How Blessed I am

These are my birthday cake. I don't particularily like cake and this was easy for my DH. Em arranged the plate of cookies and put the tealight in the middle so I could blow it out.
That's my DSIL in the background. They went to dinner with us and came back for "cookies" and to play games with us. We try to get together at least once a month and have a game night with our kids. The older I get the more I appreciate how blessed I am to be in my DH wonderful family.
Isn't it funny how the older you get the less people remember your birthday. But this year turned out to be a special year for me. My parents always remember me with a card and money since we're and hour and half apart. This year though my 86 year old FIL called to wish me a Happy Birhtday before he left to sit at the nursing home with my MIL. My best friend from chilhood called too. Sometimes it's these "random" events that remind me there is a greater force at work in my life. I am trying to remember to be more thankful for these "random" blessings from God. I was cleaning when they called so it was such a lift just to be remembered.

As I was cleaning however all I smelled was the apple slices I had scented with cloves, cinnamon and allaspice that were drying in the oven. For me they took some planning to get underway. As I reada the recipe I found out that they needed to be in the oven for at least 6 hours. Sat was the perfect day, I could put them in and forget about them. I am planning a garland with cinnamon sticks, dried apples and oranges, small wooden spools and homespun. I'll take pictures when it is finished. I need to dry the oranges yet.Of course my DH had to point out that if I had bought them already done it probably would have been cheaper than having the oven on all day. It probably would have but we also got to enjoy the glorius smell all day.
On Friday I didn't go into work until 1:00 so I also got some gingerbread men made. They turned out pretty wel now I just need to finish them.
I am finding that with going back to work full time I need to do a little at a time with much planning. I have things in various stages but that's ok for now. Some things take more time so those wait for weekends or when I know I'll have a block of time.

Well it's off to church for us. It is snowing here in SW PA so I'm sure I'll be in the mood to work when I return. Maybe I'll get to post more projects later.

Rhonda