Skip to main content

Birthday Magic...turning 22, I mean 40!

I really feel like my birthday began last night while getting Lorelei ready for bed.  She sweetly said, "Mommy, tomorrow is your birthday.  You're going to be 20 right?"  With I little giggle I replied, "More like 20 times 2!"  She says, "Oh, 22?".  Who am I to burst her bubble??  "Yes sweet girl, 22."  One of the best presents I got!! 

This morning I woke up as usual at 5:30 a.m.  I had morning duty, whether it was my birthday or not.  The kids always pack their lunches on Tuesday night, because we have to leave earlier on duty days (by 6:55 a.m.).  I knew I didn't need to rush too much, because that was done.  I also knew Savannah was up to something.  I heard her alarm go off at 5:30!!  I went ahead and busied myself with my morning routine, giving plenty of warning to Savannah, when I was heading out to the kitchen.  I was pleasantly surprised to find this...


It's always been my tradition to have the kids spots at the kitchen table decorated, with their presents waiting and a special breakfast...and I was so touched that they went to the same trouble for me!  They painted the beautiful canvas and made some homemade cards.  Savannah made me blue pancakes.  :) She even spent her own money to buy me a gift.

She bought me some pretty little spice jars with chalkboard labels!!  She knows I love things for the kitchen and I love jars!!
 
John of course, worked some of his own birthday magic.  He went missing for about 3 hours Tuesday night.  I even joked on my Facebook status that he was probably out shopping!  He hid pieces of my gifts.
This was hidden under the painting from the kids.
The next bit was hidden in my lunch box, only I didn't have to pack my lunch today because we were ordering Pei Wei for my birthday lunch at school!  Savannah told me she thought I left something in it that I needed and to please check it.  And to my surprise (OK, I really wasn't surprised, but I faked it!), I found this:

This was enough to make my day!!

At school, after duty, I walked into the classroom to 20 students yelling "Happy Birthday!"   I had a lovely Starbuck's coffee and lemon pound cake from my dear friend, who happens to be a parent of one of my students, waiting on my desk! There were also some gifts, like a lovely picture frame and singing card from one of the sweetest girls I've ever taught, Emily! ;) (I know she reads my blog.)  The class worked hard today on some great projects.  My team had a wonderful lunch with me, including a fabulous homemade lemon bundt cake!  It was capped off by me leaving work on time!! 

My mom arrived with Bailey and dinner in hand!  She made a yummy chicken dish with a creamy white wine and mushroom sauce.  My sister Kim and Jeff with Brieley came over too.  My mom got me some of my favorite things, adorable tea cup style measuring cups, an antique milk glass bowl and a shirt and scarf!  My sister got me my very first "mommy" necklace.  It's engraved with all the kids names and has little dangling birthstones.
After dinner, we finished off the rest of the lemon cake with a little singing and candles and a birthday wish for this year! 
Don't you love the hat John got me!
It was really a milestone day (to boot this is my 50th blog post!), a magical day and I can't thank my family, friends, co-workers and students enough!  Turning 22, I mean 40 was fun, fabulous and fantastic!  :)

Comments

  1. Awww happy belated birthday Jen! Sounds like you had a wonderful day! So glad that you have such sweet family to take such good care of you on your birthday :)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Back-to-school 2024

  I've been avoiding writing again. If I write about back-to-school, I must admit how hard things have been.  My heart has been broken by the harsh reality that my children are grown up. Being a teacher during back-to-school is easy for me. I'm a pro at that. My ELA buddy teacher even told me I could do it in my sleep. But facing the challenges of parenting young adults making major life transitions pulls at my heartstrings.  This school year, I only have two active students right now, and Bailey is in the works for a return to Texas Tech in the Spring semester. Lorelei started back first. She's a Senior! She had her first college visit at the beginning of August and most likely her last! She loved Texas State.   This was followed by Senior pictures.  We grabbed some sushi from our favorite restaurant after.  Then it was Senior Sunrise and the first day of school for her.  My first days back were great. I always enjoy reuniting with my team and We...

Chasing fireflies...Spring of 2024

In April, while in Austin, I was enchanted to see an abundance of fireflies in Savannah's backyard. It brought tears to my eyes, not only because I find fireflies (or lightning bugs as we called them in the Midwest) intriguing and nostalgic, but because it was so fitting for where the Boyen Bunch is in life right now. After several attempts of "chasing" these fireflies with my camera, I captured a picture of one bright one lit up. Nature imitates life. The milestones my kids are reaching this spring are life-changing! The idiom chasing fireflies means chasing dreams, moments, and experiences that are captivating and elusive. We have two graduates this year. Savannah graduated from UT and Jonas graduates today from Comm. Arts HS. The moments this spring are fleeting, just like the light of a firefly. Here one moment and gone the next... I have referred to May as Mayhem for years (not claiming the idea, just saying I've been using this term for a bit). I have many previ...

Enjoying the messiness...

  I have two wonderful, crazy, and messy dogs. They bring joy, cuddles, laughs, and, well, you guessed it, messes. I have shredded rugs, window sills gnawed on, shoes with teeth marks, bare patches of dirt in the backyard, and muddy paw prints everywhere.  Let's remember the people I live with, my teens and, the messiest in our family, my hubby. Not dirty messy, more like clutterbug. And I'm sure he's clutter-blind. Oh, he does his best with reminders, like when I remind him, "Don't forget, I like to eat at the kitchen table." Unfortunately, our breakfast room is on the way to the back door and patio, with a detached garage. John uses the table as a stopping point before putting things out in his garage. Yes, his garage. I stay out of there at all costs!  What's my point? I feel a weird guilt almost daily over the normal messes of life in my house. I make my bed every morning around tiny messes in the corners of the room, where bags of donations have been ...