A Birthday Weekend

That's it Ladies and Gentleman, I'm celebrating 36 today!

Why would I post this? Good question, but why not. While visiting mholgate's blog, Seven Matters, (yes people, she has 5 kids, my hats off to her) she shared that it was her birthday on the 22nd of November (Saturday), turning 35 and she was born on Thanksgiving. Well, that was too good to pass up seeing that 36 years ago my mother was heading to the hospital, on Thanksgiving Day.

We actually celebrated yesterday. Hubby bought a yummy ice cream cake and the kids made decorations. We celebrated on Saturday since Sunday was packed with church, membership class and my in-laws were taking us out for dinner.

Let's face it when you reach a certain age birthdays are not a big to-do anymore, but it was nice to receive several cards, as well as several birthday wishes at church and phone calls.

An old friend passed along a card to me, I am always amazed at Rachel's organizational ability. She has a birthday calendar to remember, and if she misses to send a card I'm sure to receive a phone call or text message. I on the other hand can barely remember my kid's birthday so sorry to say but my friends are mostly out of luck ... sorry.

Any who, all these plans for the day were set aside thanks to illness in our family. The kids had fevers and I have a cold, but I did get a nap today, yippee skippy. Also, early this morning Hubby's Grandmother passed away.

It was sad to hear that his Grandmother passed away, she was 88. At the same time it is blessed to hear she is finally at peace and joined the choir in Heaven. This woman should be an inspiration to us all. She and her husband raised 11 children and ran a farm. They were Godly people, who raised their children in the church, and their legacy lives on through their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her mischievous smile, stories of years past, and love for her family will be greatly missed.

Company Girl Coffee

Wow! I can't believe it is finally Friday. This was one of those weeks that dragged on; when you reach Wednesday it feels like Friday and you're not sure how you will make it too the end of the week. It probably felt that way since next week is a holiday week and I'm like a kid, can't wait for the holidays. And, the fact my mother will be cooking for us for several days, yeah Mom!

Did you clean your table this week? That was one of our Small Things this week. Rachel Anne gave us a small thing to kick off our week, I'm all for a slow Monday.

My table is a little ratty looking. With 3 small children it has taken it's fair share of abuse. The chairs don't match, with 3 small children a chair here and there is bound to become broken. The table is a drop leaf. On one end the leaf is down, where the kids like to kick it. The other leaf is up, and constantly is being kicked down, usually with a plate of food or cup of water on it.

I would really like a new table. Mission style, dark wood, contemporary styled seats, and maybe, if I'm feeling dangerous, cloth covered seats. But, as much as I want a new table I love our old table because my Grandmother "lent" it to Hubby and me when we were first married.

When I went to her house to see the table she gave me a lecture on table care. I had to use a table pad, underneath the table cloth, to protect it from hot, cold, and small children. There was probably a talk on keeping it oiled, or something or other. As you can read I followed that piece of advice. Yes, this was the same Grandmother who used to clean her house before and after the cleaning lady.

Well, a never used a table pad. The table did have a table cloth on it, until 3 small children came along. (Think of that magic trick where the magician pulls the table cloth away from the table, while fully set, except substitute a 2 year-old for the magician.)

The table has been through a lot in it's life time. Over time it became the loan-out table within our family. My cousin had it at for awhile (and also refinished, unknown by Grandma.) It eventually ended up at our apartment, then our first house, and it is still with us. Unfortunately, Grandma is no longer with us but her table is, and all that cleaning helps keep her memory alive. And, as I'm writing this I'm thinking I may feel slightly sad to see our table go when we get around to replacing it.

Until then, I keep scrubbing cleaning the table. Wiping it down after each meal. Wiping it down after each coloring session, and yes marker does eventually come off. And every now and then wiping it from top to bottom, and underneath ... how does apple sauce get under the table?