More Celebrating....

I'm spoiled....I know!  This week has been lots of fun and lots of lunches with my friends!  I know I've said it before but it's not about the food or the gifts....it's all about the friendships and visiting!  I love and appreciate each and everyone of my friends.  For some reason I have been blessed with many wonderful friends and I will always be eternal grateful for this blessing!

Tonya and I met on Monday and had a great time catching up with each other.  I am so thankful this girl moved close to me when we still played with baby dolls.  What a blessing she has always been in my life.  We have always been a support to each other and God speaks to us through each other some times!

Mallory and Kathy took me to lunch on Tuesday.  We always go to Applebee's at 3:00.  That way we don't have to remember or decide on another place or time.  We did not have our table today though....for some reason their was another couple in it. haha  The fun part of going to lunch with Mal and Kathy on our birthdays is we get to go twice so that we can each take a turn paying for the birthday girls lunch.  Sure does make it fun...I like seeing these friends more often.  We are enjoying growing old together!

Wednesday the Hooper Girls met for lunch.  We are not all living in Hooper at the time but that's how I refer to this fun group of ladies!  I'm glad to be included in their group...it has existed for a long time and they invited me in.  I love each and everyone of these ladies and am glad to have them as friends. They sure are good and I always feel good after spending time with them.  So much fun!

                                 

I absolutely love that Hillary always makes time for me when she is in town.  Her cute little family came in Saturday (from Texas) and will be here for a week.  When she was over Sunday for the Birthday Celebration she checked to see if I had a day that we could go to lunch together. I could on Thursday...so we did.  I just have to say that seriously it makes my day.  So thanks Hillary for giving your Aunt Dawn a little added attention....I really do love and appreciate it.  I love my sister and her cute kids and grands and it is fun getting together every now and then.  (doesn't happen enough so grateful when it does)  Hillary is a darling little mommy with two very cute little girls.  I remember so clearly when she was the little one.  It's so fun seeing my kids and my sisters kids grow up and be such cute mommies and daddies.....I love it.  Another fun day to add to my very fun week! Yahoo!

                                  

And Friday I had a great time with Teresa and Tammy.  These two build me up....heck we all build each other up.  Our chit chat is always fun and mingled with plenty of belly laughs.  Our cute waiter was so funny and he was creative and brought me a lime guy...or monster or something cool with candles in it and even sang to me.  It was awesome!  Our little lunch date lasted over 3 1/2 hours...time does fly when you are having a good time!  I don't think it was by coincident that I chose to go to Zeb's today.  I haven't been for probably 15 years and so really it isn't even on my mind but today it just popped right into my mind.  I know why....the guy with the lime had been praying for something and ta-da....Tammy had his answer.  So cool!  There is NO doubt that God knows us and loves us and talks to us through others!  So awesome!  A very splendid afternoon in every way!

Cupcakes with the Grands!

A few years ago I started a new tradition with my grands.  I have them all over and together we make cupcakes.  I let them help with everything.  So everyone gets included better we now make two different batches of cupcakes.  It works out great.  Everyone gets to add ingredients, mix and prepare pans. While waiting for their turn they played together which is a big part of the fun!  I receive such joy watching my grands take turns and help each other with this little task.  Joy to my ♥! 

They all enjoy licking the beaters and I let them! I even had to get an extra one out to dip in the batter so there was enough.  This year the first group, Kamryn, Parker, and Zadan all got into licking the bowl.  It totally made me laugh out loud....and I had to get a few pictures!

Instead of just having a bunch of decorations like the past years I thought it would be fun to make a few cute cupcakes that I have seen.  We made Cookie Monster and some Minions.  The kids make enough to take home for their families.  Each member of their family got one of each.  I thought they turned out cute and the kids had a blast making them and playing with one another.  I like including Ivy's step brother Alan too.  I invited him a few years back and he had such a good time I will invite him every year.

I had completely forgot about taking pictures with me and the grands until after the cupcakes were done and so while they were playing together we got together for a few pictures.  These little ones make my heart smile!  They seriously crack me up and make me laugh out loud some more!

 They are each so cute and expressive.  They love making silly faces and I love the silly face pictures!

Ummmmm....being a Gramma is such a wonderful thing!  Spending time with my little's is one of my favorite things to do!  I sure do love them! They brighten my life!

Complete Happiness

Have you ever noticed that some days are easier to be happy than others?  Right now...today....I can't even imagine being Happier!  I feel so blessed.  Being happy doesn't mean that life is perfect by any means.  Just the other day I was feeling stress and anxiety over a few things that I had no control over. I didn't have control over others choices or decisions but I did allow their choices to affect me to the point of feeling sick and anxious.  It wasn't a big deal (the thing causing me stress) .... I just put too much thought into something that couldn't be changed.  Even feeling that way for a few hours that day I still feel the Happiness in my life.  There are so many good things going on....there are always so many good things going on and I am at a point in my life that it is easier for me to see the good over the not so good.  Having this ability truly brings me Happiness!  A good reason to be glad for the numbers on our Birthday Cards...each year brings experience and insight that can be gained no other way!


I remember a just few months ago that I was completely unsettled in my life.  I was struggling pretty hard with who I was and what "I" wanted.  Maybe....actually I believe that hard time has helped me get to this point in my life.  All things for a reason....we grow from our trials.

 I choose Happy!!!

It's My Birthday!

I love birthdays!   I love my birthday!  I have always loved celebrating birthdays and I just feel so special when it's mine.  I love that I get to start celebrating early and continue celebrating even after my birth day.  It's just so much fun!

This morning I woke up to many birthday greetings on the internet and through text and they continued through out the entire day.  Larry and the kids sang to me while I was still in bed and I couldn't help but laugh. Singing together always brings a smile to my lips and laughter follows. (we might not be the best singers)  Church was great and more wishes there.  A smile was stuck to my face all day.  (I usually try to smile but today I didn't have to think about it)

We had corn on the counter from gramps to go with our dinner and it had been strategically placed all over the counter.  Thank goodness Braxton clued me in that it might say something because since I am shorter I didn't notice the message right off.   It was a little "corny" but was cool enough for me to grab the camera so I would always remember it.  I love that my kids are creative!

I love that my sis and I have Birthdays back to back.  We celebrate together and I'm pretty sure we wouldn't all get together is they weren't.  My mom and dad do most everything but the last few years we have held the party here.  It's a lot easier for us to have everyone over and we fit better.  I think it helps mom and dad out a little.  They say it does.  I really appreciate my parents for working so hard to celebrate Susan and my birthdays!  It's a fun time for me being together with everyone.

The day was long and it was fun and when we went to bed I couldn't sleep.  I got wondering if there was caffeine in the pop I had even though I purposely tried choosing a drink without it. I stayed in bed for about three hours and couldn't handle it any longer.  I got out of bed at 1:00 am and finished off my birthday cake that I remembered was just sitting on the counter without being wrapped. (I found out my pop didn't have caffeine so not sure why I couldn't sleep...maybe just like a little kid still on a high)

I can't help but laugh because some times I wonder why I can't lose weight. hahaha  Oh well....I look pretty good for my age and having seven kids right? (I started being told that about ten years ago...cracks me up but I accept it)

Cherry Hills...The Greatest Fun Spot You'll Ever Know

We just spent a fun week at Cherry Hills.  I had never been before and it was a lot of fun.  The camping spots were tight....reminded me of sardines, squished in a can.  It wasn't noisy though and so if you didn't look around it was fine.  Scott and Erin and their cute girls also camped with us.  It was so much fun being around them.  I know Kimleighel and Jared had a great time playing with their cousins.

On July 24th Trichelle and Justin and their cute families came and spent the day at the water park with us.  I really enjoyed the park and thought it was really fun. I really enjoyed having my family there too.  I want to go again sometime.  Everyone had fun together and it was just nice being together.  Kevin and Julie and Kam were visiting Julie's dad in Wyoming and Jaydan was studying so we didn't see them.  Braxton did show up for a tiny bit and it was nice having him there for a little while.

I am thankful for my family.  I am thankful for Holidays and Family time.  I am thankful that we are blessed and can do some extra things.  I am thankful for relaxing times.  Looking around makes me realize how blessed we are!  So thankful for Everything! (family, freedom, religion, friends, fun, food, etc....the list goes on and on)

I kind of forgot.....

Dang! I almost forgot....NO, I DID forget that today I had a lunch date with my mom, sister and Linda. (I remembered all month until this weekend....then....well then....I forgot)

My mom decided a while back that it would be fun to start a new tradition.  I love traditions and so I was in.  She decided that on her friend's birthday we would go to lunch at Chili's like her and Sevim use to do and have baby back ribs....just like when they went.  Mom also thought it would be good for Linda to have us with her on her mom's birthday.  I think it's a fine tradition.....and just a week before Susan and my birthdays.  So we celebrated Sevim's birthday and mine and Susan's....3 birds with 1 stone! ha ha (my mom's still a Stone)

Thank goodness Susan called and reminded me....after I was already late. By the time I got there our lunch was just minutes away from being brought to us so it worked out great!  I'm so glad they called .... I would have felt terrible if I would have missed it. We had so much fun reminiscing about Sevim.  Sevim was a classy, little Turkish lady.  She was a great friend to my mom...and my mom was her best friend!

We had such a great time that we decided to go in February too since Linda and my mom have birthdays that month.  I told mom we should start that tradition now while she was still alive.  Fun Times!

Pedi's

One of my favorite things to do is to get a pedicure.  I love having my feet pampered.  I really love going where they take time and don't hurry.  That didn't happen today but I knew it wouldn't.  The place close to me likes to hurry for some reason....I'd tip them more if they let me stay a little longer.  I didn't have a lot of extra time today though and so that is why Kathy O and I decided to go close.

It's fun going with friends and Kathy and I have gone together a few times.  Some how are timing got off....I think she goes more often than I do.  I would like to have a pedicure every week but can't afford it so I wait 4-6 weeks.....by then I am so ready!

I decided to break out of my norm today and change it up on the color. (I usually pick pink or mauve) I let Ivy pick out a blue for me and I think she did a great job.  Ivy came with me since she spent the night and the kids went to piano. She was entertained with my iPad while sitting in the chair by me. We bought drinks first and I brought each of us one of my favorite candy bars....Crunchie by Cadbury....the honeycomb candy bar. We were set and enjoyed ourselves while being pampered!

I'm glad people are willing to be paid to rub feet and massage legs and make those toe nails shine!  I love feeling spoiled!  I also love the massage chairs....that's part of the enjoyment too!  Mmmmmm!!!