And now, she is 40

My birth "week" began on Wednesday night, which I now know why Cheryl asked to stay for two nights..fine with me but I did think it was funny...she even asked me to make sure it was fine with Martin when in fact, since she could not make it Sunday evening for the party, and this was hers and Martin's plan in the first place to make sure we got some good time spent around my birthday...sneaky people!

Martin went to the Euro bakery for us on his way home from work, so in between sewing wonderful things I talked about here , we had baklava and Italian wedding cookies with coffee and the children rode bikes outside with my hubby. Lovely dear, it was lovely. Cheryl would not let me take her cute picture...darn her!

Uh, yeah, we shared a little with the children.

Then in Friday, a quilting and sewing enthusiast friend for years at work, Terri, had to drive back home after arriving at work without this lovely Chocolate Ganache cake she made for me! Martin told me he had asked the ladies at church where he could get a good chocolate cake. (As he is talking, I am thinking, duh....The Cheesecake Factory ;-) And voila, Terri just made one for me that rivals The CF cakes....and, not so much leftover which is good for my waistline I suppose.

Gunnar took this one of me enjoying it Friday night after dinner...yum!

Onto Sunday, morning, the actual birthday. I had noticed about five days prior that the children's flatware, specifically, the knives and forks were missing from the flatware drawer....hummmnnn... when I inquired the family, it was like a drop in a pond that just dispersed and faded away, then, I forgot. At breakfast yesterday morning, I was presented with a fabric tied, fabric bag with jingling metal...yep, the flatware, "a gift" from my seven year old. That problem fixed.

I was content to deliver my mother's Christmas present to her and since I was in the neighborhood, go to Market Street in The Woodlands and eat and shop, by myself. Sort of an extension of my spa treatment later. I got a great phone call from Sarah in Florida and even ate my salmon and tuna/maguro while she talked. Bliss. I also had warmed sake....

Kita sushi is super fresh! Martin may be even to eat this it is sooooo tender.

As I strolled, I saw these lovelies parked together.

And a trip to see the latest wares at Anthropologie...

Funny how old cans make fancy biscotti containers.

I see a use for our scrappy fabric roses Cheryl and I made on this apron. Cute idea.

And this lemon slice, porcelain drawer pull for my kitchen? It may have to happen....

oh and patchwork fabric lampshades...love it!

Natural, rose topped pencils....lovely.

Pastel turquoise will always remind me of my paternal grandmother. Her whole house was carpeted in this color (minus the flowers of course). Beautiful.

Coiled fabric stitched together to make a top? Love it.

aprons, aprons, aprons!!

A use for my fabric peony? Nice.

Nope, I did not buy a thing but truly enjoyed the wandering around at my whim...good stuff.

And now, the party! There is video of my expression when I walked in the door. I suppose my bro will show me that one soon.

Ice cream anyone? ...and Kitchen Sink red wine, my fave

sis and bro, cute after party pic

oh yeah, she made this cake..with cherries on top, inside, yummers!

my swanky, sneaky, only slightly younger, sis at party time

Oh, how did this get in here?... Me at age 19, before much in life had really happened yet ;-) Checkout those eyebrows!

kissin' cousins, Gunnar and Rhylan and below, Skylar and Winston...sideways..oh well!

this is either Bruno or Ivan, one of the two of my sis/bro's Weimeraner's

the little ladies, Makenna and Tessa, sharing lollies

the crowd for my surprise, minus my sis (behind camera) and bro-in-law (workin' on a deadline, graphic artist)

L to R:: Top Row:: Martin, Dad and Mom (holding her new knitted pillow from moi), Tim and Mona Shaw, Tessa on Doreen's hip with Jesus and baby Otto

L to R:: Bottom seated row:: Rhylan (niece), Birthday Girl, Maddie, Ruthie, Tim (kneeling) and little Nathan Taft, Sarah and Ken Stokes (holding their little girl Makenna) and my boy Gunnar and niece Skylar standing at end of couch

I feel so blessed and loved.

Years ago, when on the receiving end of all this attention, I was, quite honestly, very uncomfortable. If at a certain age, you are comfortable when all eyes are on you then, I have arrived at age 40. I have never felt truly so content in my skin ( I still have bad days too like everyone) my whole life and I did not even really know it until last evening at the surprise party. Good grief, I was a bridesmaid seven times before my wedding and I promise, I was more nervous to walk down the aisle than any of the brides!!

Last evening went like this. I thought my sister and I were leaving the children with our husbands while we went for a mani/pedi but uh-uh...surprise! It was so much fun and so overwhelming in a good way to see all those faces. Faces that have not been grouped together in a room but in my mind ...now altogether. It was just very cool. Everyone should get to celebrate like this.

By the way, we are rescheduling that manicure/pedicure..oh yes we are!! ;-) The friends gathered for me does not happen often and a spa treatment can happen anytime...but, I am just sayin'!