Happy Birthday Shelby!

No, I don't think you are a fashion model.   But, you are a pretty cute kid.   Thanks for sharing Spring Break with us.  Love, Peanut   

Happy Birthday To My Daughter

Today my daughter turned 35!  How does time go so fast.  I am still in shock and awe that I had a small part in creating her.  I am partial and will say, her beauty still amazes me.  She is such a strong woman.  She is smart.  She has so many talents.  She married into an artistic family.  It is not something she uses often enough but she is an artist too.  She has used that talent to brighten up her Grandparent's 1950's home to make it her own.  Watching her raise her children is a joy.  Seeing her and Coach build their sweet life together is......well a relief.  I can be content knowing she is set in her future.  I have enjoyed watching her find her passion in yoga and begin to build that into a business.
It is a well known fact that she throws AMAZING parties.  When I turned 35, she threw her first event.  A surprise party for me.  I was feeling down in the dumps from losing my Mom that year.  She decided to cheer me up by surrounding me with all my favorite people.  I was surprised.  My 50th birthday party was not a surprise but she surprised me with many things that day.  It was a fantastic day.  What makes her events so special is the details.  She thinks of everything. 
The picture of above was taken on our trip to Colorado.  Tru Stories picked this little cafe for our lunch.  Besides the gorgeous weather and views, the cafe only played Beatles music. We sat on that little deck looking at the spectacular views listening to some of our favorite songs.  It was great to watch my daughter show her family one of the places we had taken her to several times when she was growing up.  It was one of those days where everything went just right.
I have been lucky enough to share some great times with TS.  We can make each other laugh until tears roll down our faces.  We can talk about nothing for hours.  In the top 10 of great things I have done in my life I am sure TS was there with me.  One of those times was seeing Paul McCartney in concert.  Standing next to my daughter listening to Hey Jude while tears ran down our faces is a memory I hope I never forget.  You know one of the other times was our Oprah Adventure.  Not just seeing Oprah.  Sharing that 24 hour period with TS was so much fun.  From the first phone call to continued conversations we have, that will always be a stand out day in my life.
I am lucky to not only have an amazing daughter, but one I can consider a friend.  My beautiful daughter I am so proud of your many accomplishments.  I look forward to seeing what your future holds. 
Happy Birthday!
All My Love to You!

Happy Birthday To Me!

To be yourself -
in a world which is doing its best, night and day,
to make you like everybody else
means to fight the hardest battle
which any human being can fight,
and never stop fighting.
~E.E. Cummings



Tomorrow is my birthday.  My 53rd.  I am not a person that gets caught up worrying about age.  I appreciate every year.  I hope I have many more.  Every year brings on trials and tribulations but also new surprises and wonderful changes.
We celebrated my birthday tonight because the family was available for dinner tonight.  We went to Tru Stories house for my dinner.  This might be the first time we have done that on my birthday.  I do not want it to be the last.  First I will say dinner was so delicious, I am still stuffed.  Melt in our mouth, marinated steaks, delicious potatoes, and salad.  Ending with double chocolate brownies and my family singing.  Not much can beat all three of my grandkids singing to me.  After dinner we sat on the glider on the porch.  I love sitting on the glider.  I always feel the spirit of my father-in-law when I sit there.  It is a nice feeling.  We chatted, watched the kids play in the yard with their Uncle.  A calm, peaceful evening.  One of those fantastic "Circle of Life" moments. 
This afternoon I stopped at Walmart.  Tru Stories and her family were there.  Best feeling in the world when the girls saw me and came racing to me like it had been a week since we were together.  I do not know what I will do when those kids grow up and do not need a Grammy anymore!

Here are some of my hopes for the next year:

I hope my son has a good year and enjoys life.
I hope my daughter's world continues to be filled with love, good health, and much happiness.
I hope Hubby cuts his pony tail.  Seriously!  Are you kidding me with that!!!
I would like to become healthier, exercise more, and lose some weight.
I want my grandchildren to stay healthy and happy.  Maybe a little less dramatic would not hurt!

It was a good year.  Despite the ups and down, it was a good year.  I enjoy my family more and more.  I have a great time with the book club.  My friends become more dear to me.  I found this inspirational saying.  It really is the truth.  I think when we accept that life can be difficult, it is easier to overcome the tough times.

 

Life is difficult.
This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths.
It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth,
we transend it.
Once we truly know that life is difficult -
once we truly understand and accept it -
then life is no longer difficult.
Because once it is accepted,
the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.
~M Scott Peck

I know it will be a great day tomorrow.  I have been promised home made chocolate cake at the end of the day by my sister in law.  A two day birthday celebration, not bad!

I cannot believe that I talked about where my life is and did not mention:  I WENT TO OPRAH!!  I was breathing the same air as Oprah, Tom, and Julia.  I heard Julia do her wonderful Julia laugh, live.  What a good time!  In the ups and downs of life, that was a very up, up, up of life.

Happy Birthday Old Lady

Happy Birthday my dear friend. 

I love when we laugh out loud so hard tears run down my face. We do that often.  Sometimes daily.  That is a great thing. 

Old Lady enjoys old fashioned sayings.  I googled some sayings, and what do you think I found? 

When it rains hard it is a Frog strangler, a gully washer.  (This is one that Old Lady loves)

For your birthday I am giving you some vintage sayings.  I know you will find a good use for them.  Add them to your book of wisdom.  (I totally want her to write a book.)

He would rather climb a tree to tell a lie than stand on the ground and tell the truth.

It is better to remain silent and thought a fool than open your mouth and remove all doubt.(my Dad's favorite)

If you took his brain and put it in a box, it'd roll like a BB in a boxcar.

Too often, we lose sight of life's simple pleasures. Remember, when someone annoys you it takes 42 muscles in your face to frown, BUT, it only takes 4 muscles to extend your arm and slap that mother

"Its raining so hard I just saw Noah and the ark go by."

"It's so windy it would blow the hair off a cat"

Sometimes you eat the bear. Sometimes the bear eats you.

Tougher than a one eared alley cat    (This is the OL.  She is tough as can be.)

With love from Alice.

Is it someones birthday today?  I went to this new restaurant, want to go check it out?

To My Brown Eyed Girl

I thought about going back to all of Tru Stories birthday blogs to her children and pull out pieces to add to this blog. Here is what I know already. It is hard to blog about a child. Someone that you love more than you ever imagined possible. I remember when my beautiful daughter was born and I thought about my Mom. I thought is this how much she loved me? I wanted my first child to be a girl. I wanted to have a wonderful relationship with my daughter. I accomplished this. Tru Stories can make me laugh until I cry. I think I learned more from her than she learned from me. Tru Stories was shy, very shy. Watching her practice her first speech was something to see. She was so nervous her hands would not stop shaking. She learned to hold the side of the podium so that people could not see how scared she was. She would practice her speeches over and over. Now, I see her stand in front of people and give funny, loving speeches and I swell with pride.

She was always unique. She loved hats, still does. She loved to wear sunglasses. She is a talented artist. Obviously, an amazing event planner. She won a Young Author Award. That should not be a surprise to anyone. She was so happy.

She was the sweetest (I'm serious Coach), most loving child. The biggest thing she got in trouble about was her messy room. (That's right Kid.) She was stubborn. She could amuse herself for hours.

I look at all these pictures and see her children. The sassy, little Tink face. I see The Kid in her serious expressions. When I look at Coco, it is like looking at my baby girl all over again. There are times it shocks me. (Really shocks her Dad.)

She is one of the bravest people I know. Her favorite story growing up was, The Elves and The Shoemaker. When life taught her that Elves do not always come and create, happily ever after, she created her own.

I have seen her in a hospital bed and was not sure she would make it home. I have seen her take horrible medical tests, shake it off and go out that night, to prove she could. I have watched her recover from broken dreams then dream bigger and better dreams. I stood next to her with tears running down our faces while we watched and listened to Paul McCartney sing. Will always make my list as one of the best nights of my life. She has given me fashion advice. Hair advice. She has brought me up when I was down. She makes me brave.

She does not let her guard down to everyone she meets. But if she likes you, better yet, loves you; it is a special thing. She likes to do things to surprise people. She is good at having fun, when she wants to have fun. After everything she has been through, she is still an optimist. I love that. She can take a dare. She will ride a wild roller coaster. She will jump off a cliff without thinking twice into a river far below. She can dance. She can also lay for hours on an air mattress. We had some great times doing that.

She is smart. Well read. Knows enough about many subjects to hold her own with most people. She is a great Mother. A wonderful sister. She is more than I could ever have hoped for.

I am proud to call Tru Stories my daughter. I am happy she is also my friend.

My birthday gift to you is I will admit, you had some really terrible clothes when you were growing up. Are you happy? You always were my favorite daughter and always will be. Love you so much!!

May God bless and keep you always

May your wishes all come true

May you always do for others

And let others do for you

May you build a ladder to the stars

And climb on every rung

May you stay forever young

May you grow up to be righteous

May you grow up to be true

May you always know the truth

And see the lights surrounding you

May you always be courageous

Stand upright and be strong

May you stay forever young

May you stay forever young

May your hands always be busy

May your feet always be swift

May you have a strong foundation

When the winds of changes shift

May your heart always be joyful

And may your song always be sung

May you stay forever young

Forever young, forever young