The Big Four-Oh!

I woke up at 4:30 a.m. to go to Boot Camp this morning.  Yes, I know, crazy.  When I signed up I knew my birthday would happen during the four week torture session, but I signed up anyway.  I love to challenge myself and definitely need inspiration and parameters to keep me in check.  That being said, I felt great after my birthday workout and drove home high as a kite.  I found this beautiful ornamental plum tree waiting for me on the deck, along with a handmade card from the husband and boy.  It was such a perfect present and made me realize how much my husband really got me.  A tree.  For our yard.  Planted by my two favorite men.  Yes, happy birthday to me.

I was a little apprehensive about celebrating my big day.  I usually love a party, but finally settled on a trip to Paris with my husband as a way to celebrate my big birthday and our ninth wedding anniversary.  Our friend gave us his apartment in Paris for the week and I used all of our frequent flyer miles to book the trip of a lifetime.

Before all of that could happen, I did have to celebrate my four decades on earth.  I told Steve all I wanted was a cake baked by my guys.  He delivered and then some.  A beautiful two layer, homemade, chocolate cake with coffee cream filling and chocolate ganache frosting.  There were so many candles that Grady thought the fire department might be called.  Fortunately, I'm full of a lot of hot air and managed just fine.  Dinner with family and not having to do the dishes were all I could hope for.

But my friends had other plans...

A surprise party, a slumber party, a book club discussion followed by cake and dancing party...whew.

The Parisian cake just might be my new favorite.  To. Die. For.

I received seven cakes in the four days surrounding my birthday.  That's a new record.

I feel so ready to close out my thirties and look forward to this upcoming decade.  I am ready to embrace whatever life has to offer and I can't wait to see how I grow, what my kid discovers in the next 10 years and where this life takes me and my husband.

Forty is the new thirty, right?  Inspired by my blogging friend, here are 40 things I'm loving right now:

1.  My funky home in the country.
2.  My husband and son.
3.  My newfound confidence in making sauce AND meatballs - thanks to Molly Wizenberg.
4.  Singing California Girls a-la-Beach Boys on the way to school in the morning with Grady.
5.  Growing something, anything from seed.
6.  Rose Wednesdays.
7.  Silver spray paint AND glitter.
8.  A stiff martini at the Valley Ford Hotel.
9.  Hearing my son ask for Tilapia for dinner.
10. Basking in the recent visit from my BFF, Kacy.
11. Stealing away an afternoon to watch 30 Rock on Netflix.
12. Thrifting.
13. The entryway tableau.
14. Plucking apples from our trees.
15. Having a dog snore in my living room.
16. This American Life on NPR.
17. Mary Oliver.
18. The mobile library.
19. Reading each night before I go to bed.
20. Foraging for blackberries.
21. Quick jaunts to the beach.
22. Swapping childcare with other moms, instead of hiring a babysitter.
23. Listening to my son read.
24. Rearranging furniture.
25. Making coffee before the family gets up.
26. Grady's clothing stylings.
27. Seeing 47 dogs line up in my living room, along with feeding bowls & dog tags for each.
28. Setting a table.
29. Cooking for dear friends.
30. Watching the garden die out for the season.
31. Living in a small town.
32. Unearthing my silver slicker boots.
33. Wearing my sexy black heels that tie up on the ankle.
34. Drinking a bottle of Fogdog pinot noir on the deck at Gourmet au Bay on a Friday night.
35. My community.
36. Flip flops.
37. Doing laundry.
38. Watching my little man in the workshop with his dad.
39. Straus Maple Yogurt w/ homemade granola.
40. Myself.

Happy Birthday to me.