My 30th

"After 30, a body has a mind of its own."

- Bette Midler

It's true...I am an old woman now! I turned 30 yesterday and let me just tell you, if my thirties are as good as my day was yesterday...then I will be happy to stay 30 the rest of my life!! I L.O.V.E. my husband and he had my day full of surprise after surprise!

I was spoiled with sleeping in the morning of my birthday. He got the girls up and ready for the day and they made cards and then came in and climbed in bed with me to wake me up. Evelyn was adorable...she was just as excited about my birthday as I was. She brought me her adorable homemade card with morning kisses and hugs!! Then we all had a yummy breakfast together as a family. I love breakfast foods!!

After breakfast, I was sent upstairs to primp myself and get ready for a fun family day - so I thought! The door bell rang and it was Rachel- Gordon's sister - she had come to watch the girls for us while Gordon took me out for my birthday. At first I was bummed because I realized I wasn't going to be spending the day with the girls...-love my girls -...but that feeling quickly went away because I then realized I was spending the entire day with just my hubby - the love of my life! I couldn't wait to find out what he had planned!

Gordon is not normally a good secret keeper - in fact, I always ruin his surprizes because I can worm it out of him so easily! Not so much this time...he had my day planned and I had no idea!

We started off heading to lunch. All he gave me was three numbers - 403. What is that? 403 was the address to the restaurant that he was taking me to. We have never been there, but have heard wonderful things about it. He took me to Ganache at 403 N.Elm in downtown GSO. It was so yummy! We were too stuffed for dessert, but we are SO going back because the desserts they had there looked delish!! We went for their brunch menu, but we both ended up getting the Ganache Burger- mmm my mouth is watering all over again! It was so good! I love me a good burger!!

After Ganache, he gave me another number, 232. Yes, it was another address - 232 S. Elm St. is the location to Triad Stage. He was taking me to a play - live theater! I was so excited! He had tickets for the play Around The World In 80 Days -a comic adventure by Mark Brown adapted from the novel by Jules Verne. It was so good. It was very funny and very entertaining! It was so much better than the typical - matinee movie in the afternoon! I thoroughly enjoyed the play and we're considering getting season passes because there are so many good productions coming in 2011! SO FUN!

After the 2 1/2 hour play we headed back home. Driving down the street to the house, Gordon said to me "I need you to do me a favor." "OK" I said. "I need you to close your eyes." (Tee hee - I totally guessed it! He's throwing me a surprise birthday party and he doesn't want me to see all of the cars parked out front!!! - that's what I thought at least... )

So I close my eyes and we're driving into the neighborhood and down our street - my eyes are still closed - and I can feel the car pulling into the drive way and then he says to me "I'm just kidding you can open your eyes!" I open them and look at him like "WHAT?!" (so now I am thinking, there is no surprise party?!! BUMMER! - that's what I thought at least...)

So I get out of the car and I walk up to the door and walk on in...I see streamers hanging everywhere and it looks like I am walking into a party...but where is everyone?? (so I am thinking that people are going to jump out from all the corners and shout SURPRISE any second now...) Well, that didn't happen...Evelyn comes running up to me and says "HAPPY BIRHTDAY MOMMY!" and I scoop her up and say thanks and then Rachel pops out and says "HEY! Happy Birthday! Me and Evelyn decorated for your birthday!" (so now I am thinking - ok ok there really is no surprise birthday party after all - just Rachel and Evelyn being super cute for me - that's what I thought at least...)

Then a few more steps into the house and SURPRISE!!! There was everyone - all my girlfriends - lined up shouting "surprise!" and "happy birthday!" I was floored. I really was stumped - first I thought there was a party and then I didn't...then I thought there was a party again, and then I didn't and then there really WAS a party!!! WOOT WOOT!!!

I am the luckiest girl to have such a wonderful husband to plan such a wonderful day and then to have such wonderful, loving friends to throw such a fun party for me! I loved every minute of it - even the embarassing minutes thanks to Gordon!! HA HA!

But my day didn't end there - after a wonderful party - some of my friends had planned to take me out to dinner - my choice!! Of course if you know me, there hasn't been very many birthdays not celebrated at MIMI'S CAFE!!!!

So that's where we went! I love Mimi's Cafe! I could eat their Buttermilk Spice muffins every day...EVERY DAY!!! mmmmm!! So we spent some fun times at Mimi's and we laughed and we ate until our guts hurt and we laughed some more.

Ahhhhh, what a wonderful day! I came home with my face hurting from all of the smiles I had that day! I loved every minute of it and I just want to thank EVERYONE for my birthday phone calls, cards, presents, hugs, visits and love on my BIG 30 DAY!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!

Where's Evelyn?

With Gordon's calling in the YM's presidency, he decided that a good way to get to know the boys better would be to host a monthly planning meeting. It would be at our house so it's a very casual setting for the boys to just hang out and get to know each other. It's also a great time for them to work on scouts and plan their activities - AKA play videos games!! Well, we just had them over for the second time and the boys had a blast! I made chocolate chip cookies and the boys devoured them!! Gordon had a nice spiritual devotional with them and talked about planning activities and then the boys got to play! They were having so much on the Wii and there was one person in-particular that was having a ball with these guys...can you find her?? She's the little one in pink - right in the middle of these big boys!! It doesn't matter who the company - she just wants to be right there in the center of attention!!

For Jill

This post is for JILL - thank you and we love you!!!!!! xoxoxoxo

How long has it been?

It has been over a month since I last blogged!! For shame! We have been swamped and it's been busy, busy, busy! I put a few posts up, but I am still SO behind!! I still need to blog about Evelyn's THRID birthday!! And Claire had her first 'un-official' Sunday in nursery and she loved it and did fantastic!! I can't believe how fast my little girls are growing and to make me feel even older - I am turning 30 on Saturday!!! WOOT WOOT!!!! Fun times!! Well, enjoy the few posts now and check back later because there's so much more to come!!!

Mary Poppins

Evelyn LOVES Mary Popplins. "Loves" is actually an under-statement! The child is mesmerized by the movie! It was the very first movie we showed her when she was a baby and it's still a winner!! Evelyn's Aunt Mindy had an ornament growing up of the character Mary Poppins and for Evelyn's birthday this year, Aunt Mindy passed it on to her as a gift. As you can see Evelyn was ecstatic!!

THANK YOU AUNT MINDY FOR THE WONDERFUL GIFT - IT WILL BE TREASURED!!!

Sisters

Evelyn giving Claire zurburts...or whatever you call 'em!

Both girls sitting with books and reading outloud. ... Claire had her own little language! It was adorable!!!!!

These little girls are the best of friends! I find them doing all sorts of stuff together! The other day, I was upstairs finishing getting dressed for the day and I come downstairs to peace and quiet...where are my girls? Then I hear a little giggle and another little giggle and another little giggle and I follow the sounds down the hall to the powder room - I open the door and find both girls playing in the bathroom with their toys. They made a little play room out of the bathroom - at least it was clean!! HA HA! Claire loves her big sister and just wants to be right there next to her all of the time!!

LATASIA

LATAAA...WHAT?

Latasia is a jewelry company that I just joined! I LOVE IT!! It's a direct sales company so that means I do in-home parties - like Pampered Chef or Scentsy Candles...I just sale jewelry! We have some cute stuff and I am very excited to be doing this!! But it's also my own business - which is very cool, I think!!!

I have already had my first couple of shows and had fun doing them! I have my own website that you all can visit and check out what I sell. If you like something in the catalog, you don't have to have a show to get it, you can email me what you want and I can place your order and send it directly to you! It's fabulous!

Check me out at www.mylatasia.com/jlindsay