Sometimes Monday

October 21, 2019 By Carole

Is for thinking about what could have been.

Today is my brother Donald’s birthday and he would be 60 if he hadn’t been killed in a motorcycle accident 36 years ago.

I’m thinking about birthdays when we were kids and our mom would buy a big beautiful bakery cake and play the special birthday record album we had.

I’m thinking about how sweet he was to me when I was a little girl and the song he made up to sing to me whenever he brought me a glass of water.

I’m thinking about how much I missed him when he decided to go live with our father when he was 12 and I was 6.

I’m thinking about all the birthdays he didn’t get and what it would be like to have a 60 year old brother.

I’m thinking about how much I’d like to wish him a happy birthday today.

So I’ll just do it.

Happy Birthday, Donald, from your little sister. I miss you every day.

Jackie Is 2!

October 7, 2019 By Carole

Thanks for all of your birthday wishes for Jackie. I thought you might enjoy seeing the two (yes, only 2) photos I took at his party yesterday. I’m sure you know me well enough to realize that I took more than two. It’s just that these are the two I think are worthy of sharing.

First, the cake:

It was a moon theme party because Jackie adores the moon. My friend and local baker extraordinaire Caroline made the cake and I made the cake topper with my Cricut. The cake was not only gorgeous, it was delicious. And that cake topper . . . well . . . it’s all a learning curve. Learning to manipulate letters so that they connect, learning to use the right settings for glitter paper. In the end, I was very happy with it. Jackie was having none of it and literally cried while everyone sang Happy Birthday to him. Ahhh yes, the Terrible Twos seem to have arrived right on time.

Second, the birthday boy:

He loves bubbles, too. And he’s perfectly content and sweet so long as you let him alone to do what he wants. When you try to stop him from doing something, though, watch out because his will is strong and he will protest. As his Nana, of course, I think everything he does, including throwing temper tantrums, is utterly adorable.

Finally, a bonus video:

I made this from all of the 1SE clips I took from October 4, 2018 through September 27, 2019. It’s a sweet look back on our little muffin’s second year. My goodness how he has grown.

Thanks for indulging this Nana!

Birthday Weekending

September 23, 2019 By Carole

I’m going to make a bold statement. If I ran the world all birthdays would be on Saturdays. Logistically, I’m not entirely sure how that would work. But if I ran the world I’d have someone super smart to figure that part out.

My point, in case you aren’t getting it, is that when your birthday falls on a Saturday is it simply.the.best.

Case in point:

Friday Night Snacks on Birthday Eve. What? It’s a thing.

A whole lovely day of doing whatever you want because it’s Saturday. And your birthday. Doing what I wanted included hanging around the house, going for a great walk with Dale (and having two people come out of their houses to greet me and wish me a happy birthday, I love living in a small town), taking the Mustang out for a top down ride, and having a very small dinner party with friends.

There were great apps. I took this photo before Rose got here with her delicious stuffed mushrooms but you get the idea.

It was warm enough to enjoy dinner under the pergola.

I made lasagna, which I must say was terrific, Sean brought roasted vegetables, there was wine and laughter and it was completely perfect.

Speaking of perfect, check out that cake! Sean made it and it’s a 4 layer cake that’s a lot of work, a true labor of love. And really, what says I love you more than baking a birthday cake?

Sunday, my first day of my 55th year and the last day of summer, was a lazy day. There was football. I finished a book that made me cry in a very good way. And there was a beautiful pink and purple sky. It was the perfect way to end a really perfect birthday weekend.

Tiny Person Tuesday: He’s ONE!

October 9, 2018 By Carole

Our tiny person turned one last Thursday and his mom and dad threw him a terrific birthday party on Saturday. They all love the movie The Greatest Showman so they went with a circus theme and it was adorable.

I made the banner for his smash cake.

And a clown crudite platter.

There were cupcakes with lollipop balloons made by my friend Caroline.

And cupcakes with animal crackers made by my friend Sean.

And a smash cake, of course.

Hannah helped Jessica with the table settings and they were adorable.

Colorful and bright and completely on point for the theme.

The favors thanked everyone for making Jack’s birthday the “greatest show”. Soo cute!

Grampa came dressed as the Ringmaster and I think Jack spent a fair amount of time looking at him and trying to figure out how come he didn’t look like Hugh Jackman. (I’ve wondered that myself on occasion, I will admit.)

Everyone sang Happy Birthday but Jack only had eyes for that cake.

As my friend Leslie said, a baby and his first cake. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Happy First Birthday, little Jackie! Your family and friends love you so much!

53!

September 21, 2018 By Carole

We interrupt your regularly scheduled Eye Candy Friday to say: It’s my BiRthDaY!

And this is what 53 looks like around here:

Okay, so technically that’s 52.999 since I took it last night right before we went out to dinner. And yes, it’s edited, because I’m a photographer and no photo is ever the best when it’s straight out of the camera. But it’s still my truth. Some fine lines on my face, gray in my hair (I stopped highlighting it over a year ago now and I’m glad), more weight than I’d like . . . but that’s me and I’m okay with all of it because another trip around the sun sure beats the alternative.

Have a great weekend!