Favorites Moments from today.

I am 35 years old today.
I have been so loved today - all week really.  Starting last Friday my friends and sisters threw me a surprise party.  I was so very very shocked - believe me .  I had no idea that they were doing this for me which was evident in the way I looked.  No make-up.  Three-day old hair which means overly large and frizzy.  But, I loved every minute of the party.



I'm pretty sure I stayed in this position for too long....and I couldn't quit smiling.


Sunday afternoon my mother-in-law prepared a feast for me.  Yum.
And Monday evening my mom called me up and had me meet her at the mall.  She took me for dinner and then over to MEXX to buy me a church outfit.  Honestly, it felt like I was 15 years old all over again.  A skirt and blouse were on her mind for me.  And it would have made her quite happy to have me choose a matching blazer.  :)  Too bad there were no skirts that I liked...wink wink.

Today - my actual birthday - began with the girls giving me tulips.  I love tulips during the winter...they make me think Spring is just around the corner.  My dad brought me coffee and flowers mid-morning and my very good friend brought me a delicious lunch from Szechuan Szechuan.  (plus a beautiful new purse.  I love purses and it takes a good friend to be brave enough to know what kind of a purse a girl will like.  She was right on). 

I asked for "breakfast for dinner" for my birthday dinner.  In my mind all I needed was crispy bacon and eggs.  But Tim prepared an absolute "breakfast for dinner feast" including french toast, sausage, homemade hashbrowns, orange juice with pulp (!!), malt bread (blast from our cottage days with our friends before kids past), bacon, eggs, and coffee.

Tim sent me to my crafting space to make cards while he cleaned up the kitchen and got the children ready for bed.  If you know me well then you'll understand that this was a huge gift too. 

I am so thankful for my wonderful husband who knows exactly my language of love
 for my girls who all made me handmade cards,
for my family (my sister is hosting a family party this coming weekend)
and for my friends.

favorite moment from the day: receiving a card from ALison with a poem that she wrote which reads:

"Once there was a catrpiler [caterpillar] so they say

 a 34 lady turend [turned] 35 today!"

[re] learned today: my husband knows me so very well

frivolous thing i'm most thankful for right now:  the chocolate birthday cake waiting for me to eat a 2nd piece with a glass of red wine 

song i'm listening to right now: Tim singing with his uke

[okay....now it's your turn! you answer these 4 things.]
(idea used with permission from Love)

A Little Bit of Me

Just some pictures to show you what I do when the kids are at school. 
Me at play work.

wording waiting to be added to interior

perfectly aligned ribbon = a happy bride and a happy boss

the workshop



Catherine and I assembling invite pockets



Amber scoring the invites

  Did I mention that I LOVE my job?!

Christmas baking for some. Card making for me.

Do you know one thing that makes me happy?



This:





I absolutley LOVE making cards. And each year I look forward to designing and creating my Christmas cards. I usually start thinking about it in August. And by the end of November I usually have them all finished and ready to be mailed.

Many people do not give Christmas cards anymore but it is my gift to those people in my life that I love. I enjoy every moment of the creation of this little piece of art.

The ribbon. The crisp card stock. The color coordination. The way my card fits perfectly in my envelope - a size specifically purchased just for these Christmas cards.

I also love to handwrite the addresses on each of the envelopes - no labels and printers for this gal.

Did you know that I actually work for a company that makes handmade cards? Mostly wedding invitations; but it's because of this job that I now know how to pound out 60 cards (that's how many I usually send out at Christmas) in one or two evenings. When one is putting together 180 snowflake wedding invitations there is a special order to putting them together.

I wonder....how many of you will be sending out Christmas cards this year?