Fabulous Forty!

What a fun-filled, fantastic, fabulous day turning 40! I do think it was my best birthday ever! Brad took the day off today, I gave the treadmill the day off, and we took off for Seattle. I don't mean to bore your eyes with repetitious themes, but we went to Seattle for a very repetitious reason...to go get cupcakes! All I wanted for my birthday cake was a cupcake from Trophy Cupcakes. Well, as evidence of my Creator's love for me, one of the featured cupcakes today was Chocolate Peanut Butter. Oh, the love. I started this post promising myself I would not go on and on about the cupcakes. I've done that enough. So I'm using great restraint right now, because you can trust me that those cupcakes are worth going on and on and on.

The day started with these beautiful roses from my hubby. Can't you just almost smell them through this picture?!

And here is the variety pack of cupcakes we came home with. Just look at them. Oh, please.

Now here's where the fun just kept coming! Brad and I went out to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. Sitting right next to us at this long table was a Red Hat Club. They were so sweet. I just kept grinning at the irony of turning 40 and being seated next to these sweet older ladies. Not that I was struggling with 4-0 in any way, but if I had been, this would have been great perspective! So while we were waiting for our lunch and they were waiting for their supper, I went over and sat with them and chatted them up a bit. I asked if they would mind a picture, and they were kind enough, despite being a bit perplexed, to agree. When I told them I was celebrating my 40th, they got all excited and told me I was old enough to now be a "princess" in this Red Hat society. Apparently I'm now free to wear pink! Not red, but pink! How cute is that?? I'll have to get myself a pink hat now.

And, for the record, I did not eat any cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory. I was saving that sweet spot for a fabulous cupcake. Have I mentioned the cupcakes??

Then, driving home from Seattle, we see this plane flying a banner. As it turned the corner, we saw this...the 12th Man flag!! I like to imagine that in the light blue rectangle it says, "Happy Birthday Leanne". Perhaps they should have made the letters a bit bigger. That's okay, because my next gift is below...and it totally makes up for it!

Ta-da!!! A Seahawk jersey with my name! I know they put it on there because there's like a real player that just so happens to share my great last name. I do know that. But think about it! It doesn't matter if the football-playing Carlson is traded or injured (I mean it matters, but you know...), this jersey will always work because this will always be my name and I'll always be a Seahawk fan! (At this point you should be sensing the sugar rush coming through my fingers!)

Then, this phenomenally sweet gift...a birth stone ring! I have always wanted a sapphire, and now I have this beautiful one from my sweet man. Love, love, love it. And please notice how the ring posed itself above the cupcakes. Good taste, that ring. And that cupcake.

Then our time went into hyper motion. The girls both had cheer practice, and Alex had a music rehearsal from 7-10. So we got some super fabulous Daddy-O burgers and ate in the park. I love these 3 so much, and I love celebrating my birthday with them! And, should you doubt my words, they will testify to the goodness of the cupcakes.

And my sweet cheer girls made practice so much fun. I lost count of how many times they burst into a made-up Happy Birthday cheer. They brought me flowers and...hold on...CUPCAKES!, and cards. I was so spoiled by them. I loved every single hug and sweet wish. So, very appropriately, I spent some of my lunch with a group of gals in their 80's (and one 90!), and then my evening with sixteen 7 & 8 year-olds! What a perfect blend! And above all, I spent such great moments with my family. I'm a blessed girl!

See? 40 truly is fabulous!!