Happy Birthday Stephanie!

Today is our daughter Stephanie's birthday and she may be feeling like, "How can I possibly be 45?" I can't help but give a little motherly advice, after all I can see the big picture now! Somewhere in my 40's was when the insecurities of my youth began to melt away. I wasn't a perfect size 10 but I realized that being a good person made me far more happy than how I looked in my jeans. I grew up.

I had a new found confidence from the things that I had learned, experience is a valuable thing in life. I could draw from a bank of wisdom to help me with the problems that came with  raising kids and facing the daily grind. My coping skills improved.

It's hard to imagine that there will ever be a day when you can do what you want to do, but with each decade there is more "me time." One day it will just happen and you can go for a pedicure... and not feel a bit guilty!

Your 40's are when you realize that there is going to be a time when it's just the two of you again. Not exactly like when you were in your 20's, but even better! Ahead of you are sunrises and sunsets, whole days with nothing to do but read or nap! Hang on, it's comin'....

Nutty Monkey Memories

Happy 4th.... hope you are celebrating the day with something that sparkles, whether it's the people in your life or some fireworks! I can't imagine any bans this year on the poppers with all the rain we've had across the U.S.

I don't remember ever not having fireworks on the 4th when I was growing up in Springfield. We'd hit the firework stands on the way to Grandma's, my brother choosing Black Cats and bottle rockets and me... sparklers, smoke bombs and the little chicken that layed the fire eggs! You know the one, it's on everyone's "must have list." Well, maybe it's not...

Our GRANDsons make their selection and there's not a single Hen Laying Eggs or Ground Bloom Flower or Nutty Monkey. No sparklers, no Cascading Fountain. Only firecrackers and bombs. Maybe one fountain, but it's called Death Bomb Fountain or something like that. We're invited over for fireworks so I'll be nice and try my best not to complain.... I don't think anyone could hear me anyway!