The Perfect Date

Here's a little recap of the "perfect date" (aka my birthday):     

1.   I had meetings last night and first thing this morning.

2.  Emma woke up at 4:30am to start making my birthday breakfast.

3.   She made a pancake "cake" with my favorite whole grain cheddar cheese pancake recipe.

4.  We woke everyone else up at 7:30am, so we could eat together before I left for my meeting.

5.   This was hours before certain members of my family would have preferred to be up

6.  The pancake creation was absolutely delicious

7.  No one at my meeting today had a clue that it was my birthday

8.  I came home to a clean house

9.   They cleaned it, not so much as a birthday surprise, but so that Glen's cousin who lives in Pennsylvania could come by and visit

10.   It was my first time meeting Glen's cousin and her two kids

11.   They are adorable, amazing, and totally with-it people

12. I drove with Glen's cousin to two old houses in the area  that Glen's mom and her dad lived in when they were young

13.  Glen had to go to work and Cami had babysitting jobs all day long!  Emma's babysitting job got cancelled, or she would have been gone all day too.    

14.  Adam and Ellie made me Trader Joes potstickers with spinach for my lunch

15.  Glen came home from work and brought me to Founding Farmers for dinner

16.  I got the butternut squash ravioli, their homemade grapefruit soda,  and a Jefferson doughnut for dessert.

17.   It was all absolutely delicious!  

18.  After dinner we swung back home to pick up Ellie, Adam, and Emma. 

19.   We went downtown to the Ford Theatre (where Abraham Lincoln was shot). 

20.   We watched an absolutely amazing musical called "Freedom's Song".

21.  The music was outstanding and the message powerful.   

22.   It was a perfect wrap-up to our study of the Civil War in our homeschool. 

23.  Ellie and Emma, in particular, were enraptured by the performance.  

24.  I have received three birthday bouquets of flowers today.  :) 

25.  I have one bouquet on the mantel, one on the piano, and one on our table. 

26.  Each bouquet is totally different and each one makes me smile! 

27.  I've had a cold the last couple of days, so I've been sneezing and sniffling all day long.

28.  The weather wasn't as perfect as the "perfect date" usually is.  

29.  It was a tad chilly (in the 40's and 50's)  and it started raining this afternoon.

30.  Emma, Adam, and Glen wore short sleeves and  refused to wear jackets. 

31.   Ellie and I were the only warm ones of the bunch. 

32.  I thought I looked super cute when I got dressed today. 

33.  I was severely disappointed when I saw a picture of myself this evening.   

34.  My grown-out hair and pudgy middle need to be addressed.  

35.  I had a surprise from my visiting teachers waiting for me when I got home. 

36.  I probably ate a few too many mini cupcakes today.  

37.  I haven't been eating sweets at all lately, but since it was my birthday and Cami had some leftover from an order just sitting there on the counter....I indulged.  

38.   The only things I wanted for my birthday was to get the van detailed (and to go on a long hike).   

39. It's never been done before and I am excited to have a sparkly vehicle to drive around. 

40.    I hope that tomorrow will be more of a family togetherness day than today and maybe we'll get in my hike too.  

41. I am ready for bed, but excited to remember the details from my birthday.  

 42. Thanks for all of you who helped make my 42nd birthday awesome!      

Early morning breakfast before my meeting

From the other angle

The cake was made with large whole-grain cheddar cheese pancakes, whipping cream, fresh fruit, and homemade jam.

Emma is a master chef

The home (within our ward boundaries) that Glen's mom's family lived in back when the house was new.   

The home on Lawrence Drive that Glen's mom lived in when she was young.   It's only about 5-miles from our house.

I strongly dislike this picture, but since it's the only one from our night on the town, it is making an appearance here on the blog! 

Excuse the horrible picture quality, this was dessert at Founding Farmers (a Jefferson doughnut [for me]  and raspberry sorbet [for Glen])

I have no idea why these pictures are so horrible, but here's a glimpse at the delicious butternut squash ravioli I ordered at Founding Farmers tonight.