Birthday Weekend

It is Sunday.  It is late.  This is the first opportunity I've really had to sit down and share. . .but it won't be much (sorry).  And I know I'm *really* behind on picture-of-the-day.  NO TIME these days. . .happy, full, lively days :)

I turned 41 yesterday.  Not a very big deal at all.  But I love that the kids are getting older and *want* to make birthdays (even mine!) a "big deal".  Tom bought me a new point-and-shoot camera a month or so ago and I've been enjoying that.  It fits in my purse and I actually remember to use it most days -- ha!

The day started with this:

I couldn't really have asked for more!  I love, love, love sunshine.  It was just perfect.  I don't think we've seen much sun this week so it was just a beautiful way to start the day :)

Tom sent the flowers to me at school on Friday.  The mess around them are the snacks and such from having some friends over Friday night to make wreaths. . .another post another time.

My "please, please, please can I have one picture with all of you" picture.  Miss Margaret was not happy about it but I got it!!  Yes, Thomas is way taller then me now. . .something he pointed out when he hugged me that morning.  Here is the picture we took before heading to school last year:

 It looks like he was taller then me then too. . .soon it will be all of them. . .

And Thomas took one of me and the love of my life too:

We were heading out for a 10 a.m. basketball game.  My wish for the day was to spend it together.  This meant that both Marie and Thomas gave up soccer practices and Margaret gave up a Power tumble clinic.  I'm the last person (usually) to ask someone to miss and activity but spending the entire day together really was all I wanted. . .and it happened!!!

This picture of Frederick pretty much sums up the sentiments of that game. . .it was a tough game to watch because no one was really "on".  Oh well. . .it was a nice chance for the other team to have a "win" -- apparently they haven't had many this season either.
We ate a quick lunch at Chick-fil-A then headed to a local theatre company to see "Footloose"!  We haven't allowed the kids to see the movie. . .and I hadn't seen the stage production ever. . .and it was so good.  Tom bought tickets last week for a 1 p.m. show and it was over-sold.  The local cast and crew did a fantastic job and all the kids really enjoyed it :)

We didn't do a very good job of getting the poster in the background (it's behind Frederick & me) and Marie was half-way across the parking lot by then. . .but here is my memory and as you can see it was *still* a beautiful day!!
We had our neighbors call us while we were at lunch and ask if we wanted to go to our local university's double-header basketball game that evening. . .and we decided to go for it!  It was free to get in if you were wearing your youth league basketball t-shirt and $1 if you were wearing pink.  Can't get much cheaper then that -- ha!

Tom, Scott, Rene, me, Michelle

Unfortunately our school doesn't pull in large crowds for their home games. . .even on cheap nights. . .but I did see probably a dozen of my students there :)

And we did win both the games.  The men's game became a little exciting during the last 7 minutes when a player from the other team and then the head coach of the other team were both ejected from the game.  We ended up with 8 technical free throws -- and I learned a lot.  Luckily the women on both sides of me were able to explain it all to me.

A lot of the cheerleaders work out at Margaret's gym so she likes to point out the ones she sees there :)

Speaking of our children, they all found friends to sit with during the game so even though we were at the event together, we didn't end up sitting together -- ha.

Scott & Rene's boys and our basketball player.  They were off to get snacks or something I think. . .y'know, concessions are the only reason to go to a game. . .

We were so busy last night that we didn't even get to my gifts until after church today.  It was a cruddy, rainy day so we all changed to stay home for the afternoon/evening once we got home.  Time for presents!

The kids got me Esther Price candy so here I was sharing :)  It was assorted DARK chocolates -- my favorite!
Frederick made me this beautiful painting at school:

My dad bought me a beautiful watch that he gave me when he was here last weekend. . .I had just gone shopping after church today for some new clothes with money my mom sent and then I opened two more nice tops from my inlaws:

A little later we Skyped with the Bells. . .

And Marie presented me with a wonderful made-from-scratch Alton Brown red-velvet cake.  She got up early Saturday morning to start it and finished it Sunday afternoon.

She was really proud of the cake and should be!  There are not 41 candles on it -- she had just outlined the number "41" in candles :)

I really had the best weekend with the best family in the world.  Thank you all for making my day(s) so incredibly special.