy them at the time.  Well, Kee made me a bunch.  She took half rounds and glued them to little spools and then wrapped baker's twine around them in all the colors.  I use the twine in my scrapbooking and cards.  It makes me happy just to look at them.  Little mushrooms growing all over my window sill now.

My friends even did hand made this year.  Susan found a vintage looking Christmas

card and put it in a hand made frame, and Laura decoupaged a little print and made it into an ornament.  I also got hand made loaves of bread from Tricia and Becky and peppermint fudge from Robyne but I didn't have anything to photograph as they were devoured too quickly.

Amy made me another amazing gift.  She took music paper and cut leaves out of it and made a wreath to hang by my piano.  Not only can she sew, she is just plain crafty.

Isn't my gift pile just wonderful?  Thank you, thank you, thank you. I love you all.