My birthday weekend! I am FORTY-SIX!

Well, hello there.  First off.  I am still alive!!  In the 10 or so years I've been blogging, I have NEVER taken a month long hiatus!  Kim called me out!  She noticed and made sure I knew.  So, Kim.  Hello there!  I am back and better than ever! 

This past weekend was my birthday weekend.  I turned 46.  And for the record had one starting first grade and another starting 3rd today!  haha.  You do the math.  Can you say "hover rounds at graduation?!"   But one thing is for sure... I am young at heart!!  

We started our weekend adventure on Friday night, taking the jeep out to dinner with the kiddos.  I LOVE A JEEP!  Have I ever mentioned that?  I mean, L.O.V.E.  I think my "spirit element" is the wind!  (You know... like water, fire, earth, etc.) I don't know if I've ever mentioned this either, but I drove a jeep in high school.  It was an OLD jeep.  And I absolutely loved that thing!  So, to pile my family up in the jeep on a Friday afternoon, after work, when the weather is just starting to get a touch cooler, with my old school country music coming through the speakers.  Well... it was like Heaven to me. 

The next morning.  Saturday morning.  Early.  Thus in the driveway here with ZERO makeup on.  I shuttled the girlies out to the football field where we got them signed up for cheerleading.  There were a whopping EIGHT girls from their entire school signed up!  And for that, we will be getting up every single Saturday morning in the fall to go to the football field to cheer.  Yay.

Before I had the day's next excursion, I was sitting at the vanity in my bathroom, putting ON make up (You're welcome!), and Twilight Sparkles assumed her position on my leg.  This cat is NOT a lovey cat.  She is skittish and downright cray cray.  However, every morning, without fail, she piles up on my right leg to "love on" me for a while as I get dressed.  Look at that paw!

ON my way out the door, I noticed that my zinnias are STILL proliferating for me, so I had to snap a pic.  These babies have provided me with MUCH joy this summer.  And as I type this, I now know WHY I swung out the back door instead of going around front.... my Poppa needed me to come this way so he could tell me Happy Birthday, Princess!

I am pretty sure I've told the story of Poppa planting an entire second crop mid summer in 2007 so that I could have fresh-picked flowers at my wedding in September.  HE was a jewel.

Zinnias are so awesome because they are each so unique.

The colors are so vivid.  (Did you notice the little bee in the pink one above?!)

These are all in the same bed.  You just never know what you might find.  That is part of the fun.

Flash forward to lunch.  A friend of mine from Florida was in town and decided we should have some Class of '87ers meet for lunch.

And so we did.

I graduated high school with these girls.  Aren't they still just so good looking?

We went to a really unique downtown restaurant which I would consider a "foodie's" paradise.

West Monroe/ Monroe is doing a great job of revitalizing our old buildings and sections of town which were once just worn slap out.

On the way home... THIS!!

I have always felt that Heaven was speaking to me when I see sunrise bursting out of the sky like this.  As a matter of fact, I've really always felt it was Jake.  And so.... not only Poppa wished me well, so did my sweet guardian angel.

As is customary with our group, I was honored with a birthday dinner.

Todd the Bod is a wine connoisseur.  I am NOT.  And so I obliged him.  Hmmm... not bad!

I'm married to a handsome stud, aren't I?

And finally, birthday morning.  Before lunch, I had 400+ birthday wishes on Facebook.  That is INSANE!  And I think there were about700 or so total.  Thank you to every single one of you!  I tried to "like" every well wish that came across my newsfeed.

The girls and Todd made me breakfast and came in singing "Happy Birthday" to me with a candle in the pig-shaped pancake they made.  (I bought the pig pancake griddle for Gabbi last week from Epcot in Orlando)

I was already pretty much in hog heaven (Pardon the pun), as I was in my art room, watching Bishop TD Jakes, getting EXTREMELY inspired by looking through art mags and books, and having my girls nearby.  I swear, I live in HIGH FAVOR!

My dad calls and wants to take me to Piccadilly.  Well, dang.  You can't pass THAT up! And so, we called Staci, my sister, to anyone who may be new to MoJoy, and her daughter, Madi, and we hit the road.

First, Ellie did Gabbi's make up.  Thank goodness, because I wouldn't want my 6 year old going to town with a bare face!

She was downright proud!

Oh.  Did I mention I have been working on projects for an upcoming art class?  Yep.  This canvas beauty is going to become a necklace.  Those four little straight marks is the way Jake signed his release papers prior to a new procedure at St. Jude.  J.A.K.E.  with four little marks.  It's no wonder that the way he now gets my attention is through 11:11!

And finally, the creme de la creme.... the BOOKSTORE!

Looky looky!  My mentor, John Maxwell, is front and center.  I have like. oh. well.  YEP... ALL of those!

And can I say that not only is Books a Million pumped... but I am too!!  Not because I like pumpkin ANYTHING!  But because I am seeing FALL-themed things!!  whoop whoop!  In Louisiana, we had a streak of 101-109 degree temps for like 10 straight days!!  Yes.  Seriously.

IN fact....

There were THREE brush fires in the median of the interstate after I left the bookstore yesterday.

That's what you call HOT.
I was on my way to my final adventure of the day... watching my man battle it out for title of club champion at the golf club.  He was in second place entering the day.  The pro gave me a key and told me to grab a cart to go find him on the course.  I had this option...

or this one....

Did you see anything that synchronous about those two carts?  Hey, Jake!

Todd didn't win, but he is keeping up with all those young bucks!!  Playing in the top group is a pretty nice honor.

And with that.... I conclude my LENGTHY birthday update!
Today began school with my darling kiddos.  Which means, dance class, gym, homework, hair washing every night (UGH!) vs "let's just go swimming" and calling it a bath, timelines, alarm clocks.... you know.  Life.

But, I am back .  I have uploaded the pics for the next four blog posts, to show you the UNREAL experience I had at the John Maxwell Live Event last week.

Thanks for reading (and for being patient with me),
MO