Much to be thankful for . . .

Many thanks for the calls, cards and warm wishes for my birthday yesterday! It was a really nice day (despite the fact that the stomach bug had us 4/4!). I had a very nice party courtesy of my very sweet husband and our great little girls! Jason and the girls surprised me by decorating the kitchen with balloons, streamers, confetti, and signs while I took a shower. Jason had hidden the balloons in his car so I wouldn't see them. Jocelyn was busy making signs in the afternoon, but wanted to make sure I didn't look and was pretty good at hiding the finished product. Olivia was standing guard right outside the bathroom door for me and told me to put my party hat on before I could go in. They all worked together and made me confetti cake with the confetti icing (a real favorite at our house!)--it was GREAT!!! As ususal, Olivia licked off the icing of her cake and every few seconds we would hear "Mmmm . . . . mmmm . . . that cake is good . . . mmm . . . " She thoroughly enjoys good food and you can't help but smile at her reaction. Jason and I laugh about how we each have a girl following in our footsteps. While I like my sweets, I would probably pick a bag of cheetos over candy. Jocelyn is the same way. She ate about half her cake and then wanted to know if she could have chips. Olivia licked off all her icing (the sweetest part, of course) and then wanted "more cake, please!". She inherits that from her father (according to him). The party ended with the girls playing with the balloons; which led to them wanting to run around the house with "their own"; which led to Jocelyn cutting the strings very short and each one of them letting go of their first balloon in the highest part of the house . . . I know, you saw it coming.

Olivia's gotten REALLY picky about her clothes lately. This is her favorite pair of pants--they are purple and at the bottom of one leg there is a heart and flowers embroidered on it which she points out to me every time she wears it (which is as soon as it cycles through the wash and until it has to go back in). The shirt is one of her top 2 favorites--both of them have pink, horizontal stripes. The other one is more of a T-shirt, but getting too small. She alternates between these as well. Had to throw that in there because it's funny how they can have a closet with plenty of options, but always want the same things (and good luck if you can guess what it will be when you are shopping!).

Well, we all returned to our respective 'jobs' today, but Jason got a call from Olivia's school and they requested that she stay home tomorrow as well (24 hour rule). So . . .Jason came home early with Olivia today and I will be home tomorrow with her.