Love

See the ones I made!

Yesterday was my birthday.  It was a wonderful day really.  I was woken up at 9 a.m. with coffee and kisses.  I spent an hour or so on the computer while enjoying my coffee, then I set myself up at the kitchen table and proceeded to wrap all the presents we had purchased the day prior.  I didn't have to worry about prying eyes and nosey roseys.

Once all of that was complete, Pokey and I headed up to my parents' house.  On the way, I got my free Starbucks birthday drink (Peppermint Mocha, naturally) along with something for Pokey and a hot chocolate for Hobbit.  As soon as I opened my car door, my parents and Hobbit were singing "Happy Birthday" to me.

We sat around and talked for a while and then we had some pizza for my birthday supper.  Peanut and Hobbit both decorated my parents' house with homemade flair.  There was "Happy Birthday" cut out of construction paper with construction paper streamers and 'confetti' taped to the kitchen island overhead area, along with some wonderful and bright bead garland hanging from the dining room light fixture.  The dry erase board that lives on their refrigerator had a birthday message on it for me from both of my girls as well.  It was nice to have bits of Peanut around because she wasn't able to be there in person - her first weekend home for Christmas break and she had to go in to work.  That's what we get for raising a responsible human-bean.

Clockwise from left: My family + decorations, my cake, my plates, and my festive homemade decorations.

Once our pizza had settled, we dove into the beautiful spice cake that my mama made and Hobbit helped decorate.  I think it was funny that they used the leftover plates from my daddy's recent retirement party with the excuse of 'they were pretty and we thought we could get the cake on there before you read it'... seriously, my family is that funny.  Overall, it was a wonderful day full of what is most important to me ~ quiet times and family... oh yeah, and I made out like a bandit too!

Clockwise from top right: Blake Shelton CD, owl watch necklace, shirt, and Hobbit crafted necklace. Hello Kitty purse from Pokey. Me, the birthday girl. Ornament crafted by Peanut. Creation by Hobbit - honestly unsure what it is but she made it all by herself so it will be tucked safely away for as long as it holds together!  A cross-stitch that my mother made for me of a print Pokey and I saw years ago on our honeymoon.  We couldn't afford it but we talk about it all the time so she found the kit and made it for us.  Way better than a silly old print!

I have people that I know who go all out - so far in debt that they can't see straight but have to keep up appearances for whatever reason - but I have to say, I'd rather have a homemade celebration like this than anything else on Earth.  This has been a wonderful birthday because it was full of the most important thing to me... love.  I have a friend who once said the most amazing thing a few years back and I've never forgotten it.  She said "we may be poor in the pockets but we're rich in love" and I have to say, that's the only kind of wealth that matters.