Toast 2 Mom

Chapter 35 - Living to Love What's Ahead

Today I turned 35.

"And I'm gonna be 40....someday!" When I heard Sally, from When Harry Met Sally, give that quote, (eek, 20 years ago) it's sure hard to believe I'll be saying 40 in just five years.

I've spent a lot of time looking in the mirror lately thinking, hmmm, maybe needles for Botox would be worth it?

I've spent a lot of time lately thinking what should I be doing next?

I've spent a lot of time lately teetering between thoughts of "am I too old for that?" and "I wonder if I could do that anymore?"

I so wanted to have this profound message to say for this year...but I just don't have one. Being 35 - I'm not really afraid of it or intimidated really. It's just kind of hard to believe I'm already here.

When I look around at my surroundings, I think I'm where I need to be by 35. I know most of what I think I should know by 35. I've seen a lot of what I think I should have seen by 35.

But then again....I feel there's so much I don't know. There's so much more I've craving to do. There are so many more lessons I need to learn. So while I may not have a list of 35 things I'm grateful for or 35 lessons I've learned in 35 years, I am pleased to say that 35, no matter what progresses this year, thus far has been a great birthday.

Here are some highlights:

• I received some beautiful (and unexpected) jewelry from my husband.
• We had family in town to help celebrate.
• We had family in town to be babysitters....and the Hubby and I got a much needed (appreciated) night out.
• I received a number of cards in the mail.
• I received phone messages and calls from dear friends.
• A beautiful bouquet of flowers was delivered to my door.
• I got the annual call from my mother telling me about the day I was born.
• My daughter acted out a Snoopy birthday card by surprisingly licking my face when I opened it.
• I had many thoughtful birthday wishes from email and Facebook.
• We took a love road trip to Fredericksburg today to enjoy a meal out, shopping, walking, lovely weather and photographing.
• And last but not least, my older daughter picked out my birthday cake (see below)....and my baby girl gave her best rendition of Happy Birthday.

So, here's to 35 and what's ahead....and mannnnyyyyy morrrrrre......Cha, Cha, Cha!

 

A Fall Fiesta

I've been hearing the Fall Fiesta song for weeks, and today we got to see the live performance. Sydney's school had the Halloween holiday program this afternoon. It was supposed to be last week, but the weather was not cooperating for the outdoor performance.

Myself, Cheekers, Daddio and over fifty other parental types, with photography and recording devices in both hands, watched the kids and all of their hard work. It was such a cute show!

Here are some of just the forty pictures I took.

 
 
 
 

One More Birthday Present

Now that Sydney is in pre-school a couple days a week, I get some one on one time with Cheekers. I rarely get any one on one time with Sydney anymore. I've missed that. For her birthday, I planned for the two of us to do something, just us.

A children's theatre here in town is putting on a performance of The Little Mermaid...perfect! Today was finally our Mommy and Sydney's Day Out! We went to the show this afternoon. It was a sort-of spin on the movie version. It had the same characters and similar storyline, with the twist of it being actors for a children's play, interacting with the audience. I thought it was adorable. I think Syd did too. She got a poster and "Ariel" signed it after the show.

Afterward, we decided to head further downtown for some yogurt. It was picture perfect afternoon. We sat outside on the picnic table and enjoyed our treat. When we got home, we painted our nails, colored her new poster and played some games in our latest Highlights magazine.

It was a super, duper, fantastic day! :)

 
 

I Got Nothin' But These Silly Pictures...

We're post birthday and post parties and post visitors in our household. Today Sydney went back to preschool. We have the house all picked up, laundry caught up, party decorations put away and bed routines back on schedule... And my thinking cap is still on a hiatus.

I have been feeling like I want to evolve my blog, but I'm not sure into what. This creative block has been weighing me down for some time. I want to write. I want to share. I want to show pictures. I want to do all of this and more....but I want to do something different too. It'll come to me eventually.

For now, though, I'm going to write when I can, post pictures when I can, share stories and funny tales when I can....and hopefully more...when I can.

Today....you get silly pictures. Some days are just like this...

 

Flapper Party Girl

Sydney's birthday party was a big success. She seems to get beautiful weather days for her parties. Each year we've had sunshine and lovely temperatures for her birthday parties. This year was no exception.

This year's theme was a costume party. We rolled with a Halloween theme. It was great fun to see all of Sydney's friends dressed up, running around in their costumes. Mommy had not planned on a costume, but was asked 30 minutes before guests arrived where my costume was. I put together a costume faster than imaginable because I couldn't let my party girl down.

We ate yummy food, decorated pumpkin and ghost cookies, ate Tinkerbell cake and then sent sugar-high children home with their parents to deal with it. :) My girls crashed pretty early, though. It's been a busy birthday week, that is for sure.

Here are a few photos from our celebration fun!

 
 
 
 
 

And Many More, Cha, Cha, Chaaaaaa

Today my beautiful girl turned four years old. It was a wonderful day to reflect on an even more wonderful day...when this girl entered our lives. It's just unreal how quickly the time goes by. I still remember struggling to put on her "come home from the hospital" outfit - so worried I'd break her. I remember her squeaky little cry. I recall the perfect way she preferred I sway her back and forth to calm her. I remember so clearly the way I propped my feet on the coffee table to form a V-shape with my legs and body for her to perfectly rest on me.

And here we are today... Happy Birthday my sweet bean!

Now I Know My ABC's

Click below....

Cheekers Performs the Letters