Our families enjoyed each other very much especially because the three of us had not been together for 3 years; ever since the fellows moved to Utah. Our kids got reacquainted as we set up our tents on top of a sand dune in between our three campsites. It was very windy. Not breezy in a pleasant way but gusty blow the tent over windy. We plunged ahead and began to enjoy ourselves. Somewhere between dinner and campfire the wind died down. Heather F made us song books and she played her guitar and we sang 80's and 90's music with our children while roasting HUGE marshmellows and tropical starburst. JJ and Heather and I planned a campfire cake. It was a cheesecake that had Pirouette roll cookies on top to look like logs and 40 candles bunched up in the middle.
The birthday girls with our cake all aglow. 40 is a lot of candles
I brought bubbles and cut open a glow stick, poured in the liquid and made the bottle of bubbles glow.
Geneya, Leah and Chase up a tree at our campsite
We went to bed late and listened to the skunk walk around the camp sniffing out the starburst dropped into the sand. The next morning we packed up camp and headed to the beach. We BBQ lunch in the parking lot and had a feast. The weather was warm, no fog, no wind and no seagulls. I thank Chase for that, Russ says they were scared of him and stayed away. I had a friend I invited from Benton's swim team come with her family. I enjoyed their company but I think my 15 year old was glad they came since they also have a 15 year old. They played on wave skimmers all afternoon.
One of the highlights was the arrival of Denae Hurd a mentor from our youth. She was the girl's camp director during our early teen years and invited us and our friends to her home in Woodland to hang out often and play live music with electric instruments in her third floor attic/party room. JJ, Denae and I took a walk and hiked up the side of the cliff that follows the beach and had a beautiful view and a good talk and catching up. Denae coming made it very special for me.
I enjoyed it all, even the ride home as my face and legs started to burn with too much sun. I was beat but I had celebrated with style. My face has been peeling for 2 days.
On my actual birthday, I spent the morning in the Oakland temple with Heather F and her husband Mark who is a fabulous husband to make this trip workout for her. We did her grandmother's temple work and sealed her grandmother to her parents and Heather's mother Nancy who passed away a few years ago to her mother. It was wonderful. I love to be in the temple on my birthday. It marks the day I left my heavenly presence so I like to go back their to celebrate with my Heavenly Father. I felt great. Took a couple of pictures of myself outside until Heather and Mark came out and we took some together.
I have looked forward to turning 40 for a couple of years with joyful anticipation. Looking back, I have no regrets. I have had plenty of frustration and failure but I have never felt that I was not doing what I should be. When I felt I was missing something I worked hard to figure out what and become what I needed to for what was coming . Here are some things I have been contemplating as I have turned 40 and made some resolutions.
- Eat for health not for habit or hunger
- I do not have a "bucket list" but I will seize the moment and live to be doing the right thing at the right time with the right people, enjoying the journey instead of enduring to the end
- Live for my own personal happiness. I cannot make others happy. Happy is a personal choice. I CAN lighten their load and love them no matter what. I will choose to be joyful and invite others to join me.
- I'm not sucking in my tummy anymore (which means I will probably look 5 months pregnant most of the time but who cares). I have noticed if affects my singing, which I plan on improving...soon.
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