It's the Cherries

Today's Beautiful Thing is dinner with my pals, the Cherries. There were about 35 of us at dinner, some old friends, some new, and even a cherry spouse! We had a wonderful time.

Bonus Beautiful Thing: visiting the Grace Cathedral with some of my dearest friends. It was a sacred and mystical place and I'm so glad I shared the experience with those I hold dear. (L to R: Robin, Katy, me, Michele, Pat & Cory)

A Grand Adventure

Today's Beautiful Thing is doing something new. Michele and I are off to San Francisco by bus very early this morning. A first for both of us. The ride will be long, but time flies when we're together. San Francisco, here we come!

Artsy

Today's Beautiful Thing is supporting artistic endeavors and treating myself to a birthday gift all at the same time. I bought this lovely necklace and earrings from Pamela Angus, a wonderful artist on etsy.com. I can't wait to receive them!

Packing

Today's Beautiful Thing is packing--which is something I don't usually enjoy very much. Tonight I picked out some outfits and accessories, folded everything and it all fit in my suitcase. It was entirely too easy, but ok. A girl can get used to this. :) San Francisco, here we come!

Anticipation Pt II

Today's Beautiful Thing is even more antcipation. What an exciting week it's been! I've been shopping, washing clothes, and packing for my trip to San Francisco for RWA National. Michele and I leave bright and early Wed AM and will be home Sun PM. I can't wait!

Great Deals

Today's Beautiful Thing is bargain shopping. I bought 2 pairs of jeans for $14.99 each. Plus, we found 2 large framed prints in very nice glass frames (not those cheep poster frames) in just the type of design we've been looking for at $19.99 each. I also got a cute girly T-shirt with a foil design. Total cost- $82.00 I love Ross. :)

Growing!

Today's Beautiful Thing is one, two, three, four, FIVE happy-faced sunflowers over the back yard fence. It's been so much fun watching the neighbors' garden grow along with them. :)

A New Adventure

Today's Beautiful Thing is a new website! I blogged about it a few times before: Here and Here and, most recently: Here. And now The Childfree Life finally a reality! It is often a lonely thing being different in this world, and there's nothing better than a group of people who understand you. If you're CF, come on over and join us.

Health

Today's Beautiful Thing is getting healthy. My husband's blood pressure was up for the last couple of months, but he's been eating healthier and working out, and tonight he had the best reading yet. A normal reading. I've been worried.

Laughter

Today's Beautiful Thing is laughing so hard it's almost painful. My friend posted this cartoon in a private wrters' group I'm a member of. I love it more than I can express at this moment.

cartoon courtesy of: http://bigeyedeer.wordpress.com/

Anticipation

Today's beautiful Thing is the excitement I'm feeling because something I've waited so long for is just about to happen. Sweet anticipation. In a few days, something brand new and wonderful is going to be ready for the public. It will help a lot of people and that's the best part!

Lunch with Michele

Today's Beautiful Thing is Lunch with Michele. It has become our birthday tradition to take each other out for lunch. We always have a great time and today was no exception. Thank you, Michele. :)
(Note: I brought my camera, but I forgot to take our picture. The above photo is us at RWA National in 2005. We're going again this year--in 9 days!--so I'll have new pictures soon. Can't wait!)

A Spoonful of Sugar

Today's Beautiful Thing is Elise. She danced in her second recital this afternoon! She was the best of all the six dancers in her group. And I'm not just saying that because I'm insanely partial--which I am--but she was still the best. I'm so proud of her.

Friday

Today's Beautiful Thing is Friday. Not very unique, but it's been a long week for me and the last day of the workweek is a welcome thing indeed.

The First Day of My 40's

Today's Beautiful Thing is dinner out with my cousin Guy and his wife Sally. We ate at one of our favorite places. A little Mexican Restaurant with patio dining. A good time was had by all.

Milestone Birthdays

Today's Beautiful Thing is having a Big Oh birthday. You only get to have them once a decade, so you might as well enjoy them! Everyone was very good to me. There was Mom & my favorite salad for lunch, the hubby & a quiet Italian dinner, and a delicious homemade carrot cake--my favorite--made by the fabulous J! And presents, cards, and phone calls too. What a great day my 40th birthday turned out to be. :) THANK YOU EVERYONE!

My Thirties

Today's Beautiful Thing is my thirties--the best decade of my life! It feels weird to say good-bye to these ten years and start fresh on the next decade, but I don't really have a choice in the matter. Tonight I look back on all the great experiences I've had, and look forward to the next 10 years with anticipation. :) Look out 40, here I come!
(Pictured Above: My friend Jill and me, last October--enjoying our 30's and 60's with wild abandon! Below: The hubby and I at Kristin's wedding 7/5/08. Forty-something looks great on him. It'll look great on me too.)

Playful Pup

Today's Beautiful Thing is Ace. Today he wants us to play with him. He keeps grabbing things he knows he's not supposed to have (like shoes!) and running all over the house with them. Sometimes he makes me laugh so hard it hurts. :)

Sunny Face

Today's Beautiful Thing is a great big sunflower peeking over my next-door neighbor's fence. We were BBQing dinner tonight, I looked up, and there it was. These sunny, happy-faced flowers always make me smile.

Funny & Sweet

Today's Beautiful Thing is my aunt Toni. A package arrived for me today, addressed to "the birthday girl." She wrote "FRAGILE!" on all 6 sides and included the silly note on the back of the box I posted above. I'm saving it for my birthday, so I can't tell you what's inside. Even if the box turns out to be empty, the laugh she gave me were a great gift all by itself.

Zzz...

Today's Beautiful Thing is the sound of three different snores. Lulu's is deep and rumbly, Ace's is a little higher, and Abner's is more like loud breathing. He fell asleep in his desk chair, the dogs are at his feet. :)

Nightfall

Today's Beautiful Thing is the cool night air when we take our daily walk. I love the peaceful silence of the inky darkness.

Taking a Break

Today's Beautiful Thing is leaving the office on my lunch break, which is something I hardly ever do. It was nice to get a breath of fresh air and experience a change of scenery, if only for a short while.

Bonus Beautiful Thing: The hubby brought dinner home tonight. And it was his idea.

Lemony Goodness

Today's Beautiful Thing is J's lemon cake. Her gooey sweet and sour cake was especially lovely with vanilla ice cream tonight. Thanks for baking for us, J! :)

Strawbalicious!

Today's Beautiful Thing is a bowl of strawberries, a shortcake cup, a scoop of light vanilla ice cream, cool whip free, and a bit of strawberry syrup. Yes, my friends. It's a low fat strawberry shortcake sundae! Yum, yum, yum!

Another New Member of the Family

Today's Beautiful Thing is my new cousin Joe! Our family is growing by leaps and bounds. Joe, I know you and Kristin are going to have a wonderful life together. Plus, it's always good to have another Navy man in the family. :)

A Wedding

Today's Beautiful Thing is a wedding. Kristin & Joe are getting married today. High school sweethearts, the nurse and the sailor. Awww... and I remember the day she was born. Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs.! (How's that for a cool engagement picture?)

Thoughtful Family

Today's Beautiful Thing is my sister-in-law. I stayed home tonight to decorate my cousin's wedding cake, but she sent my hubby home with a plate for me. That was a Beautiful thing to do.

Ready

Today's Beautiful Thing is having all 9 cake layers baked tonight. I can concentrate on decorating tomorrow instead of baking too. :)
(Pictured: the top tier of our wedding cake...14 years later. Yes, I have trouble getting rid of things. I'm just a bit sentimental.)

Freedom

Today's Beautiful Thing is the Columbian Military. Because of their bravery and careful planning, 15 hostages have been released. As I listened to Ingrid Betancourt and the families of Keith Stansell, Marc Gonsalves, and Thomas Howes speak, I couldn't help but count my blessings. I'm thrilled for all of them.

Help

Today's Beautiful Thing is the helpful staff at my favorite cake shop. I needed some fancy foil to cover the board the wedding cake is going to sit on. They had just the type I needed, in 10 different colors, any size I wanted. I chose a pretty not-too-shiny textured silver (like the board in the photo), and they sold me what I needed for a buck.

(Cake can be found on THIS site)