Happy Birthday!

TJ's birthday was on Tuesday but because we were gone at work/school from 7:30 AM - 11:00 PM, we pushed it back to Sunday so we could actually celebrate. :)

In my home growing up, birthdays were always a big deal and it was so fun. Birthday celebrations are a tradition I definitely want to carry on. It was the small things that made a big difference: the decorations on the mantle, the presents, being able to pick all three meals, deciding what kind of a cake you want, and choosing who says the prayers. I started asking TJ 4 weeks ago which meals he wanted today - I think he was a bit confused, but finally threw something out for me. :)

Let me help you understand my excitement for today: I have been shopping for his birthday since July. :) Since we have limited funds, I shopped carefully, looking for the perfect gifts, hoping to find things that would make him smile without breaking the bank. I added, slowly but surely, to the small group of gifts for several months.


This past week I wrapped all the presents and thought they turned out just darling. But how to decorate? The mantle decorations are such a fun touch, but none of the 4 sets of decorations I have matched the wrapping paper. So...I cut out the wrapping paper (something I've watched my mom do many times) to make it all match!


I may have gone a little overboard with the decorations. I cut out the letters "H-A-P-P-Y B-I-R-T-H-D-A-Y" and went to the store to find matching cardstock. Then I glued all the letters onto the cardstock and cut again. After spending so much time, I didn't want to just throw them away, so I had them laminated and cut one last time! I'm happy with how they turned out.


For breakfast (which I'll make after I finish here) we're having eggs with green peppers and onions on top of toast. His lunch request is cookie sandwiches. :) And his family is coming over for dinner tonight - enchiladas, corn and bean salad, rice, and green salad. Instead of cake we're doing brownies for banana splits.

We have to wait until tonight for him to open his presents but I CAN'T WAIT. There is one that he will just be so, so happy about (though I think all of them will be fun for him). (Ha. Right now he just got out of bed and walked into the room with me yelling "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" He told me the decorations were cute. I told him to shake his presents. :) Clearly one of us loves celebrating today more than the other.)

Present results to come!