Reflecting 46~

First of all, what is a birthday unless you get up close and personal with Jo?!?! A piece (or two or three.......) of Jo's Party House cake that is. Thank you Zachary's! Yes, today I turned 46 years old. It's amazing to be this age and not really feel that much different than I did years earlier. I always figured by the time I was this age, I'd be alot wiser than I actually am! haha ......but seriously.

I wish I had taken some more pictures this week-end because it's really been fun. Friday night we went out to dinner at Steamboat Bill's with lots of good friends. Brad had crawfish and I had boiled shrimp. Fantastic as always! Even better that Brad had a gift card for there that he had gotten as a safety prize at work. (fantastic FREE food is even that much better).

For months Whitney has been saying she is hungry for a "turkey dinner". We were camping over Thanksgiving and ate dinner out at Piccadilly. I was great with it but guess it didn't cut it for her. My mom called Friday or Saturday to invite us over Sunday for Whitney's "turkey dinner". It was a full-fledged holiday meal complete with the turkey, rice dressing, cornbread dressing, sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce, etc. You name it, she had it! It was wonderful. Finished that off with birthday cake to celebrate my birthday along with my brother's and nephew, Dillon's. Mom even brought out the holiday table cloth!

So today was my real birthday. I went out to lunch with Andrea, Susan, Kristin and Jennifer. It was fun as always. It's such a blessing to have such wonderful friends. Tonight we had the elders over for dinner. Brad grilled hamburgers outside so that was nice. It was a little chilly but we enjoyed it. The Zachary's brought the Jo's Party House cake. It was heavenly!

Alot happened between my 45th and 46th year!

• My oldest daughter Ivy got married to Calder Huntington June 2 in the Houston temple. Had a reception here at our house in Louisiana then flew to Las Vegas for the reception there.
• Sent my oldest son Taylor off to college at BYU-Idaho.
• THEN sent named son to Toulouse, France on a 2-year church mission.
• Lost 60 lbs-feel better than I have in years (no more high blood pressure, aches or pains.
• Second daughter, Whitney, started high school, took driver's ed and got driving permit.
• Got released from stake YW the same week my husband got called to stake YM.
• Spent first Christmas ever somewhere other than home! Minnesota with Ivy & Calder :)
• Rode a bus to West Virginia to go white-water rafting with the Stake Young Women.

I'm sure I'm forgetting things but those are some highlights. As you can tell, it's been a year of transition. But good, all good. I feel like I have been tremendously blessed this year.