Each year, on New Year's Eve, we all take a look at our lives and come up with a whole new list of things we could've, should've and would've done in the previous year.....our list of new year's resolutions. We vow to exercise more, eat healthier, finally organize ourselves and our lives, and, in general, improve our performance on all those things we didn't do as well as we would have liked in the last year. I am sure all of you can relate to this. I always come up with my list of resolutions.....some of which I succeed on and....some of which do not get marked off the list. Oh well, these will be carried over to the next resolution list :)
Besides New Year's Day each year, there is also another day that I take stock of my life on. That day is February 9th, my birthday. Here I am enjoying a piece of my birthday cake when I was a little one. My Mother made this photo of me in a little plaid dress sitting in my "baby tender" (high chair) happily eating cake with my fingers. My siblings had not been born yet....
A birthday is not only special to the person who celebrates it, but it is also a day that is very important to the parents of the person celebrating getting another year older. Having had two children myself, who are now young adults, I know the feeling of reflection that a parent experiences when their child has a birthday. The day your children are born is a day you will never, never forget. It was the day that each of your children came into your life.....a day that forever changed your life....a day that you knew the depth of love that a parent has for their children. The love of a Mother for her child is probably the strongest bond on earth. The next photo is me at age 29 with my newborn son, Brandon Lee, born in 1983, as we prepare to leave the hospital in Houston....
The next photo is of my Mother, Lil Thompson, shortly after Brandon was born. The nurse wrapped Brandon in a sheet and brought him out so my Mother could hold him for a moment. My Mother was so happy to be a grandmother for the first time....
The next photo was taken when my son, Elliott Courtland, was born....July, 1989. I was 35 years old when Elliott was born. Here I am with my newborn, Elliott, my son, Brandon who was 6 years old at the time, and my dear Mom. Another happy day....
Each year, on my birthday, I always think of my own Mom. Thank you, Mom, for all went through during your 9 long months of pregnancy and for all you went through during my delivery to bring me into the world and give me life..... of course, my Dad had a big part in this, too! :) Here I am with my Mother when I lived in Houston and she came to see me on my birthday one year. I am not sure of the exact year, but I know I was in my early 30's. We were on our way to celebrate my birthday at Brennan's Restaurant in Houston, Texas, where I lived at the time. The photo was made at my sister's home....
My Mother and I when I was young at a lake in Winter Haven, Florida, where I was born....
Today, February 9th, is my birthday. On my blog today, I would like to share just a few of the photos I have from my photo albums.....a few memories of birthdays past through the years.
Here is a photo of me when I was young with my birthday cake. My father was working at Lockheed in Marietta, Georgia, at the time. My Dad, James Thompson, spent his entire career, after the military, working for Lockheed/Lockheed-Martin. He began his career in Marietta, Georiga, where we lived at the time of this photo. We would move to Florida when I was 4 years old where he would continue his career and help to put men and missiles into space. I am two years old in this photo. The little girl with me was a friend of mine named Leanne King. I have my little hands up to my mouth.....probably tasting the icing..
Here is another photo of my friend and I clapping.....probably after singing Happy Birthday. Sadly, I lost track of this friend after moving to Florida. In those days, of course, we didn't have the means of communication that we have today. In today's world, we could have kept in touch through the computer. You can see in this photo how much fun Leanne and I had together when we were young. Maybe I can find her someday on the computer and see what road life took this little girl down. I wonder what happened to her, what experiences she had, or what type of person she grew up to be. I hope her life was full and that she is happy and well today...
After relocating to Florida, I celebrated my birthdays with my cousins and family. Here I am, after moving to Florida, enjoying some birthday cake and icecream with my cousin, Lee, who was visiting from Jacksonville for the day, and my cousins, Karen and Suzanne. This photo was taken at Karen and Suzanne's home who lived in the house right across the street from my family. That is me with the light colored overalls on. You can see some tinker toys that I received as a gift on the table next to my cousin, Suzanne. These cousins are on my Dad's side of the family. Our families grew to include more cousins, and we are all still very close today. I love all my family...
Here is another photo of me with my cousins, Karen and Suzanne...
Jumping ahead many years, when I was 25 years old, I moved to Houston, Texas, from Orlando, Florida. My sister, Jeri, also relocated to Houston just a few short years later. After my sister moved to Houston, we began to celebrate our birthdays together again. My sister and I are very close, and it was wonderful to live in the same town again. Here is a photo of a birthday cake my sister gave me for one of my birthdays. Jeri lived in a home that had a very nice patio with a water feature. I have nice memories of us enjoying my birthday cake on her pretty china as we sat outside on the patio courtyard of her home. My sister and I don't just use our china for special occasions. We believe in using what you have and enjoying it. Thank you, Jeri, for all the times you have celebrated with me and for all the many renditions of "Happy Birthday" that you have sang through the years. And for the song this morning! xoxo Here is a photo of the cake we shared years ago....
My sister took this photo of my son, Brandon, and I on my birthday out on her patio. It was late in the day so the photo is a little dark....
Another year, another beautiful, delicious cake, and another birthday wish to make....
Sometimes, when my Sister and I were living in Houston, our Mother, who lived in Florida, would come for a visit to celebrate our birthdays with us. Here is a photo of my Mother, Lil Thompson, and I on one of these birthday visits. This next photo was taken of my Mother and I before leaving for dinner at Brennan's Restaurant in Houston.... (I have had to smile at some of my hairdos through the years. A little light on the bangs, there, Kim, but that was in style at the time)
My sister took this photo of me before leaving for the restaurant. My younger son, Elliott, was a baby at this time, and my sister, Jeri, was nice enough to offer to babysit both of my children as part of my birthday gift so that I could enjoy a nice birthday dinner out. Sisters are like that..... I am blessed.
When I was in my early 40's, we relocated back to Florida again. I am so happy that we did because my children were able to live in the town I grew up in and see their grandparents every day! Now that my Mom and Dad are both gone, I am so happy that I got to spend a few years there with them. I was so happy that I lived nearby, too, because when my Mother first discovered she had Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, I was able to emotionally support her and be there for all of her cancer treatments. I will always be thankful for this. My Mother and her doctors at M.D. Anderson in Orlando were victorious in that first treatment, and she would live a few more years. Her cancer came back twice more after I lived in Washington State, but my sister and I took turns flying back to Florida to be with our Mother. I am happy to say that she never had to go through a single cancer treatment alone. Sadly, we lost our dear Mother on June 1, 2008, to cancer. My Mother was a very special person, and I miss her every day. My Father, James Thompson, sadly, also passed away right after my Mother. He died in August of 2008. It was a very hard period of time for me and my siblings. A few years ago, when I was living in Florida, I celebrated a birthday, and my Mother called to tell me happy birthday as she ALWAYS did. I was not home at the time she called, so she left a message. For some reason, I saved her message on my voicemail. Everytime, this message would come up on my message recorder, I hit "save." After my Mother died, and my husband and I sold our home in Silverdale, Washington, we had to disconnect our phone. Doing this meant that I would lose all the messages I had saved on my voicemail. Knowing how much having my Mother and Dad's voice on my voicemail meant to me, my dear husband sat with a tape recorder and taped all the messages I had saved to make sure that I never lost their voices. I am so happy that he did this gesture for me because on my birthday today, I will play the tape and once again hear my Mother's voice telling me "Happy Birthday." I love you, Mom! Here is a photo of me with my two children, Brandon and Elliott, at my Mother and Father's home in Florida, on my birthday with the cake my Mother bought me to celebrate my birthday. Each year, while I was living again in Florida, my Mother bought me a birthday cake. Thank you, Mom and Dad, and thank you for being such great parents to me....
A birthday kiss from my younger son, Elliott....
Flowers from my husband....
Just a couple of months after my husband, son and I moved from Florida to Washington State, I celebrated my 50th birthday. To celebrate my special day, my husband, Mark, and son, Elliott, took me on a dinner/wine tour train ride. We sat in the dome car and there were flowers waiting for me at our table when I arrived. We rode the train along Lake Washington and toured Columbia Winery and enjoyed a wine tasting. I had never been on a train before, and it was a very special way to celebrate my 50th birthday. Here is a photo of the three of us in front of the Spirit of Washington train before our adventure...
I love the smell of a stargazer lily. The flowers are so fragrant that they fill your home with the wonderful aroma. Here I am on my 51st birthday with flowers from my husband, Mark.
After my husband, son and I relocated to Washington State from Florida, my parents were not able to celebrate my birthday with me so they began sending me flowers to let me know they were thinking of me. Here I am at our former home in Silverdale, Washington, celebrating my 53rd birthday. My husband made this photo of me with the flowers my parents sent me....
For dinner, my husband, Mark, and son, Elliott, took me to dinner at a Mexican Restaurant located in Bainbridge Island, WA, that I love......San Carlos Mexican Restaurant....
Another year, another birthday... Here is a photo of my husband, Mark, and I at a unique restaurant called Molly Ward Gardens on the day of my birthday. Molly Ward Gardens is located in a rustic barn-like setting. Inside the restaurant, the style is eclectic with lots of chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. There is a garden area behind the restaurant. My husband and I enjoy having brunch at Molly Ward Gardens....
Our friends, Sandy and Doug Gibson, were living in Poulsbo at the time I was celebrating this birthday and joined us at Molly Ward Gardens. Sandy and Doug have since relocated back to California. We miss having them just a few houses away from us in Poulsbo. Sandy and I met many years ago in Florida. Sandy worked for Lockheed-Martin with my husband at the time. Later, Sandy and I owned and operated a health and weightloss center together in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Sandy became a fitness instructor and now teaches where she lives in California. Like Sandy, I used to be a fitness instructor years ago and was an aerobic director at a raquetball club in Houston, Texas. Here are Sandy and Doug celebrating my birthday with us at Molly Ward Gardens....
The next photo shows me with my husband, Mark, and my son, Elliott, who was living at home and attending Olympic College at the time. Elliott transferred to University of Washington later on where he is now in his 4th year of college studying computer engineering. So proud of him....
My birthday, last year, had a big surprise in store for me. My dear husband, Mark, bought me this Mercedes convertible! I have really enjoyed driving this car over the past year. Here I am with the car which is parked in back of our little cottage. This photo was taken on February 9, 2011, before my husband and I left to go over to Seattle to celebrate my birthday....
My husband and I celebrated my birthday together by having dinner at a place I enjoy in Seattle called "The Pink Door," and then visiting the Seattle aquarium...
Me at the octopus tank....
We had such a nice day seeing all the beautiful fish at the Seattle Aquarium. There are so many different and unique types of fish in the world....
Of course, you have to get a photo of Nemo..... "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...."
My husband, Mark, and I also enjoyed our lunch at "The Pink Door." Here is a photo I made of my husband enjoying some of our appetizers. Thank you, Mark, for making all of my birthdays special and for spending your life with me. Just spending my life with you has been a wonderful gift, and I am blessed....
When we arrived back home from Seattle, I received these beautiful flowers from my son, Brandon, and his girlfriend (now his wife) Amy. It was so sweet of them and made my day even more special because of their gesture. I also received a beautiful limoges box from my son with butterflies on it. Here I am with the flowers from Amy and Brandon. Thank you to my loved ones for making my day so wonderful. I am blessed to have you in my life and love you!
I also received some very pretty flowers from my beautiful step-daughter, Ashley, and her family. Wow! Two beautiful bouquets of flowers in one day! How lucky can a girl get? Lucky enough to have a wonderful family who loves her and hopes she has a nice day on her birthday.....even though they live far away and cannot be there to celebrate with her. Yes, I am blessed to have my wonderful family. I cannot imagine my life without them....
I have had so many wonderful birthdays through the years....each one holds special memories for me of times spent with those I love....people who cared enough to want me to have a nice birthday. Even though I have loved each and every birthday card, cake and gift I have ever received, the biggest gifts for me have been the things that aren't actually objects.....the gifts that my family and loved ones have given to me through the years that you cannot buy......
Thank you, Mom and Dad, for the gift of giving me life.....for the gift of showing me what being a family means. Thank you, Mom, for the gift of support, the gift of listening, the gift for always being there, the gift of your time and for showing me the gift of "for better or for worse, in sickness and in health." Thank you for giving everything you had to your family and for putting us first. You showed me what being a Mother is all about. Your are a tough act to follow, but I hope that I can be, to my children, the Mother that you have been to me. Thank you, Dad, for teaching me about things outside the home.....the gift of patience on a lake or river as you wait for a fish to bite, the gift of an appreciation for wildlife, the gift of creativity, for the gift of self-esteem as you tell me that I can do anything, am as good as anyone, or can accomplish anything I want to do. Thank you both for never giving me doubt that I was loved....something many people spend years in therapy for as they try to figure out if they were loved or learn to love themselves. This was something I never have or never will question. I miss you both....
Thank you, to my sister, Jeri, for the gift of your hand.....for always being there to hold mine at the times that were hard for me....We can go through anything together. Thank you for the gift of enduring love through the years. Except for the first 3 l/2 years, you have been with me for my entire life. No one knows me better than you. Thank you for the gift of learning what it means to share....sharing parents, sharing a bedroom when we were growing up, sharing toys, sharing clothes, sharing a history, sharing secrets and knowing the other one would keep them, sharing a cup of tea and shortbread when the other one was not feeling well or needed someone to talk to, for sharing so many things in life......but, especially, now that our parents are gone, for sharing the memories of them and helping me to remember some little detail of our lives growing up that I may have forgotton. It is so nice having a sister that you love, and who loves you, to walk through life with. I am so thankful for the gift of YOU. I love you dearly, Jeri xoxo Thank you for all the things we have in common as sisters. I can walk into a store miles away from you in another State, buy something new for my home, only to find out you just saw and bought the same thing! We share the same taste for beautiful things and experiences in our lives. I am so blessed that I have had a sister. We may not always agree on things, but one thing we will never dissagree on, we can't imagine our lives without each other. Sisters are for life....I love you!!!!
Thank you to my brother, Jeff, for the gift of your love through the years. When you were born, our family was complete. I am so happy to have been blessed with having a brother in my life. Thank you for showing me the gift of giving. You have so much talent and you share that gift with everyone. Thank you for showing me the gift of creativity. If you cannot do or make it, it cannot be done. Thank you for the gift of laughter. You have always been able to make me smile or laugh out loud with your antics. I love that about you..... if you can add joy to someone's life and make them smile, there is nothing better than that.... I am so blessed to have you in my life, Jeff. I love you dearly. Here are three photos of my brother, Jeff. In the first photos, since I am writing about birthdays, I would like to point out that I am wearing a sterling necklace shaped like a bouquet of flowers. This was also a whistle! I received this necklace on my 16th birthday from my Uncle Nolan and Aunt Bettie. My Uncle told me, if you ever need us, just whistle, when he gave it to me. Sadly, my Uncle Nolan, Dad's brother, passed away when I was pregnant with my son, Brandon. I miss you Uncle Nolan! I still have this necklace, and I am whistling.... :) Here are the photos of Jeff....
Thank you to my son, Brandon.... By being the first to be born of my two children, you introduced me to the gift of Motherhood. I never knew the depth of a Mother's love until the day you were born. I am so glad I was given this gift by you and also by Elliott who was born 6 years later. By making me a Mother, you also showed me the gift of what it is like to be selfless. A Mother will always puts her children first.....not because she has to, but it is because she wants to. There is no bond stronger than the love of a Mother for her children. Thank you for giving me the gift of respect.....not because I demanded it, but because you felt and wanted to show it. Parents aren't perfect, but they love their children and try to do the best job they can do to raise their children up to be good people. We have always had a great relationship, something I treasure. Thank you, Brandon, for showing me the gift of achievement. I will always be so thankful that my parents (your grandparents) got to see you graduate summa cum laude with an engineering degree at the University of Florida. You were the first grandchild to graduate and pave the way for your brother and cousins. Because of this, you also have given others the gift of inspiration. Like my brother, you also share your gift of creativity.....you show it in the music you make and the art you create. Now that you are married to your beautiful, Amy, you are able to share the many gifts you have with her.....together, you have so many gifts to share with each other and with your own children someday. I am so happy to have Amy as a part of our family. I love you....
Thank you, Amy, my beautiful daughter-in-love, for the gift of love. We fell in love with you from the moment we met you. I could have searched the world and not found a more perfect match for Brandon. You are so compatible because you both have good hearts. xoxo Thank you for the love and support you show to Brandon. Thank you for being, not only my daughter-in-law, but my friend, too! It is so nice to have another girl in the family :) I am so happy to have you in my life. You are as beautiful inside as you are outside. Thank you for also the gift of the future.... the future of many wonderful memories to come. I look forward to watching you and Brandon building your lives together. I love you! xoxo
To my younger son, Elliott... As I thanked Brandon, I also want to thank you, Elliott, for the gift of being a Mother. You and Brandon have taught me how much love there is in the heart of a Mother for her children. I am so blessed to have you and Brandon in my lives. Thank you, Elliott, for the gift of amazement. I will never forget the day you amazed Brandon, his friends, and I when you were just a small child, by writing your name on the sidewalk with chalk. This was before you were in pre-school. This would be the first of many times that you have amazed us. Thank you, Elliott, also for the gift of kindness. You are always so kind and positive about things in life. I have never heard you say a bad word about anyone. You always see the good in everyone. Happy are those who call you friend because you also give the gift of loyalty. You stand by your friends and family through good times and bad. You can be counted on, Elliott, which is also sharing another gift.....dependability. This is a trait that will be a real asset in the work place after you graduate from college. You, like Brandon, also have a good heart. You would never intentionally hurt anyone. I am so proud fo your good heart. This leads me to another gift. Both you and Brandon give me the gift of pride. I am sooooo proud of both of you! You both have become wonderful people with good hearts. I love you, Elliott! xoxo
Elliott and I at the University of Washington the year he began attending college there....
Christmas, 2010, at our home in Poulsbo, WA.....
To my beautiful step-daughter, Ashley..... I consider you a daughter, not a step-daughter, for it is the love in the heart that determines the connection and relationship.....not the title. Thank you, Ashley, for the gift of choice. Not being your birth mom, you chose to love me which makes that love very, very special to me. I am so blessed to have you in my life. You have so many gifts to give to others. Besides the gift of choice that you gave to me, you give the gift of listening. You always hear what others are saying and you listen with your heart as well as your ears. You also have shared the gift of wisdom. You have always loved reading and learning about new things. This, in combination with your gift of listening, is a winning combination because we all benefit from your gift of sharing. You enjoy sharing with others the many things you discover and learn. These gifts make you a natural teacher. Because of your gentle nature and loving heart, people love to learn for you. Thank you for all the many things you have shared with me. Thank you, also, for giving your Dad and I the gift of being a grandparent. Watching Brenna grow has been a joy to us. We are so proud of her and love her dearly. xoxo Here are some photos of Ashley and Brenna. This one was taken at a park in Seabeck, Washington, when they were visiting us a couple of years ago...
Brenna at a dahlia garden in Silverdale, Washington...
Ashley and Brenna at Playalinda Beach in Florida. This is the beach I went to when I was growing up.....
To my dearest husband, Mark..... Thank you for the gift of enduring love. We first met in Junior High School and dated in the 11th and 12th years of high school. After high school, we went our separate ways and came back together. You have known me for most of my life. You are truly the great love of my life. Thank you for the gift of family. You are my family. Thank you for the gift of memories. It is so nice to be married to someone who can share so many of life's memories with me. We grew in the same small beach town in Florida. I can talk to you about some little memory of a place or experience that I had growing up, and you can relate to and picture exactly what I am talking about. Because we have known each other so long, you also share many of my memories of my parents and siblings. I also share many of your memories of your own family. Thank you, Mark, for sharing the gift of service with others. You not only have served your country as a submariner for many years in your life but you have also served your friends and family. You love helping others and will be the first one to volunteer to do something to help someone else. This also leads me to the gift of dependability. When you tell someone that you will do something for them, you always deliver. You are always the one that I can count on. Thank you for the support you have given me.....the love and understanding that you never fail to show. Thank you for being there for me when my parents were ill and for being there during the darkest hours of my life after I lost them. As my Dad told you at the end of his life, "You are a good man." You also share with me, Mark, the gift of achievement. You are known for getting the job done no matter what task you are given. You make me proud everyday. After retiring from the Navy as a Chief Warrant Officer, you began another career. You began as an entry level employee with your company and today you are a manager sitting in as an acting Senior Manager. What an accomplishment! I am so proud of you. It is because of all the wonderful gifts that you give to others that you are where you are today. Obviously, others see what I do in you. Thank you, Mark, for the gift of companionship. I not only love and adore you, but you are my very best friend. I cannot imagine my life without you. You make everyday special for me.....just by having you in my life. Thank you, lastly, for the gift of a blessing. I am truly blessed because of you. Thank you so much for making not only my birthdays very special, but also for making each and every ordinary day a special one. I love you with all my heart. xoxo
Lastly, I would like to thank all my lifelong friends....those who knew me in school when I was young and have stuck with me through the years and are still my friends today, thank you for the gift of time. You have given me the gift of a friendship that has stood the test of time. You know who you are and I am soooooo blessed to have you in my life. Thank you for walking through life with me and for the gift of your friendship and love through the years. I love you! xoxo
Last but not least....To my girlfriend, Lori... Thank you for giving the gift of your heart. You, truly, are my sister of heart. We are so close that people even ask us if we are sisters from time to time. I guess what we share and feel in our hearts is obvious to others, too. Like true sisters, we are there for each other through all the good times and the bad. We rejoice in the good and cheer each other on, and we also console and lift each other up in the hard times. Thank you for always being there for me. Neither time nor distance can separate "the leopard ladies." I love you! xox
My post today is long but very meaningful to me. Thank you for stopping by to say hello to me on my birthday and for taking the time to read by blog. I wish you many happy birthdays in your own life, and I hope you have a wonderful day today. xoxo Kim
Happy Birthday!!! Thank you for your love and support. I am blessed to have you in my life.
xoxo Ashley
Posted by: Ground Support | Thursday, February 09, 2012 at 05:59 PM
(((Kim!))) HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Wow, this is a beautiful, heartfelt posting! I was wondering what you have been up to and now I know. You were creating this wonderful posting about gratitude and the gift of life, love, and family along with meaningful life values. I have really enjoyed getting to know you over this past year. Thank you so much for the beautiful valentine card today it made my day. This evening after work, I was at a vintage craft mall and almost bought a frame that would have been perfect for the picture that you sent me. It had a lighthouse and ship and it was a light blue color. I may go back to get it. Every time I see a bluebird I think of you. Your mom and dad raised a beautiful and caring daughter. They have given you so much and I'm sure they felt the same way about you. Your sons, step-daughter and Amy are blessed to have you. You and Mark are a beautiful couple! That is such a romantic story how you dated during high school, went your separate ways, and then came back to share your lives together. What a great birthday gift! Your Mercedes is sweet! Does it have T-tops or a hard top? That is so cool! Kim, you are a sweetheart with a kind soul! Love the pictures of you when you were little. Thanks for sharing the story of you and your birthdays.
Your photos are gorgeous and I love the way you write.
Happy Birthday Kim!
XXOO and lots of cyber hugs!!
~Sandy
Posted by: Sandy | Thursday, February 09, 2012 at 06:34 PM
My dear Kim,
What a beautiful tribute to your loved ones. I enjoyed reading all your wonderful memories. You are such a special woman, your family & friends are truly the ones who are blessed to have you in their lives.
I was so touched that you included me in this beautiful tribute, it truly brought tears to my eyes.
I love you sister of the heart. Xoxo
Posted by: Lori | Thursday, February 09, 2012 at 07:29 PM
Oh Kim,
I missed your Birthday yesterday. Happy Happy Birthday, dear friend. There are so many special memories on this post for you, and so many beautiful pictures. I also wanted to say Happy Valentine's Day. I do hope that you have a special day of love. I will be in the kitchen making dinner on Sunday for my family. Please come and visit with me, as I have a Valentine message for you. Happy weekend, and have fun in that Mercedes!
~Sheri at Red Rose Alley
Posted by: Red Rose Alley | Friday, February 10, 2012 at 08:18 PM
What a love filled post Kim...I so enjoyed seeing you from a little girl up, and all the pictures and stories about you family and parents. You have always been a beauty and a lady filled with love. Sorry I missed your birthday on FB...but I can see that it was indeed a very happy one! Happy Valentines day today! ;D
Posted by: Julie Harward | Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 10:53 AM
Just wanted to come on over and wish you a Happy Valentine's Day, Kim! I hope you enjoyed this special day of love.
~Sheri at Red Rose Alley
Posted by: Red Rose Alley | Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 07:57 PM
Hi Kim,
Happy Belated Birthday I truly hope you had a Blessed Day!!! Beautiful Words, beautiful memories beautiful pictures I enjoyed every second just Beautiful. xox ;) Trish.
Posted by: Trish Rowley | Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 08:09 PM
Hi Kim,
Just checking in to see how you're doing my friend. Guess you're taking a little break from blogging. Miss seeing your posts. Stay in touch.
Hugs,
~Sandy
Posted by: Sandy | Monday, February 20, 2012 at 06:40 PM
Hello dear friends!
I want to thank you soooo much for the beautiful birthday wishes that you left me on my comment section of my blog. How blessed I am to have such great blogging friends and followers!!!! Thank you from the very bottom of my little heart! I also wanted to explain a short hiatus on my blog. I joined my husband for business trip to Washington, D.C., this past week. He was suddenly sent there for some meetings and would be gone on Valentine's Day so my dear husband invited me to join him. We took two extra days to explore the Washington, D.C., area and see some of our historical sights and museums. We had a wonderful time seeing many things that stirred my patriotism and also my heart. I have sooooo many photos to share with you which I am in the process of uploading to my computer and resizing. I hope to have a couple of postings done this week. Here is a little tease.... One of my postings will include some inauguration gowns worn by the present and former First Ladies. So, check back in with me for I have a lot to share with you! I hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day and also a great President's Day yesterday. Again, thank you for your sweet birthday wishes. I am so blessed to have such great friends! Love to you all! xoxo Kim
Posted by: Bluebirds and Butterflies | Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 04:56 PM
Hi Kim,
Did you get the comment I just wrote before this? About Pinterest. Come to my site and hit the follow button then you can follow my pins. Why don't you grad the Pinterest button and put one here on your sidebar that way readers can follow your pins.
~Sandy
Posted by: Sandy | Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 05:34 PM
Kim,
I wanted to thank you for the beautiful comment on our Whitney post, and also the New Orleans one. The girls loved New Orleans. I didn't know that you were Catholic. That is just one more thing that we have in common. I was raised Catholic, and through the years, have never changed. I can't wait to see your Washington pictures.
~Sheri at Red Rose Alley
Posted by: Red Rose Alley | Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 06:46 PM
There are some great pictures on here. I love the White House in the dark.
Posted by: [email protected] | Wednesday, February 29, 2012 at 09:50 PM
WOW, I read every single word here Kim.
So nice to meet you. Great post about all of the "loves of your life".
I was an aerobic instructor too!!
I have 3 kids too!! I know Ashley is your step daughter ; )
I LOVE stargazer lilies too!!
I have one sister too!!
I LOVE birthdays too!!
I might be older though, lol.
My birthday is March 19th. I'll be 56. I think I have a couple yrs. on you???
I LOVE that you LOVED your mom and dad with all your heart. I just lost my mom in Oc. She would have been 93 last month Feb. 10th. My dad has been gone for over 30 yrs. ; (
It was nice to take the trip to Washington, D.C. with you too.
I'm from Ontario, Canada. Not sure if you knew that.
I see you are also friends with sweet Sheri from Red Rose Alley. Is that how you found me??
You are BEAUTIFUL Kim. I LOVE your style, your smile, you love of life and that you LOVE birthdays. I do too.... I've said that before, lol.
Hope you have a great day.
Thank you for all the love you shared on this post.
I'm going to be nosy and look through more on your blog.
Love from Canada
Claudie
xoxoxo
Posted by: claudie | Thursday, March 01, 2012 at 10:13 AM
Hi Claudie,
Thank you, thank you, for all the beautiful comments. Sounds like we have a lot in common in our lives. Thanks for the sweet comment on my age....I am actually 57 as of February 9th last month. But, I never look at age in a bad way, you know? I always take the attitude on my birthday that I will never be this age again....this young again. This attitude helps me face every birthday feeling blessed. :) You mentioned your upcoming birthday. My husband, Mark, has a birthday March 5th that we will be celebrating. We are the same age, my hubby and I, but my birthday is 4 days shy of being exactly one month before his. We tease I am the older woman during that period. HA! You are a lovely lady, too. I love your spunk and love of life. I am very sorry to hear about your loss of your own Mother. I miss my dear mom every single day. It has been 3 years for me living without her. I miss seeing and talking to her. I see you lost your father many year ago...my Dad, too, is now gone. Lost him two months after my Mom died. 2008 was a hard year! Anyway, I am blessed because I had them both. I will keep you in my prayers, Claudie, as you heal from the loss of your Mother. I know she looks down from heaven and smiles when she sees you. After losing my parents, blogging helped me to heal. Keep blogging and smiling. You have a bright and beautiful smile, friend. Thanks for your visit and all the sweet comments. Have a beautiful day there in Canada. xoxo Kim
Posted by: Bluebirds and Butterflies | Friday, March 02, 2012 at 08:47 AM