36 is the new...

Our friend Chela recently started up her own photography business, Golden Age Photography, and she asked if we wanted to be one of her first photo shoots. We of course jumped at the chance. She takes really nice photos, mostly black/white. I've posted most of them on Facebook, but here are some from the shoot. We had fun. The kids wouldn't sit still when they were together, so we didn't get too many of just the two kiddos. But it was a fun time and the weather was beautiful.

Birthday weekend coming up! Maybe this comes with age, but this year I haven't been as excited about my birthday. Most who know me know I love my birthday to bits and pieces. I think everyone should. It's hard in a family where the husband has a Christmas birthday so he's used to getting the shaft. I'm not. From the moment I can remember having memories, I've coveted my birthday and I've expected everyone around me to feel the same. I realize that might sound a wee childish, but I like to think it just sounds spirited. Every year as a kid I would get so excited about my birthday I would almost burst from anticipation. I have a distinct memory of one particular year...receiving a birthday card a few days ahead of my birthday (I was turning maybe 10 or 11)...dancing around the front yard singing "It's my birthday!" for all to hear. It was easy to have a fun birthday in May...beautiful weather, out of school, all that. But now that I'm turning the big 25 (read: 36), dare I say the excitement is waning a bit. But I can work through this...snap out of it. Birthdays are magical and dammit, I'm going to celebrate my birthday even when I'm old and gray. Whether everyone around me likes it or not. So here's to 36 candles on my cake on May 29... (yes, still almost a week out and I'm already shouting it from the rooftops).

My sis Shana always knows how to sum up what we all want to say in one slight word or gesture. So I use this photo to illustrate how I feel towards birthday haters...that's right. Stuff you. (Shana, thanks for letting me use this photo of you. Oh, wait...you don't know I'm using it. Surprise!)