Friends - Finally Fifty!

     So, not that I want to mention this again, but last year I may have turned the big 5-0 !!  Unfortunately, I had to be "first" in my little circle of BFFs,

but it finally caught up to them, too.

      In August, my friend Donna and I planned a surprise overnight at the MGM Grand Casino.  Nancy loves baseball and our beloved Detroit Tigers.  Donna and I tease her about it whenever we get the chance!!  While I do love our Tigers, Donna and I wholeheartedly agree that baseball is the longest game on earth and more often than not we just plain ol' don't "get it".  (I'm thinking maybe 5 innings!???)  Nancy, of course, thinks we are crazy!!  But, I digress.  So Nancy's daughter helped us out by taking her to an afternoon Tiger game and then bringing her to the hotel for some gambling, only to find the two of us waiting for some casino fun!!!  You may say, well how did you get her to the casino?  Or, how did you know she would go to a Tiger game?  Well, 'cause she does both quite a lot and those are two of her true loves!!!  It was not difficult!

      The poor girl walked to the hotel in like 90 degree plus weather that day!!  (Again, this is yet another reason why Donna and I might not be the die hard fans of baseball that we perhaps should be!!)  But don't despair as it wasn't long before we were enjoying some complimentary appetizers on the Concierge level, singing happy birthday and then hitting "the floor" of the casino.  We got a kick out of the Village People slot machine and the Willy Wonka is pretty fun, too.  Sadly for me, I lose money rather quickly...  Like, really it doesn't last very long!!  I will never totally see the fun in that -- but I do see the fun in laughing with my besties, chatting, eating and drinking a few glasses of wine!!

     We also knew that a few days later Nancy's family had planned a surprise birthday party for her.  Donna and I got each of us a "friendship necklace" that we ordered on Etsy.  They're really pretty silver necklaces with each of the three of our initials and birthstones.  We love them and thought it would be a good way to commemorate our milestone birthdays!  Her birthday was in September!!

Cheers - To Fifty Years!

Not Sure Who Made This for Nancy's Surprise Party,
But I Don't Think She Looks Like This!?

    Then there was Donna who tends to be in complete denial about "age" and birthdays...  A friend of hers had thrown a surprise party for her and her husband in August (her birthday is actually in November).  It was a very nice summer (remember summer!?) party with great food, a beautiful cake.  Once they finally made it to their surprise party (ahem...) we all sent off Chinese lanterns off into the sky.  It was so pretty and fun!  

Closer to her actual birthday, we had a nice lunch at Black Rock to celebrate Donna's big day.  I made some alterations to a slot machine as part of her gift and we gave her some funds for her next casino visit.  We also were lucky enough to all take a trip to Florida together in November where we bought her a few surprises for her big day, but that trip is another post for another day!!!

So, one casino overnight, one leisurely lunch, two surprise parties and one trip to Florida later -- and my friends are Finally Fifty!!!!

Our Gift to Miss Donna
Her Very Own Sex and the City Slot Machine

Donna Making a Wish and Sending Off Her Chinese Lantern

Donna Says "I Love Being 50!"
(or did I make that up??)

Fifty...Something to Celebrate!!!

     So, here it is...the "I turned 50" post!!!  As I mentioned here early this year, we have several milestones in our family this year.  MY milestone was turning the big 5-0 -- ya know, the half century mark!!  Beware:  It can and, if you're lucky, WILL happen to you!!! 

     My husband, ("Mr. Living" - ha) was uncharacteristically interested in knowing how I wanted to celebrate the big day.  By that I mean, he asked me several times and would not accept my nonchalant vague answers.  Several months before my birthday, I did have visions of at least having some kind of "Girl's Night Out" or even a small party, but as the day got closer the reality of the timing being the end of the school year and all got the best of those ideas.  I told him I really didn't think I'd be able to pull off any kind of big celebration because everyone, including ourselves, were pretty booked up around my big day (June 13th). He persisted and ultimately asked me to make a guest list for a party. 

     I made a list, but he would not give me any details of what he had planned...just the time and date.  At first that seemed so "fun" and spontaneous, but as the party got closer I was nervous -- ya see, I am used to being the planner/in control!!?  Letting go and not knowing was hard!!

     My girlfriend, Lisa, (the power shopping fashionista) insisted on helping me find something to wear.  She LOVES to shop.  I don't mind shopping, but really don't like shopping for myself and don't really like shopping for clothes.  The trying on, the scouring the racks, the hoofing from store to store -- not really my thing!  (However, I do love a good clearance rack!)  A week or so before my big day, she told me she had like eight dresses for me to try...at her house...already purchased.  A personal shopper -- awesome!  I spent a few hours at her house modeling her finds and ultimately came up with this one! 

 

 

 

     Somehow, all of my favorite people managed to make it to the party which happened to be at my favorite restaurant, Diamond Jim Brady's!!!  Yay!!  My friends and family were there when we arrived and I was so excited and grateful!!!!  Although I am a little uncomfortable with all the attention being on me (my friends are laughing right now, but I REALLY am!!), I decided to embrace this occasion and the fact that everyone had taken the time to be there!!  

Me and My Brother, Mike!



With My Besties, Donna and Nancy!

 

Lisa** Stopped By Bearing Gifts a Couple Days Early



Kristin snapped this pic of me and hubby before the party...she's better at "selfies"
(we are not yellow)!



With my girlfriend, Nancy, and her hubby, Bill

Didn't Realize Until After the Party...Was My Husband Trying to
 tell me something with that beer selection!??
My favorite: The Boursin Chicken Caesar Salad!! 



With Donna and her husband Tom, a high school friend

My Cousin Stacey and Aunt Barbara

     Megan also put together a video of messages from friends and family sending birthday wishes to me!!  So, you see, I have a lot of nice memories from my birthday and I appreciate the efforts of everyone who made it to the party to help celebrate! 

The husband did good -- and no, I don't feel old!!!!!!

    


50 Pink Flamingos on Our Lawn
Compliments of My Daughters!!!

 

**Thanks to Lisa for taking most of the pictures at the party!!

***I doubt you will ever see this many pictures of me again -- yuck!

 

Words FOR Friends

     So, ya know that thing called Pinterest!?  Well, I sometimes wish I had no other responsibilities besides pinning, crafting, and baking or cooking the treats on there.  Oh, and of course traveling to all of the exotic beautiful places, too -- especially the tropical ones!!  Reality check -- I have three kids, a big Goldendoodle dog, a mom who needs my care, and a husband who is sometimes like another kid.  However, I have managed to do a few crafts and make a few recipes which you can see here and here.
     One of my BFFs, Donna, had a birthday about a month before Christmas.  Somehow she and my other BFF, Nancy, were able to get together for a rather last minute GNO (Girl's Night Out) on her birthday eve.  Donna LOVES the game Words With Friends.  Well, guess what!?  She's also really really good at it.  I mean, I knew she was "smart", afterall she went to The University of Michigan (Go Blue!), but she comes up with 80 - 120 pt. words quite frequently.  I especially laugh when they are words that I am quite sure I have never heard her use in a sentence, in the 35 years I have know her.   She's good and frustrating to play, which brings out my competitiveness and yet I always lose to her!!  The real kicker...I told her about the game in the first place and now she just keeps wanting to beat play me.
    So, I've wanted to make her these Scrabble coasters from Pinterest and thought she just might be the one to appreciate them -- for the girl who has everything!  Oh, and she might like wine, too!!?

 

     I pretty much followed the directions, however I used those rubber foam sheets for my backing instead of cork (I used brown).  I think that worked out ok.  I do regret using polyurethane instead of shellac as a sealant.  It changed the color of the tiles, and I liked the original natural color better.  I also made my coasters a bit bigger, 5 tiles x 4 tiles instead of 4 x 4 tiles in case she wanted to use them with a big coffee mug.  As with most things, I did this project in a bit of a rush and the coasters were barely dry when I gave them to her.  Allow yourself more drying time than I did and you will have a neater finished product!!!
     She seemed to love them and was amazed that I "made" them.  She was also drinking wine at the time, so more easily impressed perhaps!?  (Ha!  That was part of my plan!!)  I did manage to squeeze in a few of our favorite words as best I could.  Her husband is an MSU grad, so thus the reference to MSU.  I'll spare you the other personal references, but you might be able to spot them yourself!!
     Are you a Words with Friends or Scrabble player??  It was a fun easy little project and perfect if you are a "wordy" or want to give a gift to someone who is!!! 

 

 

A Quick (Couples) Getaway

     Things have been busy and I have some blogging to catch up on, but my husband and I were lucky enough to go on a little getaway last night!!  My friend Donna and our friend Nancy were planning to have a "Girl's Night" at the MGM Grand Hotel/Casino in Detroit this week.  Unfortunately, Donna, who "earned" the free night's stay, could not make it at the last minute.  So, long story short, she offered the room to George and I as she was not able to reschedule.  With the kids being older and not in school yet, we were somehow able to swing it with a lot of support from some other moms (thanks Lisa and Monica) who watched out for the kids!!
     Donna was able to hang out for a bit and check us into our room yesterday evening!!  What a great friend, right!!??  She also left us champagne and her own Donna kind of love notes around the room.  She's hilarious and that's one of the reasons we love her so much!!!  Although I have gone on several Girl's Nights  to the casino, I have never stayed there with my husband before...
     We had a nice dinner, did some gambling, and just relaxed and chatted without the distraction of the kids or being in a rush.  We were not big winners at the tables or slots, but I think George came out a few dollars ahead!!  My girlfriends know I'm all about the hotel and less about the casino!!   What a great place for people watching, though!!  I hope my jaw didn't drop too many times, and if I thought it was appropriate, I would have taken some pictures of some of the people.  I just wonder, are they from Michigan, do they come here all the time, are they hotel guests, do they have to go to work tomorrow, do they have a lot of money to gamble away, etc???? 
     Thanks, Donna, for making our stay extra special in your own "special" way!!
     Today we ended up going to a part of Detroit called Mexicantown to go to an old favorite (dive) restaurant of ours, Xochimilco, for some yummy fresh chips and salsa and lunch.  Although this is not the best neighborhood of Detroit, I felt fairly comfortable going during the day.  I am not sure, in my old age, if I would go there at night, but me and my friends used to visit there fairly often "back in the day".  The food did not disappoint and I know my husband has been craving it for quite some time.  Good stuff!! 
     It was nice to have some time as a couple -- wish we could do it more often.  Who knows, maybe we finally can now that the kids are getting older!?  If you live around here, have you ever gone to Mexicantown??  Which is your favorite place to go??

Love a fancy bathroom -- with flat screen tv!

Apparently, this is necessary to someone!?

I would love a shower this nice...it's actually bigger than it looks in this pic!

And those little touches from my BFF, Donna!

Two Beds -- Perfect Setup for Girl's Night!?

A Nice View of the Ambassador Bridge which links Detroit to Canada



We're Back after a few years -- for our Mexican fix!!

Day at the Beach and New Family Members!

     Last week, we found a day without any commitments, so we invited our good friends to spend the day at the beach with us at our place in Lexington.  My friend, Lisa, and her two kids, Kaleigh and Matthew, are good friends with Jacob and Kristin.  So, we got an early start, took the two hour drive, ate some lunch on our deck, and then headed down to the beach.  Here in Michigan, our weather continues to be in the 90s most days...today we are expecting over 100 degrees.  The sand was the kind of HOT where I literally had to hop right into the Lake -- and that was with flip flops on!

Kristin and Kaleigh

     The kids spent a ton of time in the water...and even the moms couldn't resist cooling off in the Lake!!  You know it's been hot when the temp or Lake Huron isn't even that cold.  The kids played in the sand, searched for beach glass and then finally sat down, which is when I took these quick pictures.

     Later, we cleaned up and then headed to A&W for hot dogs and our frosty mugs of root beer.  As the sun was setting we realized our time was running out to check out the cute little shops along Main Street.  We just made it to Crazy Joe's before they closed.  My kids knew that Kaleigh had been wanting a hermit crab for awhile.  We have been the proud owners of a few in the past.  As creepy as they are, they are definitely one of the easiest pets to take care of that we have ever had.  Us moms were a bit blindsided and within about 20 minutes our kids were the proud owners of hermit crabs.  My kids paid for them with their own money and since we had most of the "stuff" for them already, I decided it wasn't too terrible and they were all soooooo excited and happy about it.  Kaleigh was especially happy as she has wanted one for a long time and has even done the research about them.
     We were tempted to stay for the 80s band that was rockin' on out (ha!) at Music in the Park.  However, we had to be back on Saturday so instead we drove by the band and bopped to the music in our car as we past.  The crazy 80s big hair was everywhere and they all seemed to be having fun.

     It was a fun day!  We will have to go back to finish our shopping...and "bopping"!!

 

Jacob and Matthew

Beach Glass Collection

Lexington

Proud Hermit Crab Owners

"Shelton" and "Melman" (ewww!)

Home Sweet Home

Sherman (ewww!)

(Cue the Music)....Ya Say It {Was} My Birthday!?

     Well, last Wednesday I celebrated yet another birthday...  Some would say it would be their "last" birthday as it ended in a "9".  I, however, don't really want to have a "last" birthday so I will keep celebrating!! 

     The Sunday before my birthday, the kids had surprised me with balloons and decorations in the house when we arrived home from a neighborhood graduation party.  My husband was going to be in Phoenix for business on my birthday so we had a small family celebration on Sunday.

     On Wednesday my girlfriend, Lisa, and I had plans for my favorite salad for lunch and then to hang out after that.  We ended up going to Home Goods for about three hours which is something I never seem to get a chance to do.  (Do we know how to party, or what!!?)  She is one of those friends who is always like "just get it"....  We did end up with a couple of carts full of stuff...  Lisa is one of Kristin's friend's moms and we have become good friends.  She crazy decorated her house for my birthday with a giant sign on her garage and then this tropical spread in her kitchen.  I guess the kids did a lot of it while I slept in on my birthday.  She also had dropped off a chai tea and bagels for us in the morning. 

     The more I think about it, girlfriends might be better than husbands!!  Cheers !!!

A Morning Birthday Welcome from My Kids

 My Birthday Table...Complete with Flowered Throne...

 Birthday Flowers Sent from My BFF Nancy!!

Lisa Found Me This Purse, Which I Love!

 A Wireless Keyboard For My iPad

Lisa! 

Texted This Pic to My Husband to Try to Make Him Jealous

(Unfortunately he knew it was only Lisa's husband -- and no I didn't drink the tequila!!)