Happy Birthday to Me!

Not today, but yesterday was my birthday. I learned this weekend from my mother that she requested the doctor induce birth two weeks early so that I would be born on my bio dad's Valentine birthday. I was 8 1/2 hours late. Of course, she'd never have done that today, but 53 years ago, a little less was known about the advantages of letting a kid cook to full term.

Mr.Studley and I spent my birthday with my mom and her husband in Fort Worth. They took us out one night for Mexican food, and the next night for a fabulous steak dinner. We had birthday cake back at their house, and my mom gave me a fat check to buy a new outfit of clothes. Life is good.

I was still carrying around the money Mother had given me for Christmas, saving it until I got a chance to shop in Dallas. I bought several skeins of yarn in JoAnn's Fabrics, and a Lucy Neatby sock knitting book, along with three new sets of bamboo dpn's at the Woolie Ewe in Plano. There were scads of yarn there that I wanted to buy, but it wasn't in my budget.

On our way home, we stopped at Whole Foods Market in Plano. Mr.Studley and I were like a couple of kids in a candy store. All that luscious looking organic produce had our mouths watering. There were samples being given throughout the store of various goodies. I told Mr. Studley, if we lived there, I could do a lot less cooking. I'd just drag him down there every day at dinner time, and we could cruise the store for sample freebies. Not having to buy groceries is likely the only way we could afford to live over there. Practically every other parking space was occupied by a Lexus.

Fortunately for us, the weather had turned a bit colder the night before, so we were able to pick up some perishables there (purchases, not freebie stuff). We sat them in the back of the pick-up so they'd stay cold on the trip home.

One of the things we bought at Whole Foods was goat cheese, something Mr.S. and I had never tried before. It is now our new favorite snack! Another stop we made on the way home was at the World Market in McKinney, where I bought some flatbread crackers. They have toasted carraway, poppy, and sesame seeds in them. We've been spreading the goat cheese on them, then drizzling honey on top. It sounds weird, but it's truly delicious.

In other, and more exciting news, I won a blog contest last week! Natalie, at Tins and Treasures, gave away a big bag of pink, girlie-girl, Valentine goodies, and I won! I had a blast going through the bag, pulling out one pink treat after another. What a shame the only one at home to hear my squeals of delight was my dog, Leyna. ;-Þ

I first met Natalie through her blog about six months ago. We became quick friends. I'm so thankful that our paths have crossed. She's such a warm and caring person. I love reading about the high school classes she teaches. It shows that she puts 100+ percent into those classes, and her students. They are blessed to have her as their teacher! She shares many of the recipes she teaches her students with her blog readers, too. Her crafts are amazing. She has such talent! Everytime I walk in my front door, I now see the red heart she made. I think of her, and am blessed all over again.

Whoa. Would you look at the size of that big, honking box?

What a pretty gift bag. It was stuffed to the gills, too!

It looks like I hit the motherlode! Click on the photo to enlarge, and you can see all my goodies.

This is now hanging on my front door. I love it. I love everything. Thank you, Natalie! You have truly blessed me.

For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

~1 John 3:11 New King James