It was a good one!

So if you are like me you enjoy a birthday WEEK, not merely a birthDAY! I'm wrapping up one of the best birthday weeks ever. I appreciate everyone helping me celebrate all week long - from facebook b'day wishes to travelers coming from TN, I loved it all! Here is a recap of all the fun!

We started off the celebrating last Friday afternoon when Aunt Em and Cousin Stoney came in town to watch my 5K on Saturday morning. We had a yummy dinner Friday night and the dogs enjoyed beating each other up! Here's Stoney w/ Elle's bone...

Em brought me a very cute new top for my b'day (picture of the top coming later...) and these YUMMY cupcakes all the way from TN! They were gourmet and delicious!

Saturday morning was an early one, Em and Stoney were troopers going downtown to watch Jenny and I run the BE&K 5K race the day before the Mercedes Marathon - maybe next yr we MIGHT be up for a 1/2...but Matt wants me to stop at a 10 K due to my knees, probably not a bad call - we'll see! Here are some of the pictures Em capture of race day.

This is our 5 K training group - it was a HUGE group!

After the 5K Em headed home and I started getting ready for mom and dad to show up on Sunday. After church on Sunday mom and dad came down to take me to dinner for my birthday. I chose PF Chang's (or as Gee Gee likes to call it, "PJ Fang's) and we had a great meal. I was glad Matt wasn't on call Sunday night so he could go with us. After dinner we had a little b'day party...here's a few pics from that!

Hand made card by Brian! Gifts from Jesse and Levi!

(Thanks for the cute top Em!) Mom wanted a picture the next day w/ my pasta bowls! Mom gave me two of my pasta bowls that match my wedding dishes and dad helped me pick out some of his prints for my dining room area! We came up with a seasons theme so I chose pictures from each season and he's working on my prints - I can't wait to see how they look! Thanks mom and dad for making the 16th so special like you always do!

Monday night Matt was on home call so he couldn't plan anything for me so of course my friends jumped in just in time! Jenny made my favorite meal - taco salad. She made it just like my mom made it for every birthday dinner growing up. It was so yummy - tasted just like mom's!

It tasted better than it looks! :)

Kerry and Jeff made me a McDonald original cake! It was a peanut butter cake with chocolate frosting and Reese's cups on the top! Couldn't have asked for a more yummy cake! I totally pigged out - thanks girls for making me feel so special and at home on my birthday!

Oh, I'm not done yet...I skipped the Mercedes Marathon! Jeff and I walked down to Highland Avenue on the morning of the marathon to catch a glimpse of Kerry, Cara, Jennifer, Randy, and more friends running in the 1/2 marathon. It was so motivating to see all the runners - way to go Kerry! I'm so proud of you!

Most wonderful time of February...

So - this next week is a very exciting one for me every year. Valentine's Day is coming up and that means two days later is my birthday!

Valentine's Day has always been a fun holiday for me to celebrate because usually as a child we were having either a family birthday party or a friend birthday party on that day. So, yeah, that sounds a little selfish, but I do love celebrating my birthday! Well, I heard earlier this year of a tradition my friend Laura has had with her mother for Valentine's Day that sounded so much fun. Laura's mother always had a day where they would create valentine's for one another, home made ones! So, every year her mother sends her a valentine box with all the supplies to make home made valentine's for whoever you would like - friend, mom, dad, husband, even dogs...so you know Elle has one coming haha just kidding...

Last Saturday Laura had a great little valentine party at her house. Meredith, Laura, me and Leah got together and made some of the cutest, most original hand made valentines ever! I can't wait to give the three I made away! Here are some pictures from last Saturday! Thanks Laura!

Some of the supplies

Laura has enough supplies to last us a few more years!

The new mom hard at work on her creation for baby Lee!

The pro (Laura) at work!

Leah's turned out so cute for Muffin!

One of my finished projects...not going to say who this one is for!

Saturday Surprise

So...last Saturday (I know, I'm a week late) my friend Jenny called to see if she and Conner could stop by for a few minutes while they waited on a prescription to be filled - of course I said, "YES! Get your cute little boy over here!" so they came and we had a great visit. Jenny and I caught up chatting while I took about 80 pictures of Conner! I'm loving my new camera Matt got me for Christmas and I'm trying to capture good pics for my friends. Here are a few with Conner....

This is my fav of Conner!

So then, later that same day my good friend Wendi called to see if she and Owen could drop by for a little bit. Of course she got the same resounding YES that Jenny and Conner got! Wendi and Owen stopped by for a little bit then we went to babies-r-us to grab a few things with Wendi's sister. Babies-R-Us was a zoo - but I had a great time entertaining Owen while Wendi and Shelly shopped. Owen is really great at rolling to get where he wants to go but I got to witness him up on all fours for the first time last Saturday! Of course, said camera was on my hip so I caught him in action! Enjoy this little cutie!

Look mom! I'm moving!

Look mom! I'm on all fours!

This is my fav of Owen

Congrats Grimms!

Just wanted to shout out to Lee and Meredith Grimm - congrats on your new baby boy! Lee III was born on Wednesday at 6:30 - ish PM and weighed a whopping 10 pounds 6 ounces and was 22 1/2 inches long! Who would have ever thought Mere had that big of a baby in her tummy! She didn't look it at all!

I got to visit baby Grimm yesterday in the hospital and it was so much fun. He was doing really good - already eating and sleeping well. Meredith and Lee have a beautiful baby boy - Congrats Grimm Family! Here is a sneak peak...

Waiting on Le-A

William and Marlee are the most pregnant couple in our small group. Marlee is either going to welcome baby girl into the world this week or next Wednesday at the latest. Last night our small group got together for dinner and a small baby shower to honor the Terry's. For some reason Marlee wanted William to open all the gifts...we soon found out why...he was hilarious! William had great reactions to all the gifts and enjoyed trying to figure out what they all were. The pictures say it all....

Oh and by the way, Le-A is not the name...I'll let your imagination go to work!

Two more boys...

Congratulations to D'Arcy, Wes, Christian, and Caroline (my cousin's fam) - they will be welcoming twin BOYS into thier already adorable family this summer! Hopefully the boys will stay in the oven until the end of May - thanks in advance for prayers over D'Arcy's third pregnancy. They found out on Friday and Christian and Caroline got to announce to the family that they were BOTH going to have new brothers. I can't wait to meet my new nephews (Wes is more like a brother to me, so I consider his kids my neice/nephews)! Love you guys!

D'Arcy getting Christian's help with Levi

The new big brother and sister!

D'Arcy talking to Caroline...sorry Wes, you must not have been playing on Christmas - no pics of you! :)

The Wonders of HIS Love...

Merry Christmas everyone! I am blown away by the goodness of the Lord and how evident that has been in 2008. What a wonderful year in our family...despite the loss of my dear grandfather, we have had so many joys. We dearly miss Gang Gang, espeically in this Christmas season that he always loved, however we know he is rejoicing today and praising the Lord - what a joy to think of! In 2008 the Lord graciously allowed Jesse and Levi to come home from the hospital to be with Brian and Rochelle. What a day of rejoicing that was - and continues to be as they grow and develop according to His will.

I got to go to Nashville for a very brief stint this week and returned this morning to start working on a Christmas meal for Matt and some other residents who are coming over tonight. Matt had to work all last night and got off today around 1 - so he's sleeping before our friends come over! I do have to brag on my husband...he has worked so hard in the past six months and had to work on his favorite holiday today - but of course he maintains a great attitude. I'm so thankful for him! Also...he surprised me with this....

all i have to say is !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Here are some pics of Jesse and Levi, the fam from yesterday and a couple w/ the new camera. Merry Christmas everyone!

I just want to eat them up!

Christian and Caroline in thier new hats!

Matt got a Garmin! Now he won't get lost going to the hospital...haha

Elle loves her new dog toy but wasn't so excited about my new flash!