Birthday Bounty

...Hot on the heels of our scout camping trip - we celebrated my Birthday!


...Birthdays are always a lot of fun around here and this one was no exception - there were lots of cards...

...and lovely flowers...

...and cake...

...and candles...lots of them...

...finally opening a present that we toted back from our NC visit...

...it's a lovely sweater from my sister Karen...

...she has such good taste...

...then there was just one huge bag (I'm sure there's a picture of it somewhere) - stuffed to the brim with tissue wrapped presents - apparently the boys weren't up for all that present wrapping...
...Out of the bag came a lovely new set of dish towels - I needed those - I continue to use my dish towels when they are beyond presentability...

...an adorable pair of gardening shoes...

...those went right on my feet - they are so comfy and cute - they may just stay there the rest of the summer...

...then there were some books from my 'list'...Like Water for Chocolate - I had seen the movie but never read the book - and it came up in conversation one day - as I was making some soymilk hot chocolate - that they don't use milk for their chocolate in Mexico - but water - hence the saying 'Like Water for Chocolate' - it means someone is boiling mad - because the water has to boil in order to be able to melt the chocolate...mmmm...that reminds me of the Mexican Hot Chocolate bars that Daddy used to bring back with him from trips to Juarez...with just a hint of cinnamon...mmmm...oh well, I digress - I'm really looking forward to reading this book...

...next out of the big bag was No Impact Man - I've been wanting to read this one too - Colin Beavan is my hero...

...I grabbed another parcel - and it's another book - My Year of Living Biblically - I want to read all three of these books right now!

...a gorgeous Nordic Ware Bundt Cake Pan came out next...

...then we switched gears and opened a package (packed to the brim) from my Mom...

...inside were so many lovely things - a couple of valances - not for hanging - but for use in the Lutheran World Relief Quilts - a pretty navy calico - I'll take them apart and cut them into squares and pair them with some plain navy - they'll make a lovely quilt...

...Sshhhh...a few of the big candy canes that I can't find up here - Santa always puts one in Scout's stocking at Christmas...

...a lovely selections of teas - believe it or not - I've never tried Yerba Mate - so I'm looking forward to that...and some different types of almonds - I love those...

...some of Scout's baby clothes that Mom 'found' still at her house 12 years later - a cute onsie that Karen brought back from Osh Kosh for him and one of his little cotton hats...so sweet...such memories - they'll go into his box of keepsakes...

...and several of Nanny's crocheted doilies - I'll get them washed and soaking in some brightener - and then we'll see - maybe applied to some pillows - or bags - or just used as doilies...

...and this old program from my childhood - I recognize all of the names in it - and the amazing thing is all these covers were hand coloured - there were no colour printers then - amazing...

...the inside sheet was printed with a mimeograph - ahhh - I still remember that smell...
...I'm so glad my Mom kept all these things for me...
You've actually already seen this bowl here - I got to use it early - because I needed it to whip the 'cream'...

...another gorgeous yellow pyrex bowl...

...I love this bowl so much...

...it matches the pyrex loaf pan - but you've seen it before...

...see a perfect pair...

...a couple more little milk glass bowls - I had one already - now we each have one - I'm hoping everyone is still on the lookout for a few more of these precious little bowls - already filled with salted almonds...yum!

...and finally in the bottom of the bag - a couple more kitchen-y items to help in our purge of all things plastic - a set of bamboo spoons...

...and a fine mesh stainless steel strainer...

...I know this post if very long and there's still more yet - I'll share a couple more special presents in the next couple of days too...