Happy Birthday to ME!

I celebrated my birthday. Felt loved. Ate cake.

Mom delivered Guava caked to my office at work

Mr B took me to Tokyo Hibachi for lunch. Spicy Tuna Salad and Mussels with Ponzu. Yum.
I had a birthday dinner at Aura Thai, my favorite modern Thai restaurant. My hubs, kids, sisters, my brother in law and two of my nephews. We were out late for a school night and everything was so yum.

I opened birthday gifts from my kiddos. A Runners High gift card from HeaBug and a new glove from JT. Dad helped them out a little. JT even "wrapped" my gift.

Friday at the shop we celebrated Mr. Ray-Wray, Buster and me with birthday lunch and treats. Burritos, chips and salsa then pies, cream puffs and cupcakes (by Cakestina). Tasty birthday indeed.

I'm thankful every day for the rad-tastic people that are in my life. I had a ton of sweet messages from friends old and new. It was a lovely day.

Snowy Pines Tree Lot and Ruby's

As in Christmas's past...See 2010 here

we took our annual visit to the Snowy Pines Tree Lot. Since we bought an artificial tree last year, we didn't have to find a tree for ourselves. We did however, need to find tree for the director of LACMA's house (when you work for yourself, you rarely stop working)... plus going to this tree lot is one of our favorite things to do. The crisp air, the hanging lights, the mistletoe and wreaths (we got both), the train. Our kiddos love it and so do we.

Cute Reindeer

They found the little Charlie Brown trees. JT asked for one to put in his room. Heabug kept measuring herself against the trees to find one just her size.

Love this guy.

Since we bought the giant 10' tree for LACMA and a wreath and mistletoe for ourselves, we got free train rides for the little ones. JT climbed up in front while HeaBug took the seat right behind him. As they went around and around, she waved and he crouched. As they got off, JT told us that he rode so his sister wouldn't be scared but that he's probably getting too big... Sad sigh. I'll savor the moments while I can get them.

The tree lot is near Ruby's diner. We love going there on special occasions for the best burgers, fries and shakes.

He professes his love even in the ketchup.

Holiday traditions with our kids make my heart soar.

Friends 4EVR

You know when you're young and you're worried about being able to make friends?

You know when you're an adult and the idea of making new and lasting friendships seems like something you should've taken care of when you were younger?

I didn't get to meet Cakestina when we were younger. I'm glad I met her as an adult. I'm glad that she is  my friend... that I made... as a grown up.

I have a lot of acquaintances and pals. I'm a friendly gal. I have a handful of close FRIENDS. People that I could call in a bind, be it needing a sitter, a tampon or bail.

 Cakestina is my friend. My forever friend. Love her to bits and pieces and crumbs and more. 

 We snag chick dates, lunches, goodie exchanges, school drop off chats, the occasional (ok just once so far) matinee, the "we have to see this since we loved the book" late night showing, family dates, book clubs, dressing room advice sessions, dance parties, zumba classes, and all around radness.

Pumpkin Patch 2012

Birthday Frosting.

The night Laser Tag was a fail but
Lucille's dessert menu was a win.

The Cake thing is a reoccurring theme in our relationship.

Once upon a time, a few years back... I came home to an empty house (besides Tutu who was watching J.A.G. or Walker). There on the counter was a ziploc bag of chocolate cake pieces. Cake scraps. Without even thinking I opened the bag and started sampling the treasure I'd stumbled on. I thought to myself, "I didn't make cake today. Neither did Maga, who was at work, or Breeze, who was at school, or Tutu, who was watching J.A.G. or Walker"

Crap. I don't even know where this came from!

It could be from a cake assassin.

I do not lie when I recall these thoughts. Cake assassin. I worried. For a second.

Then I remembered my pal Christina was making a wedding cake. After calling and confirming that she was indeed the Cake Ninja, I felt better. And enjoyed the rest of the cake pieces.

I would totally die by cake assassin. 

Thus: CAKEstina

First Fridays Art Show Spring 2012

 I sure do love this crazy gal. She is funny and kind and opinionated and not afraid to say what she thinks. She's a good mom friend, for those ranting about your kids moments and a good girlfriend for all the other moments! She took me to lunch for my birthday today. We went to Preveza, a Greek and Italian spot in Los Alamitos. It was yummy and we inadvertently matched. It's hilarious. And awesome. I was simply going to recap another rad birthday week experience and instead decided to recognize a rad life experience. Yay for friendship!

The little blue box.

I was thinking how terrible a journal keeper I've been my whole life. I'm making a more serious effort to remedy that. I also feel like I should write down things that I remember about important moments. Like when I married Mr. B. That's almost 11 years ago. It all still feels very clear but I'm sure I don't remember everything... Gotta get on that.

My birthday is this week. I enjoy making big deals out of birthdays. I get weird about making that same deal about my own birthday. Mr. B makes me feel special just about every single day so to make me feel even MORE special he gets all secretive and "planny". haha. I'm enjoying lunches out and savoring Birthday Week. Mr. B has been very busy on job sites lately so we aren't hanging out in the office together. Chessy but I sure do miss him when we're apart. go ahead, gag. s'true.

Last night, kids are finally asleep and we sit down to watch something and he tells me that he's a terrible gift buyer/giver because he wants to give me my present right now even though my actual birthday is 3 days away. I'm down with whatever and would prefer not to open gifts in front of large crowds anyway. I say, "Sure, if you want to give it to me now, I'll open in and be happy". He asks me to sit at the table and wait.

I waited. Long enough that I updated my facebook status about waiting. I was excited and nervous and had no idea what to expect. Maybe it was a new pair of TOMS! But he hates my TOMS so nvm. Then I thought it might be the lens that I just rented. Then I revisited the TOMS idea. Aren't these rad?

He finally came out and asked me to close my eyes. I did. I'm not a cheater. I don't peek. When I opened my eyes and saw this...

My heart pretty much jumped up into my throat.

This had not even crossed my mind.

I opened this card and as I read it I was reminded just how much he is the man for me. My eternal partner and friend. We are forever.

So here it is. 

It fits perfectly below my wedding band. And it sparkles. And it's pretty. So Pretty.

For the record. I am not a jewelry gal. I wear fun and silly necklaces and chunky plastic bracelets if I even bother to think about putting it on. I wear my wedding band, always, like never ever take it off for anything. I also wear a necklace just about every day of my life. It's a necklace that Mr. B got for me when he took me to the Prom. It was the first piece of jewelry I'd ever been given. It's small and simple and I was wearing it when we got married, when I had each of our children, on every anniversary and just about every day in between. It's so special to me.

We were recently talking about how neither side of our family was the type to pass down jewelry heirlooms. I wanted to be able to give something to my daughter or my granddaughter. Now there's something. And a great love story to go with it.

A family filled post turkey weekend!

Just a little BTW... still training for the
1/2 marathons in Feb and May. My post
Turkey run was 8 miles!

Gramma GG, Mr. B's grandma came to Long Beach for Thanksgiving at the older Booths house. JT and Heabug are always begging her to come stay with us so she came over to spend the night. We were all so excited to have her over.
Gramma GG is so matter-of-fact, practical, accepting, hardworking, example of kindness and love.
I love her SO much. She welcomed me into her home when I was just 16 and visiting her with my then boyfriend. Every time we talk, I  love to just listen to her. She has so many stories about so many people and things. (Raising 4 boys, the stories are endless). She calls Mr. B, "Tom" a lot. That's his dad's name. They look alike. A lot. Gramma GG thinks so too.
She spent the night with us and we went out to dinner. She always says we don't have to take her out but we like to spoil her if we can and it gets me out of cooking! We went out to El Torito and just chatted and ate and had a great time. GG loved their salsa and since she didn't have to drive herself or anyone else, she ordered a margarita. LOL, she said it was her first one in probably three years! We laughed and visited over tacos and good salsa.
Gramma GG spent much of the next day with us. We begged her to stay with us next time she's in town and then we'll loan her over to the older Booth's for the day instead of the other way around. We just love her so super much and cherish any time we get with her.

After Gramma took off, we headed up to meet my Canadian Relatives. Auntie Kim and Uncle David and my most favorite Canadians ever. Well, Auntie Kim married into Canada. lol. A few summers ago, in 2010 we visited them at their B&B, A Rovers Rest.

Auntie Kim is my mom's best friend from high school. She's always been my Aunt. She loves me and my siblings and my kids and even my husband! Uncle David drives long haul trucks and in the winter, they ride together. His routes occasionally bring him to SoCal and we are able to meet up! On this Sunday, Maga and Tutu met up with all of us too at Islands.

love them.

BFFs

Love. and lol at JT my little photo bomber.

What lucky ducks we were to not only have a great Thanksgiving with all of our family but to get to spend the long weekend getting in even more love with even more family!

Truly blessed to have so many wonderful people as a part of our life, giving us their wisdom and their unconditional love.

I hope we make them proud.