Eden's first birthday in heaven ~

Happy 1st Birthday in Heaven Eden Rain ~

Happy birthday to you in heaven
Our precious granddaughter Eden Rain
We heard the angels are throwing a party
To celebrate your birth and beautiful name.

They must be very excited
I'm sure they have baked a cake
And strewn flower petals all around
Getting ready to celebrate.

They have some presents to give you
That we just know you will love
We sent all your gifts to heaven
On the wings of a pure, white dove.

There's a box filled with love from your mama
All tied up with glittery strings
Inside there are one million kisses
And a new pair of soft angel wings.

There's a box of hugs from your daddy
He misses his little girl so
He's added some dreams and a rainbow
Along with pretty ribbons and bows.

Your sisters gifts are so special
They had to be just right
They worked so very hard on them
Sometimes even into the night.

Their box is the one that sparkles,
Because girls love nice, pretty things
They've included some stardust and wishes
 And lullabies for the angels to sing.

They also put in several handfuls

Of soft feathers for your bed

Then they included something so special

It's a new crown for your sweet little head.

Grandpa and I sent a simple gift

A sweet pair of new dancing shoes

You know how practical we are

To send something you can use.

So when you take those first little steps

Up there on the streets of gold

You can feel us all sending our love

Since you can't be here to hold.

We pray your birthday is very special

And that you know just how loved you are

You're our beautiful and precious angel

Dwelling in heaven among the stars.

A Masquerade Birthday Party

My daughter planned a 16th birthday masquerade party for my granddaughter this past Saturday
and we had so much fun! I went up on Thursday to help out with the preparations and stayed
until Sunday. She put a lot of time and effort into this and it was an all around hit!

Allysha has always been so photogenic and I took the opportunity to snap several pics of her. My
 daughter ordered our masks off of Amazon and purchased matching ones for Allysha, herself and
yours truly.

Mother and daughter ..."hey Mandi...I'm over here!!"  hehe

We threw Grandma Sandi in the mix for this photo. First off,  I had matching clothes to wear. I really did!!
A dark pink top with a short sleeved black sweater and black and rhinestone necklace, but in typical fashion
for ME,  I slopped balsamic vinegar on the pink top as we were preparing for the party, so I went into panic
 mode and changed my clothes. Totally forgot to put the necklace on and it just bums me that I had to
 do a quick change to this outfit...story of my life. Can't take me anywhere!  *SMILE*

Me and my girl Allysha...a beauty at 16, but then she has always been!

As most of you probably know, black does not photograph well ...at least not for me, but it could be
because I don't know what I am doing. ha!! I had to include the next few pictures anyway so you could
get a feel for the decor.

Masks and feathers...purple and black.

Even sparkly purple crows.

My daughter set up a photo booth inside the house and it was a hit!! We took all kinds
of photos with all kinds of masks and people really had fun with it.

While wearing my mask, I had to stumble around to see where I was going. Seriously!

I took it off about halfway through the party and put my glasses back on and it was
a whole new world! HAHA!

This was the mantle in her house filled with candles and a touch of feathers.
She had TWO parties that day. The first one was for family and friends from 12:30 -3:30
and the second one was just for Allysha and her friends. It started at 7 pm and went until
midnight. I was down for the count about 10 pm...so tired, but they survived without
me. lol.

All in all a wonderful day for a beautiful granddaughter. I am just wondering where all those
years went!! HOW did she get this old already? I pray every day that God will direct her
path and be her guide through life. She is a very smart girl...sometimes too smart. HA! She has
 had some issues to deal with in her life also, but God is working and He is GOOD!!

Blessings~

Songbird Cafe and a birthday!

Someone around here is having a birthday.

Tomorrow.

If we all would admit it, we really don't mind birthdays

if

we get spoiled!

And my daughter is very good at spoiling.

She had me meet her in Ann Arbor, Michigan today

and we drove to the

Songbird Cafe

for lunch.

{bday isn't until tomorrow, but we don't care}

Please excuse the pics as most were taken with my phone
and it is not a smart phone, but you get the idea.

LOVE this place!! First time and hopefully not the last.

We also went to Trader Joes and she bought me two bouquets of these
beautiful pink stock flowers. They smell amazing!

Here is yours truly with my lunch! It was soooooooo yummy!!

I brought half the sandwich home along with half the piece of cake, but I already
ate it for my evening meal so every single bite is

GONE!

A beautiful day of celebration with my darling daughter!!

*****************************

The weather is finally warming up here in Michigan and I can't stand the thought
of it getting colder again so I HOPE it just keeps getting warmer.

What are the odds of that happening??...shush! I don't want to hear it. lol

Blessings~

A Parisian Birthday...♫♪♫

Happy birthday to me...♪♫♪
Happy birthday to me...♫♪♫
Happy birthday dear meeeeeeeeeee...♪♫♪
Happy birthday to me!! ♪♫♪

It just so happens that I love anything to do with Paris or the French style so it was
a pure delight when my daughter surprised me with a Parisian style birthday party a
couple weeks ago.

{way back on March 8...my birthday is the 10th}

 The lighting wasn't that great for pics , but I did the
best I could and I loved every little detail. 

 She said she googled "Parisian brunch" and found out they have lots of pastries so that
is what the party was all about .

Cream puffs sprinkled with powdered sugar and croissants along with those little pastry sticks.

YUMM!!

She also used small goblets and served me sparkling juice...

and  she filled a second one with fruit and cream.

The main course was quiche and asparagus.

OH MY WORD!!! 

They were just delicious!!!

All made from scratch by her loving hands.

{ I gotta find me some "scratch" }

YES, I ate both pieces because they were two different kinds.

{that is my excuse anyway}

Swiss Chard Quiche

 and Bacon Quiche
{click on them to get the recipes}

She also whipped up some chocolate cupcakes with raspberry filling and icing.

The Eiffel tower chocolate...Yep she made that also!

In fact I forgot I have a couple of those!

Wait a minute while I run out to the kitchen and take a bite!!

Okay I am back. tee hee.

Just what I needed tonight.

 Seriously!!

As if that amazing meal wasn't enough, she also gifted me with these two huge mugs and I love them.

{along with a book and seems like something else, but I forgot what...haha!}

Oh, I forgot to tell you that we were out shopping that day and she said we had to stop at
one more store so she could run in for something. I waited in the car and when she got back
she said she had to dig through tons of these "things" to find the specific one she wanted and
they only had ONE in the print she wanted. I found out later it was the tablecloth with the
 coffee cups on it. She didn't miss one little detail!

Thank you Mandi...I love you!!!

Then on my actual birthday my son and his family brought me dinner and these cupcakes
that granddaughter Annika picked out for me.  I now have FOUR heart shaped rings...
one for two fingers on each hand. :)

They brought chicken, baked beans and coleslaw that was delicious as well.

I LOVE family times!

I was headed for bed that same evening and I received a phone call from my oldest
son Jason. I picked up the receiver and I said, 

"Hello"...

...nothing...

"Hello"...

...all of a sudden four precious voices started singing Happy Birthday to me.
 Mommy,daddy and grandchildren Kanaan and Keira.

 It was the perfect end to a perfect day. ♥

Today, my bff took me out for my birthday lunch and handed me this adorable card!!

{I love stretching my birthday out over several weeks because then it seems like I celebrate me all
 month long. lol}

She also gave me this belt which I absolutely L.O.V.E.

In fact I have it on right now.

Her and I quit exchanging gifts a few years ago and I reminded her of that , but she informed me
that she could get me something if she wanted to. haha!! Love you Peggy!!!

I just love it when my family and friends "get me" and understand what it is that I love.

Now, they may think that I am cracked, but they indulge me and that is fun.
After all, we all are unique creatures and that is what makes the world go round.

55 years old...oh my goodness!!
Where in the world did those years go? Funny thing is that I don't feel that old...at least
not most of the time. ha!!

Here's to another 55 years...bring it on!

What I've been up to...

I just realized today that I haven't posted for about nine days so thought I would hop in
here and tell you what I have been up to.

I picked up some acorns on a walk one day... 

...and it turned into a mini photo shoot. Hubby
and I have been walking every other day or rather trying to get it in every other day and I
am loving it...him, not so much! ha! I am amazed at the different kinds of acorns that
we have been finding. Here I thought they were all alike. Not so...maybe I can get
some more pictures taken one of these days. :)

 I  bought this tutorial for these beautiful angel wings from Dawn...

 over at The Feathered Nest and I can't wait to get some made.

{photo above taken by Dawn}

I mailed a package to Indiana because a little sweetie of ours turned FIVE this past week...

My oldest son's daughter.
Her mommy posted the following on facebook and it just brought tears to my eyes.
If all little ones could have a mommy like this , how great our world would be!

"Today my precious girl turns 5...5!!!!! "A whole hand mommy!!" Hard to believe,,
but I am so proud of the smart and beautiful and spunky and energetic and
individualistic girl she has become! She challenges my thinking daily.  I'm so
excited for the next 5 years and beyond! "

I had a photo shoot with my youngest son's family...

I took over 400 photos. They sure took a while to wade through, but we got some goodies. :)

I even had to work with a *little* attitude, but it was still a fun day...

I loved taking photos of my sweeties...

I hopped in the car one day and drove up and down our dirt roads and found some
amazing color...

I ate this delicious donut that my bff brought me...

{but not all at once!}

It was like none I have ever had. From a bakery called Rise and Roll

SO YUMMY...and huge!! 

I about shouted with glee when my bff brought along these beautiful hydrangeas for me...

I thought this shed was a beauty while out cruising the countryside...

I snapped this photo of Annika before she could move again...

I have been a busy beaver, but it has been a fun couple weeks... 

Hope you all are doing well and that your lives are filled with
unexpected blessings daily!