Shiny Happy People

Happy Birthday, dear Ruby! Our little Ruby is nine! Her day started out with modern dance and ballet. She gave all the kids in her classes little favors that we made, using the tiny t-shirt notepads, chocolate hearts and pencils. We sharpened down the pencils to match the size of the notepads. They were so cute, I was wishing I was nine so I could have one! The beautiful tulips my mom gave me the other day must have brought a little bit of spring...the sky was pure blue today. It was gorgeous weather for sledding with the Scheullers. Thanks, guys! What would we do without you? Ari said, "Mom, you and Sarah were strangers and then you met and now you're friends, and now we get to play with them." I told her that, actually, we were never strangers. We always knew each other. I'm so luck to have my childhood friends. It's just easier than making new ones! Thanks, guys! :) (If you remember me tripping and diving across the floor at ballet or had a role in "Days of Our Lives, the jr. high version," I'm talking to you!)
Speaking of friends, I posted this picture of my LOVE pillow for Michelle. This is the one my mom made for my doll, Elizabeth, to match the big one that I had. Cute, but not as cute as Michelle's!
As I sit at the kitchen table eating cookie dough and blogging, Ruby and her friends are watching the Miss America Pageant. The Girls' Spa Night birthday party went long for this, and the tweens are lovin' it. A BIG cheer went up when Miss Utah made it to the next round. She stayed in it long enough to impress my party girls with her modest swimsuit, then she got axed. Oh well. Now they're vehemently rooting against Miss Washington. All the girls are just glowing from their facial masks and cucumber eye therapy. Their comments about the Miss America contestants indicate that they are all sweet and confident girls. It's fun to sit in the background, obsolete, except for when someone needs a drink! Ruby wanted to make chocolate chip cookies at the party instead of having a cake. What a great idea! As I served the platter of cookies in the TV room, singing Happy Birthday, holding the platter and taking pictures at the same time, I thought once again about how much my waitressing experience has helped me in life. If you're thinking about having kids, go work in a restaurant for awhile. I promise, nothing will prepare you better for having kids who all want something different and ridiculously specific, all at the same time. If you can't pour pancake batter into Mickey Mouse shapes, put a bib on, get plates out, flip the pancakes at the right time, answer geography questions and shout if someone's note is out of tune while you stick straws in a juice boxes ("Not that way!"), your kids could starve!
Anyway, I wanted to post things that make me happy, like tulips and t-shirt-shaped note pads, but the cucumber facials are my favorite today. Girls, you're amazing!