Birthday Weekend and More. . .

Marc has noticed my tendency to title my posts with a phrase ending with '"and beyond" and while I was tempted to title this post Birthday weekend and beyond . . . I held back and just mentioned it here. ;)  I am currently getting into the Christmas spirit eating Christmas baking (marshmallow chocolate squares, homemade turtles and peppermint bark, all not made by me.  Even better!)

I started out the weekend doing some Christmas baking with some great friends.  Here are the cute kids in front of the fire.  (I would love to tell you that they often sit like this and just reminisce and be the little angels that they all are but Strawberry Shortcake was on in the background.)

 I wore this shirt when I had Zeke and had to remind Ang of that fact multiple times. ;)

I also went shopping downtown with friends and ended the day downtown for tea.  I must say it is hard to shop (as Haley pointed out) and talk.  One must chose one or the other to fully devote your time and energy to.  Otherwise you end up buying crazy scarfs for your mother and expensive presents for your niece.  (Not that I would know this from experience.)

For only??!! $130 this can be yours!

 On my birthday morning, while I enjoyed a lovely sleep in, Marc and Ty made cardamom monkey bread for me.  Delicious!

 Marc and I then went out for lunch.  This is a lovely salad with cantelope foam! 

 Marc spoiled me and got me an antique persian carpet for our room.  I love it!  It fits perfectly there.  After lunch we made our way to Minter Gardens and went on the Christmas train. Ty was only slightly more interested in the train than his popcorn and he loved looking at all the lights.  Me and my boys on my birthday. A lovely day!

I took the boys to see Santa today.  Ty was very happy to eat popcorn in line (I notice a theme here, is Ty going to associate all Christmas outings with popcorn?  This could be a problem.)  Even though you can't tell at all I must admit for posterity's sake that I was the mother who took her son to see Santa knowing fully well he had a lot of glue in his hair.  Pesky stuff that glue!  Also you cannot tell that Zeke's shirt says 'Mr. Happy' which I thought was fitting because of how much he loves to smile for the camera. ;)

Heading home this weekend for a couple weeks of family time and visiting!  Merry Christmas one and all!