Celebrating Love

Celebrating is something that I enjoy oh so much!  Any reason will do really...you have the basic holidays (with Halloween & Christmas being front runners for me in that category), anniversaries, milestones, and let us not forget - BIRTHDAYS!  And on this one day, to specify more clearly - my Hubby's birthday.  This 28th of August he is 28 years young.  Carly and I spent most of yesterday trying to pull off a fabulous 3 person party for this day!!

Carly was in charge of the cards & signs, which she, of course, dug into with relish:

I set out to make a fantastic birthday cake - the birthday boy's favorite of course - Carmel cake with Carmel frosting (and a chocolate filling).

Not exactly Cake Boss material, but edible no the less.

Carly put on the candles

We wrapped presents...ok ok...we stuck them in gift bags.

And we were just finishing the final touches on the cake when the side door swung open and in walked the birthday boy -  EARLY!  I loved the smile on his face when Carly, so excited, told him we were making him a birthday cake.  He graciously offered to leave and come back when we were done...but him breaking up the mad rush of birthday preparations and his "I totally busted you, but I am glad I did" grin were too charming to turn away.  So we finished icing the cake together, and Carly got a few digs in with her fingers (at her Daddy's encouraging of course)!

Birthdays mean presents, parties with loved ones, cake & ice cream - all for you!  And you look forward to it with eager anticipation (I used to claim August as my birthday month!).  And when it's my birthday -presents, parties and ice cream can always put a huge smile on my face - but I love it even more when I can put that smile on someone else's!  Especially someone I love. 

It is greater to give than to receive.

I loved seeing Carly excited and giddy to give her Daddy a big birthday surprise!  It brought me pride and joy that she was my daughter working so hard to make her Daddy the "most beautiful picture"!  Never once did she say this was her party or ask which present was hers.  She packed her own present for Daddy, and put her own card in the bag for him.  For her little two and a half years, she has such a big heart! 

I loved seeing Chris.  And watching his face when he came home and realized that we did this for him.  Seeing Carly tell all about what we did today brought on a smile that only little girls can bring to their Daddy's face!  And the sweet kiss and thank you he gave me before he went to sleep made all the crazy, wild painting, finger slicing (during the cake assembling), mad rush of the day worth it!

And on this one day we are celebrating not only his birthday, but the love in our little 3 person family!