Birthday #33

This is a picture of my breakfast the day after my birthday. It spent the previous night under the girls' bed, hidden beneath a pillow case. On my birthday day, the girls decided they wanted to make me breakfast the next day. So while we were in the living room with our friends doing a Bible Study, they were sneaking around the house, climbing on the counter to reach the picnic trays, and acting as cooks. My precious breakfast included carrots, dry rice chex, tortilla chips, my own sippy cup of water and two love notes complete with attached book marks. Please note that the girls are well trained and included no sugary foods and also eliminated the gluten to make K happy.

My other great birthday story involves cheesecake. Being an only child, I still like to have my birthday celebrated. I don't need presents, but I do like a break from at least some of my daily duties. It was convenient then that T was off for spring break so he could pack lunchboxes, walk the H to the bus and pick the girls up from school. My Bible study friends provided dinner. I spent the afternoon at a coffee shop---writing my Monday post and updating my food blog (check it out...there's a great recipe for refried beans and more info than you ever wanted about the humble bean) . Maybe spending three hours writing doesn't sound fun to you, but I loved it. It was a good birthday complete with many real snail mail cards from my family.

I still need to tell the cheesecake story. Monday morning, since I had no responsibilities I wanted to make my favorite cheesecake (with Splenda!) for dinner that night. I went to the cookbook shelf but the recipe was missing. I looked in all the absent-minded locations I might have left it. Then I got frustrated. I didn't want to make a new recipe. I wanted the tried and true cheesecake. Where on earth had it gone? I am not a super-organized person, but my recipes are actually in proper working order. At the height of frustration, my former neighbor, aka the other Laura, walked in, handed me my missing recipe and a cheesecake. Wow. Given her timing, it was better than most carefully-planned surprises.

And the funniest birthday gift? A friend gave me a used book. It was a book I've wanted for a long time and I didn't care if it was new or not. The funny part was the disclaimers she gave, " I think my aunt said I can keep this." And, "Sorry about the brown spots, I spilled goop all over it and had trouble getting it out." It was better than a new book, much more memorable.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes.