a celebration

JP and I started celebrating our birthdays back on Thursday, September 20th.  We had dinner in the bar at Benihana and enjoyed some yummy food with our $30 email gift.  It's one of those treats we look forward to sharing together every year.  They even allowed us to use them both at the same time.  Since the boys aren't adventurous enough yet to try it (and we didn't have a reservation for the hibachi table), it was nice enough to try something different and eat in the bar.

Saturday evening, we celebrated with good friends, Lorraine & Steve.  JP made a pork loin and sides, Lorraine brought the most scrumptious chocolate cake!  Everyone is still raving about it (and yes, we still have a small piece left for JP's birthday tomorrow).  Thanks to the cooks!

On Sunday, while the boys were watching their football, my Mother came over and we went to get a facial by my friend Tami, who sells MaryKay.  It was a nice little getaway and the decibel level was much more tolerable for an hour or so.

thanks for LIFE, Mom!

By Monday morning, it was nice not to worry about going to work.  I started my day with a long overdue appointment for a mammogram.  I couldn't believe how busy the waiting room was at 8:00 am on a Monday?!  Guess I'm not the only one who wanted to get it out of the way early in the week.  Because I have been pregnant the better part of the last five years, I haven't gotten one since my baseline at 40.  I haven't received a phone call yet (and it's now Wednesday), so I'm assuming all is good and a piece of paper will show up in the mail with normal results.

Grabbed my free cuppa java from Caribou, and headed home.

With the kids in school, JP and I ran a few errands and had lunch at Granite City.  When he asked me what I wanted for my birthday, and I said nothing, by the time we got home, I had changed my mind.  I told him I would really love it if we could take down the front tree.  Our beautiful Sugar Maple has begun dying a while ago, and each year it looks a little more sickly.  To my surprise, and probably because the weather was beautiful in the mid-70's, he agreed. squeeeee!  We then spent the better part of the afternoon sawing, chopping and hauling.  Not every girl's idea of a birthday present, right?  But I was elated to check this off the list.  And while it's not quite finished, we're much closer.  I am hopeful that it will be done in the coming weeks.  This doesn't mean that the "project" is finished, but that the branches are at least cut down and will not be staring back at me all winter.  The remaining trunk/stump will have a new purpose by next year...  you'll have to check back to see what will become of it.

our sad looking Sugar Maple

one last branch of color for Mister Chef

I got back to work on Tuesday and was greeted by a beautiful bouquet of flowers from Kara.  And home from work on Tuesday to another delivery of flowers all the way from Norway!

Another happy hour with my friend Ginny on Tuesday, and more celebrating continues throughout the week with JP's birthday on Thursday, and with friends Cheryl & Thad @ Surly coming up on Saturday! 

It's been a good week...  and we have so much to be thankful for...

A very big
thank you
to EVERYONE
who has made our week of celebration so wonderful!