Oh...No...

...the Big Four-oh!! Yep. That's right. Someone turned the big 4-0 over this past weekend...and sad to say, that someone...well..it was me. I'm coping with it pretty well though. I've decided that from now on when someone asks me how old I am, I'm going to tell them 10 years older than what I really am--that way they'll say,"Wow! You look great!" (JK!).

Here's a few pics from recent celebrations of the big day(s).

Special memories:

Breakfast in bed from my BEBZ: heart shaped pancakes, oj,crispy bacon + hugs and kisses+ singing

Shopping trip to Hobby Lobby and TJ Maxxx for sb supplies and clothes (some Christmas shopping too), a little bit of scrapbooking, watching the Gators win, quiet dinner out with Mick to local favorite Italian restaurant

Also, the weekend before last my BIL & SIL came into town and my DH surprised me with a stretch limo ride downtown. We frequented a local arcade that had all of our favorite games from the 1980's like Galaga, Centipede, Pac-Man and more...talk about a blast from the past! Then we went to a dueling piano bar for some more fun. My cousin and hubby were in on the surprise as well. Since my BIL turned 40 in August we both had to wear necklaces and pins declaring our rite of passage into the next decade of our lives. We were given "Old Fart" labels to wear. Our friends and family had ID labels that said "Old Fart's Friend" and we had to pass several more of the ID labels out to complete strangers. Someone, after imbibing of a few beers (and, no it was NOT me) thought it a great idea to write "Kick Me Hard" on one of the stickers and place it on the back of some poor, unassuming gent. The label stayed on him the whole time we were there! His friend never told him. (Nice friend, huh?) The good news was...no one kicked the poor fella.

Anyway, this weekend I'll be spending with several dear scrapbooking friends at Big Gma's cabin at the lake. We'll scrap the night away. I can't wait. I have to say, it's been really fun stretching this whole 40bd thing out over the whole month. Woohoo! Better than Disney World. Did I just type that?

Anyway,

40. Approximately half of my life here on earth is over. Kind of hard to swallow and yet...I've been so very blessed indeed. My hope for myself in the next 40 years is to: (in no particular order)

• be much more patient
• less judgmental
• worry less (especially what other people think)
• speak my mind (more)
• develop a much closer relationship with God
• say I'm sorry sooner
• serve others more
• appreciate more
• complain less
• live with intention and purpose
• love more deeply
• care less about my hardwood floors and more about the people I hold closest to my heart
• document the details
• play a lot more tennis! lol
• just be. be present. live in the present. Not the past. Not the future. THE PRESENT.

I think that's a good start. Maybe I'll add more later. Goodnight!