Sensory Overload

Whew! :wiping my brow:  Well, that was a long weekend.  :)

See that heap? Lumped up on the couch?  Over there ------->
Dressed in pajamas and not moving?
[Except to type, of course.]

That would be yours truly. heehee

Remind me not to mention my birthday next year, wouldja'.
Jiminy Christmas.

I barely survived Friday. :D
And I mean that in the best way possible.

Where to begin?   [Note: There are some things I left out of this post. I tried to fit it all in, but if I forgot something, I apologize. I got tired typing it.]

It started Thursday night with a surprise gift box from Colenic.  Full of fun, happy, smiley face items and a baby jar of maple syrup and jam.  This was a give a way I won on her blog, as did many others, but to me it felt like my first true birthday present.  Thank you Col. Love you!

Then I found a huge box on the front porch from my husband's Aunt who lives in Florida.  The thing was heavy, heavy.  Opening up I thought, at first, she had sent me WW frying pans and thought....huh? No, she was just recycling the box and inside were many wonderful things.  There were 10 paperbacks from my favorite authors and a whole bunch of cookie cutters for Halloween and for our doggies [bone, fire hydrant, dog shapes]. This was a serious size tupperware container of that stuff. I can't wait to watch the kids bake. So cool!  Plus a lovely card wishing me a happy birthday. Love you Aunt Z and Uncle B!

Wow! I am not used to presents on my birthday - but slam bang. It was shaping up to be pretty neat.

Really it wasn't about presents tho' - 'cause Friday dawned bright and early with the promise of better things to come.  Such a pretty morning, with the added bonus that Pooldad had the day off and he joined me for tea/coffee at 7 am. <----Unheard of. The man is a sleeper inner if he can manage it.

I found his birthday card to me hidden in my laptop.  I found Wallene's beautiful card in the bathroom [after she left for school.] Do they know me or what? Two places to find Mom at any given moment. :)

While we were kissing Wallene goodbye for school at the front door I went to back out of her Dad's way and  accidentally fell backwards over the dog.  No. It wasn't the little dog.  It was the big, humongo mule.  Straight over his back.  It was a scene out a movie. I swear I could not have choreographed it better myself.  Amazing. I am lucky I didn't kill the poor boy.  I landed flat on my head, back and behind with Pooldad and Wallene freaking out. The reason this is such a funny part of the day is I didn't hurt myelf. I was laughing, trying to calm them down and keep Scooby from wetting himself [on me] because he was freaking out too. My poor family and their klutzy Momma.

Pooldad and I had a lot of fun hanging out and planning the evening.   I even got to talk to my BFF twice on Friday. Once, because she called to wish me a happy birthday [thank you!] and the second time I called her back to tell her how Pooldad washed the dog.  I will tell that story another day, but that is an oxygen therapy kind of story for me. I couldn't breath for laughing on that one. [And no telling, please!]  Just getting to talk to her was great.  It made my day AND she made her poor husband sing "Happy Birthday" to me. giggle. Thank you again. I love you guys. :D

Around 3:30 I knew I needed a nap if I was going to be up to the trip to get Squirrel one town over at her drop off. Yep, my baby made her way home just for my birthday, but I knew after picking her up we were going straight to the football game at Wallene's high school and the day was already looong.

While I was asleep Pooldad went shopping.  And he cooked. And he baked.  I woke up to the smell of homemade pumpkin pie [my choice of birthday "cake"] and a big pot of chili in the crockpot.  Heaven.

Since Pooldad had to wake me up at 5:30 I had to move it to get out of the house by 6:30 to be to Squirrel by 7:15.  I am so very proud of myself. [The adrenaline was pumping, let me tell you. Or my heart decided to cooperate for once, whatever. It worked.]  I bathed, dressed, did my hair AND painted my nails [vanity thy name is "Skippy"] in a little over an hour.  I had a lot of help from Pooldad, of course, and my favorite "50 second nail color" - but I made it out of the house, wheelchair in tow and saw my girlie less than an hour later waiting at the Metro with her pals from school. Squeeee!

We raced back to Wallene's game and made it just in time to see Wallene march with the band at half time.  I think my youngest has a wee little big mouth because I had other Mom's coming up to wish me a happy birthday that night, along with her friends. It was kind of cool.  Plus Squirrel was able to see all her old friends that are still in high school/band.   It was a FUN time.

Serious face!
Hard to see her so serious. She is always smiling otherwise. hee

Wallene is second from the right. 

Our girls.

I started to fade by the end of half time so we left Squirrel, Wallene and the camera at the field and Pooldad took me home.  BONUS!  We received a phone call when we arrived home that one of the nice Moms asked to give the girls a ride home, so Pooldad could just relax and we could enjoy another hour, alone, together. How sweet is that?  We thanked her with one of the homemade pumpkin pies, we so appreciated it.

Then the two crazies arrived home and we had a party.  I knew I couldn't eat dinner so late, but it was so worth it to watch the family enjoy Dad's fabulous chili.  Then, and I wasn't passing this up - priorities you know - the pie. OMG! The pie.  Have I mentioned my husband has never baked before.  Anything.  And he was ALL alone when he made those pies.  The kids weren't here, I was asleep and his mother wasn't available.  So yeah, a recipe and the ability to read.  WOW!  I was amazed. One of the best pies I have ever had. He did a dang good job Tadpoles.  I have one piece left and if anyone touches it? Their new name is going to be lefty.  Just saying. :wink:

Okay, the night wasn't over YET [still with me?] because my goofy family bought me presents.  They never buy me presents but this year....yeppers!

And these were gifts with a lot of thought behind them.  I was teary eyed by the end of it.

As Pooldad had  already given me roses and cooked [oh, and did I mention clean too?  Yeah, forgot that. Sparkly house.] I wasn't expecting anything else.  But? He got me the only thing I asked for. [No laughing- he hesitated to buy them because he thought they were "not a birthday/romantic gift", but....] Two 2lb hand weights.  I thought that when I am sitting I can at least try to keep some kind of tone to my arms since I never lift anything heavier than a shampoo bottle. I was so excited. And I have been using them.

Next Wallene added to my collection of Tynies. They are hand blown glass figurines that are tiny [hence the name.] She gave me a panda, snail, catepillar, dove, owl and goldfish.  So cute and thoughtful. I love them. They make me smile to look at, like my snowmen - except these I can keep up all year long! :)

Finally - Squirrel gave me her present.  She could hardly contain herself.  Seems our girl had found a leather bound edition of  Gone With the Wind at a local thrift fair.  In perfect condition. [It didn't smell like old book either - and this is a very early edition.] Blown away. Whoosh.  "Gone With the Wind" is my favorite movie, ever, but I had never read the book.  I couldn't believe it. She remembered.

I was so very surprised.  Pooldad and I don't usually give gifts to eachother and don't ask the kids to give us anything because their money is so tight, but they put a lot of thought into simple gifts that mean so much to me.  I won't read, use or look at any of them without thinking of these guys.  So special.

:Fade to ultimate collapse of happiness:

I had to skip the trip to their grandparents on Saturday and the ride to take Squirrel back to college on Sunday, but Tadpoles?  Just to be remembered and thought of by my family, by y'all in the pond and my friends here in VA - it just made Friday one of the most amazing days, ever.

I may not be up to anything for the next week, [or two or three] - but there is something beautiful in finding the great in just one 24 hour period and living off of it for a while. It is worth it's weight in seconds.

I hope you y'all have a great Tuesday Tadpoles. We'll see you on the flipside.
Have a soft landing. :wink: