82 hats

Nahhh. . . I'm just kiddin'. . .not 82 hats, but by the looks of these pictures you'd think so. I'm still talking in 82s. . . but what I meant was 82 years. Melissa and I were going to miss Grandmama's big birthday shin-dig. Well, it really was just our family and they had to all get together on a day my cousin, Brian, could do it. . . . I already had previous plans, so Mel and I took Grandmama to lunch to this sweet little tea room nearby.

Grandmama started the fashion trend of a hat. . . she's been having to wear one b/c she had a premalignant place come up on her head. . .

These girls were so good. An older lady leaving the restaurant came up to me and complimented me on how well behaved they were. That makes me claim them! If they act like a bunch of scaliwags. . . uncivilized and all. . . I pretend I don't know whose children they are. . . I kid. . .I kid..

Here are my 2 aunts and my sweet Grandmama who has been walking this earth for 82 years!

Melissa and Hanna

Beans, Mel, and me (I feel like I look like a flight attendant in this picture)

We found these funny hats on the wall. . .so Melissa grabbed one and I followed her lead. We wanted to look like Grandmama. . .

Sharon and Wanda thought they'd join in the fun as well.

Pretty lady!

Sweet little Southern Belle

Here's another one. . .

And. . . another one. . .

Afterwards Wanda took all the kiddos to the store by the tearoom and got them each a piece of candy. . .

Poor Alec was such a good sport about being at a tearoom. He was the photographer, and it wasn't until I uploaded these pictures that I realized he wasn't in a SINGLE one of them. I think he prefers it that way. . . that way there's no proof he was actually at a tea room. . .

We love our Grandmama so very much. She's so special and has made a mark on each of our lives.

Foolin', Gettin' Pranked, & Prankstin the Prankster

I just love April Fools' day. . . and, yes, . . . this post is exactly 15 days behind. . . y'all know by now that is how I roll. . . after all if I'm 15 minutes late for something (or someone else is for that matter) I still consider them on time. . . This year I didn't do every trick I had up my sleeve. However, as soon as Alec got up and tasted his cereal . . . he looked at me and said in a very "ha, ha, ha, mom, you're so funny" voice. . . "April Fools!"

Hanna got a chuckle out of it too.

Wanna know what I did? I poured their cereal and milk and froze it overnight. I even put the cereal box and milk out on the table to "pretend" like I fixed their breakfast for them.

Well, since I didn't fool them I told them to let's get Ash. So I repoured normal cereal for Alec and Hanna. Ash then comes down to eat breakfast .. . sticks her spoon in her bowl. . . and it abruptly stops her for eating her yummy corn flakes. . .

"Uh, uh, Mom, what's wrong?"

April Fools!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Next, it was lunchtime. I was so afraid I wouldn't be able to get away with this one, as most days when I fix lunch the kids are in the kitchen with me. I knew I had to work and work fast.

Yummy grilled cheese. . . right?????

Wrong. . . how about angel food cake with orange-colored cream cheese icing buttered and fried on a pan. . . the kids were so funny. Before they ate it they were saying, "This cheese looks funny." I told them it was a little old, but it was okay. That's all we had and the heat of the stove cooked out any bacteria or germs. . .

They actually loved the taste!!!! However, I can't fool these kiddos. . . they knew before they tasted it I wouldn't serve them food that was questionable. . .

Well, that night the "Birthday Crew" (we've all been celebrating one another's b-days for years by all going out to dinner together. . . has become sort of tradition). .. we were all taking Jenn. B. to Bonefish to celebrate her birthday. She is the ultimate prankster. In fact, she's the one who inspired to me always try to fool my kids on this day.

I actually had hardly eaten all day long b/c I was saving up for Bonefish. Jenn gets in the car (Lisa and Faith were already with me) and says, "I made some homemade donuts. Anybody want one?" I was starving, so I was all over having a delightful, light, yummy piece of homemade sweetness in my mouth. Funny thing is I had JUST finished telling Lisa and Faith my April Fools tricks on my kids. I fell for Jenn's trick hook line and sinker. I bit into that donut and spit that thing out. It tasted like playdoh. Faith was a sucker too. She fell for it as well! Lisa was the "oh wise and discerning one."

We had such a fun night. However, we had a few tricks up our sleeve for Ms. Prankster herself. I knew the girl would be ordering sweet tea. So after she ordered I "pretended" to go to the bathroom. I went and found a waitress. . . told her our waiter's name (I didn't want Jenn to see me talking to him and think something was up). . . and asked him to only bring Jenn unsweet tea.. . no matter how many times she asked him to take it back, just always bring unsweet tea. It was so funny. One time I had to cover my face with my menu b/c I was about to lose my laughter when Jenn said, "Y'all, this tea is not sweet at all." Lisa also made Jenn one of her favorites. . . blackberry cobbler. . . well, Jenn. does not like cool whip on her cobbler, only ice cream. . . Lisa brought out the cool whip and said, "I got your favorite."

Jenn was fooled. We told her our tea trick at the end of the night too. She laughed so much. . . couldn't believe we pranked the prankster. . .

We all laughed so much and so hard throughout the entire night. . . we even wondered if people would think we had been drinking or not . . .nope, just water and sweet (or unsweet tea if you're Jenn. B) for this group. It's so true what they say about laughter being good medicine. I think we all needed a good dose of this medicine.

Surprise Noelle!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sweet Noelle is always giving every one surprise parties, so when it was time for her birthday, we all just had to give her a party. . . . she was so very surprised. It was funny she actually ran in our house straight to the bathroom b/c she had to potty. We all yelled "Surprise" and she just couldn't believe it.

Look at that cake. My Aunt Wanda (mom's sister) made it.

We had wonderful time celebrating a very precious girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Birthday that Lasted a Month

Y'all know I always tease and say my birthday lasts all week. Well, I really do love birthdays. But this birthday was different. . . I say that this one lasted all month. It all started on January 5th when I got a sweet text happy b-day from my friend Patty A. It was so very sweet I didn't have the heart to tell her that it wasn't my birthday. I just replied thank you and decided I would hold onto it and read it 20 days later (on my b-day). In fact, it was so incredibly sweet I almost thought of changing my birthday to the 5th rather than the 25th :) Well, a little later that afternoon I got a text from Ang. H. telling me Happy Birthday (she and Patty are best friends). I giggled. . . well actually obnoxiously laughed b/c this was so funny to me. I just replied, "thanks." I decided I'd tell the both of them in person on Wed. night. I did, and we all laughed like crazy!!!!!! I told them both that I loved. . . . it just gave me a good excuse to start celebrating my birthday now. A week or so after this, my sweet friends (the birthday crew) Faith, Lisa, and Jenn. B. took me to Bonefish for my birthday. They all make me feel so incredibly special!

The following weekend, my niece, Noelle, threw me a "surprise" birthday party at Mama & James'. She was so sweet. She picked out everything herself.

Mom made me chocolate delight (my favorite)!!!

Noelle wanted this pinata for me because she said I reminded her of the sunshine. It was so sweet and actually made me grin . . . . (one time when Jon and I were discussing why I think my SIL doesn't like me he told me he thought it was probably just b/c I was a little "too sunshiney" for her.) What a great compliment!

My precious Mama!!!!!!!!!!

I have NO idea what the girls and I were doing (reminds of the fact my brain is getting old).

I love my family. They make me feel so special and are truly a gift from the Lord. We all love big and fight big. .. but I'd rather it be loving big and fighting big than no love or little love.

Look at Emory's little face. . . .so sweet! I love that baby girl!

We then all played games outside. . .like 3-legged race. . .

Me and my sweet hubby. . . . he's celebrated MANY birthdays with me!

Then, of course on my actual B-day, Jon and the kids took me to Buffalos and I ate. . . you guessed it! WINGS!!! Only day all year I'll eat them and not feel a smiggin of guilt.

Then, my sweet friends and Grow Group ladies. . . Dana W., Jenn. G, Jenn. B., Ang. L, Faith, & Lisa all celebrated with me on a Mon. night. Lisa made my favorite chocolate delight. She was so sweet to get in touch with my mom and sister on FB to get the recipe.

One Sun. after church Gigi and Grandaddy had us over for lunch and we celebrated with them. I loved the fact they gave me a "Happy birthday DAUGHTER" rather than DIL. I love them so very much!

I am so very grateful that the Lord has been so gracious to me to put so many people in my life with who care enough to celebrate my special day with me!