We went out for dinner at Olive Garden last night for my daughter’s birthday and were seated in a booth, behind a family of four that created a terrible atmosphere.  They were all just so nasty and miserable and talking mean to each other.  Sad for a young family with what I guess to be an 8year old son and 4 year old daughter…

This is what I wore to dinner… my third outfit of the day…  I went walking in the morning and had to peel the soaked shorts and top off me… I then wore a sleeveless top and skirt, but didn’t want that for air conditioning at mall or restaurant.  So time for my new linen tunic purchased at Burlington Coat Factory for just $7.98 on clearance… Capris are from Sam’s club by Bandolino. So nothing thrifted in this look….

A liitle before 11 pm after returning home,  my daughter decided she wanted to buy lottery tickets for her b’day drawing.  My husband accompanied her ,but an hour later wasn’t back… Phone calls revealed that he was in the grocery store parking lot trying to help this kid get into his car after locking his keys inside.  My husband has a kit that has several tools to help for various cars.  For the first time his kit failed him and not wanting to give up he just kept trying new things .  You see this kid was afraid to call his father for help and Tom so wanted to prevent whatever was causing this kid so much real fear.  When my youngest found out what his father was doing and being frustrated that we were still at home waiting with the cake and candles for our b’day girl, he said, ” Dad’s a sucker, but he has a kind heart!”

 I like sling backs in all forms… Kaspers found at Burlington awhile ago…

Dear Readers, All I know is that those two other family situations created a conversation while they  ate cake about how in comparison they are so lucky to have us as their parents.  While no family is perfect, we sure have a lot of fun and laughter in our home.  I think my daughter summed it up when in her first year of college she saw all the other families moving out and acting like it was an exhausting chore, while we were laughing and having fun with it and exclaimed, ” Our family is a circus!!”  She said it with admiration, cause that could have a whole other meaning…I believe that we had those experiences tonight as a lesson and I am so glad we all got it!  

Gratitude

I am grateful that my husband is the type of man who despite needing to get home to finish the birthday celebration stopped to help someone in distress.

I am grateful that my daughter wtinessed this and was proud of her father and not at all worried about blowing out her candles after midnight….

I am grateful for how we all come together and have so much fun… Even a stop in Walmart was full of laughter…One example… Ashley and I went to the bathroom and Nicholas and Tom were in self check out ringing up our purchasess.  We stood from afar and watched them individually scan my 5 pairs of thong underwear… Nicholas (17) was telling Tom, ” We’ re men, we can do this!”   

I am grateful that after agonizing about shoes to wear for a wedding today, that my birthday girl lit up like a  Christmas Tree and found these  high top wedge sneakers that made her heart sing.. In fact she put them on immediately and wore them to dinner, pics another day…