It's My Birthday....My Mom told me I was "26"

Phone message from my mom: "Good Morning Dawn Marie Stone Ropelato. Today is your 26 birthday....26th birthday.....nope.....not 26 it's 56" ☺ I'm not going to lie I laughed out loud and gave the angels a high five.  Then my mom said she was going to sing me a song but she just said the words instead of singing them and actually forgot the words...she seriously made me laugh. ☺  Oh I love my mom and that was a fun way to start off my 56th Birthday.

Actually my birthday started off in the morning while I was in bed.  Larry got Kimleighel and Jared up and they came down and sang to me.  Larry and Jared had each got me a card and Larry had sent me flowers and got a cake the night before.  The cake was kind of funny too.  Larry had called and ordered it and he asked for different colored roses around the cake.  He was disappointed when he picked it up and almost traded it for one on the shelf.  His story made me laugh.

Debbie Peterson went to Ed Week in Idaho and asked me sub for her at bowling.  I decided that would be fun to do on my birthday, surrounded by beautiful, fun women and so I did.  Shirley had surprised me with balloons, a birthday centerpiece, party hats and a gift.  Carla made brownies with chocolate frosting for everyone.  They were so yummy.  I took the biggest piece and it lasted the whole time I was bowling.  Since I am born on National Milk Chocolate Day (I know, perfect day for me to be born) I took all the other teams Hershey bars with a little note on it.  I like sharing chocolate with others as much as I like enjoying it myself.  I really had a great time and felt so loved when everyone sang to me.  It sounded like a medley but really wasn't...that too made me laugh out loud! 

Carla and I stopped by my mom's before picking Robin up for lunch.  Carla enjoys my mom and I know it's because she misses hers so much.  Carla is so sweet and my mom adores her.  My brother and his girlfriend Carrie came back while we were there and Bennett gave me sweet card a little $$$.  He's so thoughtful and kind and I'm so glad he is back in our lives.  I love everything about my cute brother.  He's fixing my moms backyard up and it's looking so wonderful...he's a good guy.

Robin and Carla took me to the Greenery for lunch.  I love going there and these two gals make it really fun.  Carla spoiled me with a few nice gifts.  She told me she got me things I would like and a few things she liked.  The things she liked are the picture frame like she has and the cheese grater.  The things I would like are the bag with "make your soul happy" printed on it and a bracelet that says "positive mind, positive vibes, positive life."    I loved everything.  Robin paid for our lunches.  I love these two gals and I'm glad that we ended up being such good friends.  I'm not even sure how things fell into place the way they have but it's fun.

When I got home Kimi had a cute gift waiting for me.  Mountain Dew and two Almond Joys.  I have been craving Almond Joys lately and she just knew.  I appreciate Kimleighel so much.  Kimleighel always has my back.  If I am tending the grands and have something like "going to lunch" or "being sick" she is happy to take over.  Kimi is one who compliments me on a daily basis and is very affectionate. She makes me smile. ☺

Larry took me to dinner but I really wasn't very hungry and so chose to go to Applebees.  I knew I could have something light and Larry could fill up.  I ended up ordering a meal that Larry could enjoy for lunch the next day.  I ate the shrimp off the chicken and had a bit of chicken and a bite of the potatoes and called it good.  That's one thing about me going out so much....Larry likes my left overs.

We invited all the kids over for ice cream and cake.  I got lucky and Natalie brought the left over, homemade ice cream she had from giving her niece a bridal shower the night before.  Everyone had a good time and some even stayed until after 10:00 playing games.  Kamryn, Mya and Parker all made me cards that I will put in my memory book.  I think the parents have given up on making memory pages but I'm still hoping that I will get more over the years...because I love them. (I found 3 from Julie in my emails..woot woot)  Trichelle's family brought me a bag of some of my favorite candy bars and Natalie's family had the same idea.  They brought me a cute tote full of candy bars and different types of yummy chocolate.  I have enough chocolate to last until my next birthday.  I love the note on the tote, it say's "We Love You more than You Love Chocolate and that's a whole lot of Love."  I couldn't help but smile.  Kevin and Julie always take us out to dinner for our birthdays and we will be doing that in a few weeks. It works out that her parents birthdays are very close to ours.

I played games with the kids for a while and then I tried to reply to the birthday greeting sent to me on face book.  Every message made me smile.  I wasn't able to respond to everyone that night since it was so late.  I realized I didn't even hold the twins tonight but I did soak in there cuteness by looking at them.  I enjoyed listening to Natalie and Julie talk while the others were at the table playing games.  I love that my kids all get along so well.  I did hold my cute little girls a few times.  Jordyn loved being held tonight and a few times Macie wanted to be as well.  A few times I had them both in my arms at the same time.  It's funny when I pick one up the others cries until I am able to lift her up as well.  If Sadie would have been there (she was feverish and stayed home and we missed her and her cute mommy) I would have the three little girls in my arms again.  I think they might compete a little. ☺  I love them all and I'm glad they enjoy having me hold them.  I hope they always feel the love I have for each one of them.

So turning another year older wasn't so bad. In fact, I enjoy each new year.  I'm thankful for all of my blessings: my health, good neighbors and friends, my faith, my "gifts" which I am finally recognizing, my extended family and mostly  my wonderful family.  I am one very blessed Birthday Girl and I am constantly thanking Heavenly Father....He really does love me which means He really does love you too!

(A few of this sweet greeting was sent to me today!) 

I want to save this greeting from cute Tammy G since she took a little more time with it than I ever do.

"Happy, Happy Birthday my beautiful friend!

Dawn I hope you realize what a bright light you are and how your heart shines out and truly touches so many!  Take some time today and celebrate YOU and all of your awesomeness!!!!!  I am grateful to have you in my life, and blessed to call you my dear friend!  I hope you have the best Birthday ever....and an amazing year to come!  Mwahhhhh!!!!!!!"

***Larry asked me if I had heard from everyone that I had expected to and I replied "no."  My sister didn't contact me at all today.  One of her daughters and both of her son-in-laws did but not her. :( 

Lunch with Kellie

Kellie took me to Farr's on Washington Blvd today for lunch.  We knew it wouldn't be a busy place and I like that so we can visit better.  It's a cute little store.  I love old fashion soda places and this was like that.  We each had a sandwich and for an extra $1 you could get a "scoop" of ice cream.  There scoop is more like four scoops.  Both Kellie and I got Turkey sandwiches and pralines and cream/german chocolate ice cream.  It was so yummy and very feeling.  We had fun looking around after at the old fashion candies we use to enjoy and even the old toys.  There were boutique items on the other side of the store.  I really enjoyed everything about this place.  Kellie has good ideas. ☺

I love the one on one visits with my friends.  It's a time you can open up your heart and be completely honest.  I am so inspired by my dear friends and I always learn so much from them.  I know that Heavenly Father speaks to me on my one on one visits.  I hope I am used for Him to speak to my friends at these times as well.  Kellie is such a sweetie.  She doesn't have an unkind bone in her body even though she has been told otherwise.  I hope she doesn't believe it.  Kellie was so excited about the gift she gave me.  She said she came across it in January and had to get it for me.  I am just as excited about it.  It's a necklace that say "friends are the sunshine of life",  I LOVE it!  Having a little reminder around my neck is good. ☺  She also gave me chocolate....not sure others know or not but I really love chocolate. ☺ ha ha  A few hours flew right by and we needed to get home so Kellie could go visit teaching.  I had such a great time and said another prayer of "thanks" when she dropped me off.  I'm seriously the luckiest girl alive!

Trichelle got home from her little vacation tonight and the kids were happy to see her.  Actually they were happy but very content to just stay if they could have.  Behr improved on his "toddling" skills while she was away.  He likes walking and is getting more confident every day.  He cracks us up the way he stands up when he is in the middle of the floor.  He gets on one knee and just lifts himself without using his hands at all.  He's a strong little guys!   We enjoyed having Trichelle's Kids Over for the last few days.  They are easy and so enjoyable...just like all the others.  Ivy and Zaden love electronics and trade off playing on them.  I just have to add that Behr sleeps really good and I even had Kimleighel wake him up at 9:30 on Tuesday when I wasn't feeling good.

Doctor

I woke up this morning feeling yucky again.  My head was spinning and I was weak and lifeless.  I will say it now .... I am so thankful for my good health that I enjoy 99% of the time.  I can't handle being sick.  I don't feel like I have time to be sick. I have too much on the calendar and in my mind that I want or need to do and I actually feel guilty for being sick.  I was suppose to meet Tonya today and we were going to go to lunch for my birthday.  I tried taking a decongestant and even some pain reliever but it didn't do any good.  I ended up texting Tonya and cancelling our "date" and then I called the Doctor.  I was able to see a different doctor than the one I prefer just about any time of the day and so I gave myself a few hours so I could get ready.  I was so weak and dizzy I knew it would take me forever to even try to be presentable.  Just about the time I was almost ready, Tonya came.  I had a feeling she was going to come but wasn't sure why?  I dragged myself in to the family room to talk to her for a bit.  She had brought me a gift and also brought dinner for my family.  I had Trichelle's kids too and there was no way I was fixing anything.  She brought Lasagna, Salad and French bread, my family really appreciated it and so did I.  What a sweetie Tonya is.

Larry's dad drove me to the doc...he's nice like that!  When I was called back I answered all the questions while my head hung back and I sagged in the chair.  I was miserable and even though the thought of smiling and acting like I was fine did cross my mind I couldn't gear myself up to do it.  I told the assistant that she got to see everyone at their worst and we laughed about it.  My ears are congested but since I didn't have an infection she blew me off about them.  I knew they weren't infected but I do have congestion...I know!  The doc was sure it was my blood pressure that was messing me up.  She was pretty sure I had had a bug that is going around that made my tummy hurt a few days ago.  My blood pressure was high even though I have been taking medicine for it.  She told me to go home and take another pill and then get a different prescription that was double my dose.  She thought it was strange that once I was put on medicine to bring my blood pressure down I was never checked to see if the dose was right.  I also thought that was strange.  I went home and took the pill and started feeling better pretty quickly.  I'm amazed at our bodies and how they let us know when something is off.  I was feeling much, much better by bed time.  I was saying prayers of "thanks".  It's my birthday week and being sick was NOT part of my plans.

Lunch Date

I woke up feeling like myself today.  I was so happy about that after feeling cruddy for a few days.  When Larry came home from camping we decided that we would take his cousin's offer up and join them for lunch.  Wendy is my age and often meets Larry's mom and Uncle and their spouses for lunch. (Wendy's mom, Aunt Norma passed a few years back)  Wendy reminds me a lot of her mom and I enjoy visiting with her.  We went to Jeremiah's and had a nice lunch. Wendy's daughter in law and a few grands joined us along with Gary, Tanna, (Larry's Aunt and Uncle) and Clark. I sat by Clark so Larry could visit with Wendy better.  I guess what Clark tries to say and sometimes I just laugh out loud when I can't understand him.  I'm pretty sure he knows he is hard to understand. ☺  It was an enjoyable get together and I am glad that Wendy loves us enough to invite us.

24th of July Weekend

We went camping with the Taylors this weekend.  I wasn't that excited about camping in a tent after being spoiled with a trailer the last few years.  Larry bought a nice tent but somehow it just doesn't compare.  We were right next to the camp potty which was a good thing since Kimi and I needed to get up twice in the night.  It's been so hot at home but the mountains were cool and Larry and I were able to snuggle for the first time in months.  The night got cold and I am so glad that Kimi had enough blankets that she didn't need the sleeping bag that she took.  We took one also but were sleeping on it so we didn't sweat from the air mattress. It was comfortable after covering us with the sleeping bag.

Saturday morning we kept an eye on an area across the road because there was some movement there.  A few hours later we saw what was making the noise.  It was a moose and 2 babies.  It was cool watching them eat and care less that they had an audience.  They even walked really close to some of our group as they crossed the road and moved on.  I didn't take any pictures and Jared was able to get this one.  The second calf was a bit behind the others but there were two.

We came home Saturday night since the twins were being blessed on Sunday.  I hadn't felt good at all on Saturday and still wasn't feeling good on Sunday.  I was dizzy and my stomach hurt. I went to the blessing but didn't go to the luncheon.  I didn't go back up camping with the family.  I stayed home close to a bathroom and stayed in bed all day.  I am thankful that I seldom get sick because when I do it kicks my fanny and makes me feel guilty.  I'm not sure why I feel guilty other than there is always so much that I need to do or at least that I think I need to do.  I did manage to do the laundry even though my head was spinning.  The day in bed was good for me.  I am feeling much better this morning.  I got up and made the bed and folded all the laundry I had washed yesterday.  I hope whatever I had has ran it's course.  I do not like being slowed down....I have things to do and places to go. ☺

Food 4 Thought Friday

Food 4 Thought Friday! 

A little feast without the calories!! 

Feel free to play along for some yummy fun! Go HERE to JOIN IN!!! 

 ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Breakfast ~ If you could choose an age to remain forever, which age would you choose? I feel like my spirit is 28 but I would love to remain at 50.  I would get compliments at 50 like: "Wow you look really good for having 7 kids and being 50"....that didn't happen before 50 ☺  I also like that at 50 I finally didn't care so much what people thought about me, it was easier just being me.  I chose to create more fun in my life and others.  I have been much happier because of my choices at 50 and I am closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  I have been able to "find" me again.  Being Half a Hundred is my favorite! ♥

Lunch ~ What do you enjoy doing to relieve stress? I'm not sure about the enjoying part of the question but to relieve stress I eat.  I hate that about me but it's what I do.  The problem with being a stress eater is you are never satisfied.  I also talk about the things stressing me.  That seems to be a much better way to relieve stress....just get it out.  Sometimes I just cry but that also releases it so it's okay.  Eating just pushes it down and so I don't recommend it...

Dinner ~ If you could buy any car right now, what would you buy? My last two cars have been exactly what I wanted.  The VW Beatle was just the right car for me until I was getting grands in and out of it all the time and needed to upgrade to a four door.  I really liked the Nissan Murano until I saw the Rogue which is very similar.  Larry surprised me with the Beatle years ago for my birthday and the Rogue while I was at girls camp a few years back. So for now I am content with what I have. ☺

Midnight Snack ~ What date on your calendar are you looking forward to?  Oh my, there is always so much that I look forward to.  This week I have a few lunch dates with friends, my birthday and boating with Shari's family.  Next week more birthday fun, a play and boating at Bear Lake.  I look forward to going to Hawaii in February as well as getting another grand that month. What date are you dreading? finding a day in the next week or so to go grocery shopping for girls camp. I really don't like being in charge of the food but I am this year and I am dreading it even though I know I will end up saying "that wasn't a big deal at all."

Recipe for the Week ~ (instead of your recipe for life, what is it just for the week?) Take Time to Rest and Don't Beat Yourself Up About It! 

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Cupcakes With My Grands

I love my little Cupcake Tradition with my cute grands.  It's fun having them all over to make cupcakes and play.  I didn't think this through too well and only realized it when we had a minute of pure chaos and tears. (I had tears but they didn't fall)  I had them all over at 11:00....that's a huge red flag right?  The little grands would most likely be tired by then....I forget those details.  I remember that they need to eat but I seriously forget about needing naps.  I must remember to have our cupcake making day later next year...like around 2:00 after lunch and naps.

My grands love coming and when I was having a hard time finding a day that we all could meet I was ready to give up and verbally said so and Ivy said "No".  I'm glad she said "No" and I'm glad that I listened because I would have been really sad.  Besides the minute of chaos and tears we all had a really good time.  The cousins love playing together.  They get along pretty well.  The 2 year olds and younger might challenge each other and compete a little but for the most part they are learning to play together nicely.

The younger group including the boys made our first batch of cupcakes.  I was planning on including the babes but figured they were just fine in their seats at the bar.  I let them decorate cupcakes.  I peaked in the oven because I could smell burning and even though I didn't notice anything burning my little peak inside stopped the cupcakes from rising like they should. (oops)

The big girls pretty much were on their own.  I just wanted to take pictures while they did their thing.  Some were more cooperative with me taking their pictures than others.  I reminded them that they might feel bad in years to come if they aren't in the pictures.  When I acted like I didn't care (I did care) I was given permission to take pictures. ☺ Silly, crazy, kids!

I was super glad that Kimleighel didn't go to Limitless as planned because I really needed her help.  Ivy was a huge help too and helped Sadie be more involved. I liked that Kelsi and Trichelle came early to pick up their kids so that they could be involved in the fun. I had a few ideas for the cupcakes but let the kids do whatever they wanted.  I think they had fun.  My counter looked like they had fun. ☺  I really had fun too even though during that "special minute" I admitted it wasn't very fun.

I love my sweet grands and love having them over to make memories and bond with each other better.  They are all so different and all so stinking cute.  Each little is my favorite in some way or another.  They are all such great kids.  They are kind and respectable.  They are happy and funny and I am so glad I am lucky enough to be one of their gramma's.

Kelsi took a few pictures of me and the grands and these were the best we got.  It kind of describe the day a little. ☺

***I was sick the following day and I think I was coming down with something on Thursday and that is why I almost cried along with the others that were crying.  My head must be congested which makes me dizzy and nausea.  I was feeling better though in the afternoon.