Happy Birthday to Me!

I think that everyone should be able to have a birthday like the one I had yesterday. In this day of technology, I was amazed by the outpouring of cell phone calls, text messages and Facebook comments all wishing me a good day. The "feel good" stuff began when my Dad called, then Rachel and Glo....and the good things just kept going. I was going to work on paperwork and then decided, um, no....not today!

Mary Beth made plans to drive down and meet me in Alma, then spend the rest of the day together. We had lunch at the Red Rooster Restaurant, which everyone should try at least once. Then you will be hooked on their homemade sweet bread they use on their sandwiches. They have a selection of homemade pies that is amazing, but we were too full from our lunch to enjoy the pie! (believe it or not!)

We drove out to a house Steve and I had spotted just outside of Alma, on a hillside with a lovely view, that is under construction. We loved the floor plan and I wanted Mary Beth's opinion of it. There were other people there looking at it, as well. We walked room to room talking about what we would put where and the different aspects of the floor plan, when the realtor with the other group came over to ask if he could help us. I replied that we were just looking at the house that I had walked through over the weekend. He said "well, these folks are on their final walk through...they have just bought it." Crap. We had a good laugh about our time spent there and moved on.

Next, we drove to the house south of Fort Smith that has a POOL. Steve and I love this one, but we aren't sure if the owner would ever come down to a price within our planned budget. Mary Beth gave it a thumbs up as we walked around the outside of it, even sticking our toes in the cool water of the pool...declaring we should have brought our swimsuits! At least this time we didn't run into the new owners!

The next item on the list for the day was a relaxing pedicure for us both. Ahhhh..... nothing like it.

After the pedicure we ran to the mall for a couple of quick things: for me - candles (have you tried the new "Bamboo" scent from BBW? Nice!) and for Mary Beth - new undies, since her dogs ate up some of hers this week.

Movie time - went to see "Julia and Julie" which was okay, rather long...over 2 hours....and ended flat. Meryl Streep and Amy Adams were great, but it would've been better had it not been so long. It reminded me of Rachel and her recent forays into cooking new dishes. I could SO see her making a plan like this to cook through an entire cookbook and blog about it!

Picked up Steve and met Greg at Office Depot. Yes, it is one of my favorite places. I love all of the colored paper clips, stickie notes and pens. If you have to do paperwork, then it should be fun or at least LOOK fun! Greg needed some new shelving for his apartment, which we found there...so he's ready to get organized for his senior year. Does this mean he will be going to class when he's supposed to?????

haha - LOVE this silly look on Steve's face!

My two boys. They look about the same age, don't they?

Off we go to Cracker Barrel for dinner. Road construction around the on ramp made it tricky and as Mary Beth and I were approaching it, I saw someone trying to cut through the pylons to get on the ramp. Who was it? Yeah, you guessed it. Funniest thing ever. Of course, we had the top down on my car and Mary Beth is now hooked on driving a convertible, I think.

Greg and Steve after they maneuvered through the construction.

Gift time - fun time as I opened a scented candle (a girl can never have too many) from Greg and a pair of metal dragonflies from Mary Beth and Jon. Rachel and Chris had given me an early gift of baseball tickets (what fun that was!). Connie has surprised us with tickets for 3 (including her, of course - we always do Razorbacks together) for a Little Rock ballgame. Erica gave me a basket full of homemade goodness with veggies and canned beans and fresh bread. Oh my goodness! Steve found a great new book for me and promised a shopping trip whenever, IF EVER we get moved to a new house!

Mary Beth assembles the dragonflies.

When I first opened them I had no idea what it was!

The birthday party people - and we have made plans when Rachel comes to town in September to celebrate my birthday and the two girls all together!

This is one of those bizarre twists....this is a photo of the card Steve gave me....and what does it have on the cover but two dragonflies!!!! I love it!