Blogger Light - My Birthday Gifts

Here is another posting under my "Blogger Light" heading, something not very deep but something I wanted to share about.

















I try not to get too bogged down by "things" or too wrapped up in them. That being said, there are sometimes these purchases that you make that are very satisfying; ones that you searched and searched for or hemmed and hawed about and finally took the step and had a great result.

So this year I had my 40th birthday and was intentional about some money that I got as a gift from my dad and step mom and also my sister's 85-year-old father-in-law who is so generous. I usually just put it in the bank, but this year I decided to make a couple purchases. I had $100 to spend which was so generous. Well, I never thought to put a mixmaster on my wedding gift registry years ago so whenever I was baking or mixing I did it by hand (ugh) or used a hand mixer. Over the years, I've thought about a Kitchen Aid which is what my mom and sisters use, but I really don't bake enough to justify spending that kind of money. So I was really excited when I found a Wolfgang Puck mixmaster, not brand new but refurbished. It was only $25! I have had so much fun using it! I've made breads and cookies so far. My pumpkin bread recipe is so yummy that I've made 3 batches of it so far. I don't even frost it anymore, it is so light and moist you really don't need it. And my son loves it! So he's getting some veggies and fruit with every piece since it has pumpkin and banana in it.





















The other purchase I made for my birthday was a pair of warm winter boots. I have been searching and searching for probably the last 3 years for a good pair of warm, waterproof boots. I can't count how many pairs I tried on and they didn't fit or bought and had to return them because something just wasn't right. Until the ones I just got from the Sportsmen's Guide. I did end up getting a pair last year but the boots are very stiff and don't give in the ankle. I had a conversation with one of my sisters who was having the same problem, that it can really be hard to find a good pair of boots. So these boots fall under the category of "Pac boots". First off, they are usually somewhat expensive, starting anywhere around $50 and going up to $200. I wanted a pair that laced up that also had the waterproof part. I had suede in the past and my feet would often get wet from the snow soaking in. These fit so well, are very comfortable and I really like the way they look. I got them for $44. In general, I always look forward to snow because I have loved the outdoor activities of wintertime since I was a kid. I love snowshoeing in our city's arboretum and our parks, cross country skiing, hiking. Now that I have a child of my own, I am going sledding in winter and just having fun out in the snow. This winter, I am looking forward to having really comfy feet and getting a lot of wear out of these boots over the years.

Picture credits: Wolfgang Puck Mixer; Sportsman's Guide Boots

Wordless Wednesday (A Few Pics from Mommy's 40th BDay)

J's Day of Celebration

What a wonderful celebration day. Even though I'm really tired from all the action, I just have to write about it. J started the day opening a gift from Auntie Kelly and Uncle RoRo, a giant dinosaur with all kinds of different sounds and he walks too. We didn't have much time to hang out since we needed to get to the church for the dedication. We were a little late but they were still checking people in. J was fine until it was his turn to go up to the stage, then he started acting up. I felt a little embarrassed but then he quieted down and they read a scripture we chose (Ephesians 5:19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.) Then they prayed over him and us as a family. They even had a cake and punch reception but J hit his head when he walked into a table so he was bummed for a while.

The rest of the day was like a whirlwind since there was so much to do. We got to the park and did all the set up work. We had lots of people to help, which was great, then we got to enjoy a nice picnic lunch. We ran a little short on food (not good) so my sister ran out for more subs. There was a big lull while we waited for her to get back so we could sing J happy birthday and cut the cake. It turns out daddy had gone up the hill so he missed the singing so everyone sang a second time. Oops! Then we were blessed with so many sweet gifts for J. He doesn't understand the opening gifts thing so daddy and I helped.

He had a great day. He kept grabbing my hand saying "mommy come play" but I was pretty busy hosting so he had a couple trips to the kids play area with Uncle RoRo and Mimi my step mom. My niece M.E. spent some time with him and so did his little friend Steffano. J kept hugging him. Finally, after we had things cleaned up mommy could relax and I enjoyed some time at the kids park with J.

My family came over after the party and the kids all played with the new toys. The house looked like a hurricane hit it. J was amazing, still going with no naps. We went out for a birthday dinner of burgers and ice cream.

The last special part of the day was my saying goodnight time with J. After our usual routine, I held him and started singing happy birthday really softly. He kept saying "again" and had me sing it like 5 times in a row. Every time I finished he'd say "yay". While I was singing, he cupped my face in his little hands. It was such a sweet moment and end to a great day.