Birthday Palooza

40 must be the year to be spoiled…I had five different birthday celebrations to mark my new decade. Not that I want to brag, but I must give thanks to those who made this rite of passage much less threatening! The real date was March 10, so let me share with you a few of the delights you might have missed…


My friend Amy hosted an open house with the girls a few days early. She provided an absolutely gorgeous cake and fabulous flowers, along with many tasty treats. My friends spoiled me with girly gifts, including plenty of chocolate! Oh, how they know me...

On the Friday night before my birthday, my darling husband David gathered together several of our friends and we headed out to Johnny Carino’s for a little pasta and a lot of gabbing. It was nice to have an adult night out, and I love being with friends.

The always surprising gang at Signed Sealed Delivered (where I teach classes and run crops) pulled a very fast one on me the Saturday before my birthday. I was scheduled to run an evening crop right after my Saturday afternoon class, and while the store manager delayed me up front, the rest of the crew transformed the studio into Birthday Central. Several massive personalized signs, decorations, and 40 black balloons let everyone in the store know something was up. Shoppers and friends even got in on the action getting it ready while I took care of business in the other room. We then celebrated with lots of scrumptious cake and party hats. I wore my hat the rest of the afternoon, often forgetting it as I helped customers with scrapbooking questions (yes, I’m a goober). We left the signs up all night, and other friends came in to wish me well. We almost set the sprinklers off with the 73 candles they put on my cake.Very funny, ladies.

And then it was finally my birthday itself. Once again, David treated me like royalty, cooking a fantastic meal (including his savory pork roast) for us and our family that lives in the area (his mom and dad, and my brother-in-law and his family). Once again, a cake and presents for the birthday girl! It was fun to finally get to celebrate my birthday with my kids. And to actually have a birthday party where I got to say I was 40 and mean it!

And so my birthday passed…but my Bunco (and scrapbooking) friends would not let it die. Our monthly Bunco party was two weeks later, at my home. They arrived with black balloons, gifts, and delicious chocolate cake. We’ve all been friends a long time, and it was so much fun to stretch out the birthday wishes with them! Thanks to them for all the gag gifts. They truly took the turning of the years seriously, and I have some memorable gifts to remember them by!

I think I can safely say it's over now (sigh). I can't thank everyone enough for the fun presents, the well wishes, and the joy they filled me with!

(P.S. Thanks to Kasey and Jimmie for the inspiration for the title of this post. You know why.)