Ingredients For A Birthday Celebration

The day you were born you stole our hearts, changed our lives for the better and given us so much joy. Each year as we watched you grow into the wonderful woman you have become we count our blessings that you are our wonderful daughter.

Your dad and I are sending you across the many miles our love, wishes, hugs, and a recipe to guarantee you will have the happiest of birthdays.


Balloons


Presents


Birthday Cake


Peanut Butter Ice Cream


Birthday Dessert Tray


Floral Birthday Cake


Favorite Flowers


Campaign


Napkins & plates



Clowns

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Happy Anniversary

Forty-one years ago today I married my best friend and the love of my life. Together we have faced the trials and tribulations life has to offer. With each year that has passed us by our love has strengthened and grown. We both look forward to what is ahead of us, knowing that we will be there together forever.



Wishing my husband, the love of my life, many more years together of happiness.

Grow old with me, the best is yet to be.

HLSACYMVO-MVO

Tea For Two

Getting ready for the tea party.

When Cara visited us last Saturday she found something new in grandma & grandpa's kitchen. Grandpa went into the basement and brought up the table and chairs that Cara's daddy and aunt Cyndi had when they were little; the furniture was given to our children by their Abbott grandparents; Cyndi was a little older than Cara is now.


Cara pours the pretend tea into the cups.

Knowing that Cara really likes to play pretend, while I was out shopping the day before I bought a Disney tea set for her. She and grandpa decided early Saturday morning that it was time to have a tea party for two.


Drinking down the pretend tea, ahaaaaaaa it's so good.


Cara likes to take pictures, with help, with grandma's camera. This is a self photo we took of us; she thought this was a funny thing to do and laughed about it.


Playing in the playhouse and sliding down the slide.


A little quite time looking at a photo book of Italy.

I'm not sure when Cara visits who has more fun, Cara or the grandparents?

So much fun! So little time in a day!

Grandma's Favorite Restaurant

What a treat and fun time we had on Friday as my family, husband, and I headed out for lunch at one of my favorite restaurants; and also a favorite of our daughter. It all started on Thursday when my sister-in-law called and asked if she could come up and treat me to a margarita. While taking about a half of a second to say yes plans were then put into place. Visiting also were sweet Cara and her folks so it was now a family outing, catching up on news, and fun in store for all.


Ever do dainty she can put salsa on chips by herself.


Not one drop of salsa on the fingers.

When the grown ups ordered pretty drinks we thought it would be cute to pose Cara with one. As you can see she didn't want us to take it away from her, even though she held tightly onto the glass we managed to over power her and give it back to grandpa. Looking oh so sad when she no longer had a drink the next logical thing to do was to buy her a child's drink of her own. I do want to mention that she did not sample the first drink at all.


Being such a big girl now with her own special drink she was happy to be just like the big folks at the table.


Big girls can hold their drinks by themselves and drink from a straw.


With full tummies and a lot of fun it was time to head out and back to grandma & grandpa's place to see what other fun awaited us. Will post on that next. Cara gave this restaurant visit a five star raiting.

What A Difference

Fun in the sun



What a big difference a day can make and also the miles between you and the equator. A week ago we were in sunny Florida enjoying temperatures in the low eighties, swimming in heated pools, laying on sandy beaches, clear bright blue skies, and eating at outside restaurants. We had three beautiful days on the beach and I even went swimming in the gulf. The water was cold; like the temperatures of Lake Michigan in the middle of August.




Returning from the warm weather to . . .



. . . our backyard and old man winter.

Upon arriving up north the temperatures were about 52 degrees colder and the talk all around was about a snow storm approaching our area of the country. As you can see by the photos the snow storm arrived in all of its beauty; along with the snow temperatures dropped down into the mid-teens.



Grandpa & Grandma get some play and computer time with Cara.



In spite of the snow and cold temperatures it is good to be back home with family and friends. As Dorthy once said, "There is no place like home."



In the spirit of the January Polar Bear Clubs, beautiful warm Florida, and photo shop here is Ameridad's creation.