Fun Day!!!

Yesterday Mark and I decided to go the movies.  Note that this only happens a few times a year.  There is never nothing we want to see.  But Big Momma's Like Father Like Son was coming out and I really wanted to see it.

I loved the movie...it was so funny.  The only thing that I didn't like was the price of the movie and popcorn.  It cost us around $35 to see the movie and have popcorn.  This is really why we don't go and see that many movies.  We could have went and ate a nice dinner or bought an outfit.  Geez!!

Then after the movie, while we were already in Mayfaire; I decided to spend my Valentine's gift card.  I was happy I did...SALES!!!  My first stop was Bath and Body Works.

Buy 3 and get 3 free.  WOOHOO!! I was in smelling good heaven.  I got the whole Hawaii Coconut collection.  I got some for my birthday and I love it.  I also got the Dancing Waters and Bali Mango.  I am going to smell like a fruit salad. LOL

Then it was over to Belk's to spend my other gift card.  I had planned on buying sandals or some capri's.  That did not happen.  I barely made it through the front door before I had my purchases in my hand.

This was my favorite purchase an Etienne Aigner bag for only $7.50.  It may be last year's bag, but it will be this year's bag for me.  When you can get a $68 bag for less than $10, then that is a great deal.

I next got a gray beaded bracelet and earrings to match at outfit that I already have for next to nothing.  You take 50% off the listed price, which means I got the earrings for $5 and the bracelet for $6.  I love it!! Plus I still have money left on my card.

After I spent my Valentine's gift, we went and ate Hibachi, and meet some of the nicest people that sat at our grill.  It was such a fun day and it was beautiful out to make it even better.  A day spent with Mark is always a great day.

Surprise!!!

This was the beautiful surprise that I got when I went around the house.  Nestled at the end of our house between a bush was this yellow daffodil.  Such a nice surprise.  I just had to pick it!!!

Last One!!!

Frank Buckles turns 110 year old today.  WOW!!!  What is more amazing is that he is last surviving  American veteran of WWI.  He currently lives in Charles Town, WV and lives independantly.  He still drives...not sure how well, but he is able to care for himself and get around.  What a blessing is that?  He lied to get into service at the age of 16.  He was captured by the Japanese in the 40's and spent 3 and half years in a prisoner of war camp.  While in the prison camp, he became malnourished and weighed under 100 pounds.  He served in the army for 28 years.  Today, I salute Mr. Buckles on his service to our country and fighting for us.

 Frank Buckles at age 16.

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR. BUCKLES!!!

THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE

Valentine's, Birthday and Babies!!!

Today started with me and my friend Kelly celebrating my birthday.  Yes, I said birthday!! She had the flu when my birthday rolled around and we didn't get to celebrate together.  So today was the day we hit the town and celebrated the big 4-0.  We did a little shopping and ate at Flaming Amy's Bowl, which you can see my thoughts on that on my new blog, Port City Restaurant Report.  We had a grand time, and she showered me with gifts...she is greatest friend. 

After returning home, Mark and I exchanged gifts and I was surprised with roses and gift cards.  I love him so much!!

Later went to Nikki's Hibachi Steak House for dinner.  I love it there, and especially the half price hibachi entrees from 4 to 6 pm.  We had a nice dinner and enjoying each other's company.

On the way home, we got a phone call with wonderful news.  Our niece Anna and her husband are expecting not one baby, but 2 babies....she is having twins.  We are so excited.  I can hardly wait for September to get here.  We love you two!!!

This has been a day of celebrating birthdays, Valentine's Day and new life!! We are so very blessed.

EMERGENCY!!!

I went to the emergency room tonight for my swollen lip...again.  This was after I had been earlier today to the Urgent Care for the same thing.  As I check in they call to the back with these words, "I have a 40 year old female..".  A 40 YEAR OLD....okay, so maybe turning 40 hasn't exactly hit me yet.  My birthday has come and gone, but the age 40 has come to stay....whether I like it or not.  I keep saying that I just had my "BIG" birthday, but I never actually say the number...denial...I know.  Even though some say, "You don't look 40."....well, I am.  Usually these are 80 some year old women squinting through bifocals and cataracts who are ranting about how young I look.  I have a whole year to get use to the new age, but tonight it just kind of hit me between the eyes.  As she hung the phone up, I almost forgot my real emergency, except that the breath was leaving me due to the fact that my mouth was swelling shut.  So, tonight there was a 40 year old female in room one.  Oh yeah, that was me.

They Have My Life!!!

It started when I was in elementary school.  I fell in love with the prairie life, or the pioneer life after reading the Little House on the Prairie books.  There was something facinating about that way of life.  Raising livestock and your own vegetables, making bread, sewing clothing, making quilts, tending crops in the field and going fishing with a cane pole.  Then reality set in and prairie life didn't look so appealing.  I mean going to an outhouse, no air conditioner, no running water, no electricity, getting up at 3 am and going to bed at 6 pm and no internet...what was I thinking.  Maybe I need to be a 21st century rancher with a helicopter.

 Also, if every rancher/pioneer had luck the way the Ingalls family had luck, then NO THANK to the ranch life.  Those poor people always had one disaster after another.  The only other family that had worse luck was either the Walton's or the Evans Family from Good Times.  Urban family, country family and pioneer family...all with bad luck.  Then I grew up and found that those things are just life...no matter what era you lived in.

 I still have my dreams of looking out my window at snow capped mountains and red barns, but they are just dreams.  For one thing I live on less than an acre of land...not exactly a sprawling ranch spread.  My vision of snow capped mountains and red barns are only in my mind.  No cattle rides or branding parties in my future, unless I visit a dude ranch on vacation. 

For the life me I don't really know why I would even like to live on ranch.  For one thing I am scared to death of a horse...which I think is essential to living on a ranch.  I want to believe that if I was living on a ranch that horses would be my friend...not sure about that.

After all my dreaming, I stumbled upon this lady's blog who is living my life.  Well, not my life exactly but the one I have dreamed about since the 5th grade.  Meet Ree Drummond and her family who live on a cattle ranch in Oklahoma.  Well, Oklahoma was not my dream spot, but she is living on a ranch.  She has a fantastic blog that gets over 2 million hits a week...I have 12 followers and my daddy.  Her daily life is so fasinating that I can't wait to see what happens next, and yes, they have disasters as well.  They didn't have any water for the longest time due to the snow and ice and that is needed for cattle to live I learned.

After reading post after post on her blog, I thought...this lady is living the life that I have dreamed about.  Clad in jeans and boots she goes out with her husband to feed the cattle.  Which brought me to another question.  Can you live on a ranch and wear capri's and flip flops?  Not a fan of my feet being hot, and I think that I look cutier in capri's than jeans.  So after I weigh in on my likes and dislikes and being afraid of horses, maybe the ranch life should and always just be a dream.

THE BIG ONE!!!

I was totally shocked this past Saturday as I walked into our church fellowship hall.  I walked in totally expecting to go to a friend's birthday bash.  Instead, I found out that I was at my own 40th Surprise Party.  In spite of the dreary horrible weather, lots of people came out to help me celebrate this milestone.  I hadn't even thought about a party.  I thought that me and some of my friends would get together and do lunch on my birthday, which by the way was yesterday.  It was a great festive celebration complete with a great meal.  Lots of well wishes, cards and gifts.  My parents and some ladies at church really pulled one on me. 

Then on Sunday night, Mark and I went to Nikki's Steakhouse and Sushi to celebrate this BIG time just a little more.  The waitress bought me fried cheese cake with a sparkler in it.  She would not sing to me though.

Monday found me at the mall to get my massage, my present from Mark.  Heather spent an hour making me totally relax and release stress and knotted muscles.  It was a great massage, and something I now what to do once a week. LOL  After my great massage, Mark and I went out to celebrate a little more with Fish and Chips at the Fox and Hound....delish!!

Tuesday was the official big day.  I started the day off at Scrunch Hair Salon getting highlights and hoping  to look a little younger. LOL  My parents along with my aunt and uncle and Mark celebrated my official birthday dinner at Midtown Seafood...my choice.  I had crab legs and oysters.  Everything was great.  I didn't officially turn 40 until 8:48 PM last night.  That is the time I was born 40 years ago.  My dad use to pick on me growing up and tell me that I wasn't official until that time.  When you are 10 or 16 you don't want to hear that, but at 40 I gladly waited to be officially 40 until 8:48 last night.  Watch out 40's here I come!!!

My big 40 balloon.

                                     My official 40th Birthday picture.

 Crab legs for my 40th birthday dinner.

 And oysters for the birthday girl.

 My sundae!!

I love the napkin at my surprise party!!

Heather, who gave me the best massage ever.

Thanks Mark for this gift.