It was a very Happy Day!

Lighting my birthday candles!

The girls helped blow them out!

Maddison scaring her Papa.

"Come and get me Grandma Monster!"

"This is the way you shave your legs, girls."



Trying to get a picure of Ringo's face.


He absolutely will not look at the camera.



Maddison giving my arm a goodbye raspberry.



Mackenzee giving my arm a goodbye raspberry.


Flowers from Ashley.....so sweet!



Claycomb's card - outside.

Claycomb's card - inside

Sister, Karen's card - outside......us in 30 years!

Karen's card - inside................SO TRUE!

Karen and Harly's Card - outside

Karen and Harly's card - inside

Mark's card - outside
Mark's card - inside.............it's NOT RUM, bro....it's Captain!

Mom's card - outside

Mom's card - inside

Folt's card - outside
Foltz's card - middle
Foltz's card - inside

Sara and Mitchell's card - outside

Sara and Mitchell's card - inside

Laurel's card - outside

Laurel's card - inside








Brent's card - outside

.......................DARN IT.....I JUST DELETED THE INSIDE OF BRENT'S....SORRY.

IT WAS REALLY SWEET. THANK YOU! I LOVE YOU TOO!

Books from Karen and Harly

Ringo's buddy.....the Bumblebee!

Maddison's card

Mackenzee's card

Randall's Surprise!

This looks SO much more comfortable.

'HEY GIRL, WHERE IS YOUR HELMET???????" Okay, just going to the corner....be careful!

Today started off with a huge "Bang" in the form of thunder and lightening at about 4:00 this morning. After 8:00, though, the sun shone through, the birds were singing and all was still and calm.

Brent and I went to visit Scott Foltz, who shares the same birthday as me, though he hit the BIG FIVE OH today! He's still pretty much bedridden. He's talking about wanting to bowl this fall, so hopefully his right wrist heals very fast and his back even faster. He can't even go upstairs yet.

At around 3:00, Sara, Mitchell, Maddison and Mackenzee arrived. Mackenzee looked around and saw NO ONE at my house and said "I thought this is your birthday....where are all your customers?" It took me only a nano second to realize that she was talking about my birthday party guests because everybody has a birthday party, don't they, and everyone has guests, don't they? Gees!

Brent grilled hamburgers and hotdogs and my mom and Mark came over, as did Laurel's friend, Randall. Randall had something important to show me....he traded his silly "crotch rocket" for a Harley! Even if the trade is temporary, it's a much better choice for my kid to be riding on the back of a Harley made for two, not some racing bike made for no one out on the open road....eeew!

Maddison and Mackenzee were in such a mood today....a mood to be scared. A very long time ago, I used to play "Grandma Monster" and run after them with my arms up in the air and they'd scream and run away. Well, out of the blue today, they asked me to be "Grandma Monster" again. So we ran around and around outside in the 90 degree plus weather. What fun that was!

At one point, we couldn't find the girls. Sara finally found them upstairs in Laurel's bathroom with her. All three of them were seated on the side of the tub shaving their legs! Well, Laurel was shaving her legs, giving them a lesson, they were just soaking their feet....pretending! It was so cute!

Maddison used a paper plate to make a mask and scare her Papa. She's so into scary stuff right now. Halloween this year will be a blast!

Ashley stopped by and brought me beautiful flowers. I received many wonderful cards from friends and family and some cool books from Karen and Harly. Sara and Mitchell gave me a much needed hummingbird feeder as the two I have in back are leaking for some reason.

I had a delicious chocolate ice cream cake too! Yum!

I got a few close-ups of Ringo's friend, the bumblebee! For days, I've been watching Ringo nosing the purple hosta flowers and never knew what he was doing. That's weird, my dog is sniffing the flowers! Well, yesterday, I saw what he was doing, checking out the big, lazy old bumblebee sipping nectar from the flowers! I told Ringo that he was going to get his nose stung and he just looked at me like he didn't really believe me! Check out this big buggar!

Ricky just called me too, to wish me a happy birthday. He just got back on base, said he and his buds just went out to celebrate his birthday today. They went to a movie and had Subway. In the background, I could hear guys talking about going to do laundry and asking if the bowling alley on post is open on Sunday! Ricky said he's moved into a bigger room (his choice) and he's hanging with people Brent's and my age. Well, he said 40 year olds and I had to remind him that I'm 49 now... 7 years too old to join the Army, dang it. He said it's so funny, he'll say to them, "Hey, wait for me, Dad! or "Hold on Grandpa, I'll be right there!" He sounds like he's doing real good.

My day is almost complete. Now all I have to do is call my mom and dad's home phone number to hear my dad's voice and I'll be happy. I do that periodically.....don't tell anyone! I don't want anyone to think I'm weird!

What a great day it was. I am very blessed to have the family and friends that I have.

Thank you, everyone!