A final update:
- Good news and bad news. No, we did not reach our goal of 5,000. The good news is that we did hit the grand total of 3,682. It makes us only 1,318 short of our new goal 5,000 by May 1. While failure on the first goal was acceptable, failure on this newly revised goal is not an option. My good friend sent an encouraging email after reading today's blog and signed it simply... "Reaching for 5000!" I love it as a slogan, so from now until the glorious day we reach our number, that is how I will sign off. Thanks for your help in assuring my success.
- Cheryl.... Congratulations! You are the winner with a total of 7 referrals to my site. So, from where do you want your gift card issued? Respond ASAP and I'll have it for you tomorrow night.
Thought #1:
Back and forth, back and forth... and finally I decided to stick with my original plan. The thing I will keep at stake is my pride. That means avoiding, at all costs, the idea of having to post a picture of me in a bathing suit. I've got no strategies up my sleeve right now except a loyal group of friends who will not let this happen.
Thought #2:
Birthdays, birthdays, birthdays galore. April 10 was my mother in-law's; April 13 was my sister's; and yesterday - of course - was Matthew's. I have so many fond memories of birthdays as a kid, I thought it would be worth spending time talking about all the creative ways to make birthdays magical. Some of the things I remember are:
- My mother would always hide a small birthday treat in our cereal bowl, starting our morning off just right.
- We always set the menu for our birthday dinners. What's really funny... mine was corn beef and cabbage (!); my mom's was Kentucky Fried Chicken; one of my sisters requested BLT sandwiches; and I don't remember what my dad and other sister requested.
- While our school lunches were usually an apple juice, a sandwich, a piece of fruit, and a shortbread cookie, on our birthdays the apple juice was replaced with a can of fruit and the shortbread cookie was replaced with a hostess cake of some sort. Also hidden in the lunch bag was a new pen, a fun eraser head, or some other fun school supply.
- Mrs. Kellerman, the woman who lived across the street, always secretly invited us to her house to bake my mother a birthday cake. I always considered that especially thoughtful. I want to be able to do the same thing for the children of a neighbor on my street.
- Finally... a sweet memory, though not really a creative idea... When I was a kid the accepted way to dress for birthday parties... dress, lace tights, and patent leather Mary Jane shoes. For boys it was slacks and ties.
- First, Ricky his older brother, slipped a birthday note in each of Matthew's shoes. I considered that a really thoughtful and inexpensive way to say...you're special.
- This evening our neighbors knocked on the door and did "Birthday Caroling" for Matthew. I loved it. Again, another completely free and thoughtful way to make someone feel special.
How about you? What were your favorite birthday traditions as a kid? And, what other ideas do you have about making birthdays magical?
Reaching for 5000!
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19 comments:
Mom you're off the hook!
Outside of our favorite dinner, my family never made a big deal out of birthdays. I hated it! I decorate the kids rooms with balloons and streamers while they are asleep. When they wake up the are always smiling. Seeing their faces for the first time was actually a GIFT to me. The other thing is that my girls make cards instead of buying them. They really get into it. Instead of inviting all of the class for a party, I go to their school and bring pizza and juice for everyone. Then they get cupcakes and goody bags. It takes the focus on who bought what and brings it back to the actual reason we are celebrating. ......
FYI .... I put a note inside of my girls lunch bags every so often just to tell them I am missing them and how much I love them.... They always tell me that they keep it in their pocket and read it a few times that day...... You never know when they need to hear the words and you aren't physically there to say them......
It's the little things that count!
Something really neat my mom did with my brothers' birthday parties this year... As they were opening each gift, she had the respective child sit next to my brother while he opened it. First, it made that child feel special, and also helped keep the other kids back so everyone can see. Then, after opening the gift, she would take a picture of my brother and that friend with the gift that they gave him. This way, she and my brother could remember what each friend got him when writing thank you cards. BUT to top it all off, she printed each picture out for my brother to give to each friend in their thank you card! I thought it was a super fun and easy way to say thank you. Now his friends can remember how much fun they had a Riley's Chuck E. Cheese birthday party!!! I think my mom plans to continue this new idea, and I also plan to do the same thing when I have kids someday!
I love birthdays. My parents always made a big deal out of them. Now I'm doing the big stuff for my kids. It's sometimes out of control.
I think one of my best birthdays as a kid was when I turned 5 and my parents took me to Disney World and I had dinner in Cinderella's castle. I felt like such a princess.
Now, I'm the queen of 2 little boys. So far their birthdays have been HUGE (they're 3 and almost 2). Lots of people, food, performers (last time I even got an airbrush tattoo) and of course there were special cups with the party logo made (another Struble party tradition). We kept some cups for both boys from their parties for them when they get older and tons of pictures. I think it was more fun for the adults than the kids. They were definitely events to remember.
Claudia... I know that you will reach 5000 - but in case you ever need a photographer, remember we have one in the family who can do anything. Last year for my birthday card she put my face on the Mona Lisa - in her hands your bathing suit picture would look fabulous.
We always had low key birthday parties but created memories I will treasure forever. Each year we had birthday dinner at my Grandma's house. Even when I was 24 and my Grandma was in the hospital I made the 2 hour trek home to see her for my birthday and we shared a piece of birthday cake. I'm glad I did it as she passed away that November.
Now that I have my own daughter (who has my Grandma's name as her middle name) I intend to continue the tradition of birthdays being a special time to reconnect with Grandparents.
This year instead of doing a big blowout 1 year birthday we are going to Indy to spend the day at the Children's Museum with Grandma and Grandpa Snow and then off to Cincinnati to spend the next day having a cookout with Grandmom.
Our birthdays were never a big deal in my house...really, it wasn't until I came to college that I realized the magic of birthdays (I wonder who helped me realize that?!). However, one small thing that I still look forward to every year is knowing that I will be sung to twice. When we were little, on our birthdays, that's how mom would wake us up was by singing happy birthday to us. Then, when we got older and were waking up on our own via alarm clocks, she would be waiting in the living room singing to us the moment we walked out. Finally, now that I am moved away from home, she calls me every year at 7:45 am (the exact time I was born) and sings to me. The other time I am sung to each year is knowing that at some point during my birthday, my mom's mother will call and sing to us on the phone as well. It's something very small, but a tradition that I look forward to every year.
YAY! I would love a Target GC, Claudia.
Now, regarding birthdays. I feel bad because I don't really remember anything special about my birthdays. I know I had a party when I was about 8 or 9 because I have the photos. I remember a birthday party when I was about 13 or 14 because my mom always talks about Kurt pulling Angie by the head down our stairs. I remember baking and decorating cakes for myself. Being so shy as a kid, I didn't like the focus to be on me. I remember inviting 3 or 4 girlfriends over for a sleep over one year.
Now, having two boys with a birthday less than a month apart and only a year apart in age, I think I may be short-changing them because we have often picked a date in-between and held a party for both. They have a lot of the same friends. The first year we moved back to Texas, I paid them the money that I would have spent on a party and we just went shopping. Is it bad that I prefer that?
Drew's birthday is on Halloween... I mean hello, how many kids get to trick-or-treat on their birthdays? JB's is Nov. 26th... near Thanksgiving. Being divorced, sometimes I'm not even with him.
I love having the combo birthday because I only have to do it once and I can go big with just one. I'm always afraid that if it isn't big enough or fun enough, they'll be disappointed. ayh, the stress! And, parties are expensive! But, I vow to start some traditions of our own! Even if they are only simple ones. :) Thank you for sharing everyone.
Wow... today's posts are some of my favorite! I love hearing all the different birthday experiences. Some big,some not so big. As has been noted so many times by various readers, sometimes it is the smallest - most unsuspecting - thing that we (and our kids) will remember.
Cheryl and others... in searching for small ways to make birthdays feel special... it seems today's posts will be gold mine of ideas. Remember... imitation is the greatest form of flattery!
Cheryl,
Rest assured they will not be scarred for life regardless. As you said you don't remember many specifics aside from what you saw in pictures.
P.S. Hopefully I will get to visit Dallas soon and I expect that I'll get to finally put a face with a name.
One more small note to Cassie and Toni...
No, I'm hoping my decision to confidently stick with my original plan and put my pride at stake (based on my interpretation of what that means) spurs our beloved Toni to ante up something.
My suggestion... Toni has a pretty well established reputation as being the ultimate negotiator. For those of you who have never experienced it... it is truly something to see in action. I would like her to put her reputation as a negotiator at stake. Meaning... If I don't reach 5,000 Toni will have to negotiate some kind of elaborate plan/giveaway/etc... on behalf of the highlowaha.com blog site (maybe a $200.00 gift card to somewhere, a piece of electronic equipment, two free plane tickest, etc.... Two questions...
1. Toni... are you ready and up for it?
2. Readers... what would we like her to negotiate?
I think Toni's should be if you DO hit 5000 by the 1st and it should be some treat for you...a spa day (I know you hate massages), a kid free girls day...I don't know something fun.
Oh, birthday! The only thing I remember from my earlier birthdays is the cake. My mom ALWAYS had great cakes for me (maybe that's why I love to decorate cakes now..hmmm!). The one that stands out the most to me is the train cake I had when I turned 3 or 4.
I think that kids forget about the presents...they are always having a new favorite toy. And birthday games are the same at just about every party. But have a cake that stands out and that, in my mind, is something to remember.
If you're in PA near Erie, I'd love to do a cake for your next birthday party!
Heather,
If you want to put a face to the name before you come to Dallas, you can click on my name where I have posted in the comments and it will take you to my blogger site and click on the link there at the bottom that says "The O'Pry Adventures." You have to scroll down pretty far to see a picture of me and there are a lot of pictures with me and other girls but I'm the one that's in most of them. HA! You can even watch me ride the mechanical bull! What an idiot!
OMG! That Lily is a doll!!! Now, as for your hair... how do you feel about a short cut? What about some professional color? It is fun to be able to put a face to the name!!
I will need to process awhile on this one.
Toni
Good Morning Sunshine! I'm glad you were born!
Every birthday morning for 35 years! Still more than 7 months away and thinking of mom saying those words makes me cry!
I love you Mom! I'm glad you were born and thank you GOD for giving me to her!
In my family, we had a strict rule: we could have a party with friends only once every other year. Period. This kept my parents from going broke (very tight budget in my childhood home) and crazy (my mom was no highlowaha). It also created more anticipation for the big party years!
Most years, my mother would put helium balloons in the shower so they were there when I pulled back the curtain in the morning. It started the day off with something celebratory!
My dad was often away, but when he was home for bdays, he would pull me out of school for lunch. Loved it!
Since we are talking about bdays, I will also share that on mine, I send flowers to my mother thanking her for giving birth to me. She LOVES it! This might als score points with a difficult in-law! 'Thanks for giving birth to your child and the love of my life!'
-Anon
What fun suggestions for birthday celebrations! I especially love the small ideas you mentioned that are low/no cost but touch the heart in a very special way.
Birthdays in our family, even to this day are always large family gatherings. It's so fun to know that so many care to celebrate you....either that or they just want cake :)
My young cousins (through marriage) are very well off and get most of what they want/need from their parents. One of the young girls suggested that instead of gifts they birthday goers bring a donation of some sort for a charity chosen by the birthday girl. One year they did toys for a homeless shelter, once pet supplies for a dog pound. I am always so touched that they think of others on a day that is meant for themselves.
Cheryl,
Thanks for the compliments on Lily...I think she is a cutie even if no one else does.
As far as my hair...I could never go as short as yours...definitely not more than halfway to my chin from my shoulders.
I've done a shorter style off and on over the past few years...honestly I just don't like shelling out the money to have it done nicely. As far as color...prior to pregnancy I had the best natural blonde hair with the greatest sun highlights, every hair stylist I ever went to threatened me if I even suggested touching it with color. Unfortunately, pregnancy and a summer stuck indoors with a newborn and my once beautifully blonde hair is more of a blah blah brown...so YES, I definitely plan on doing a professional color when I finally suck it up and go get my hair styled.
In my family, we never had birthday "traditions" so to speak. However, my fondest birthday memories were formed b/t the ages of 9-12, when I was allowed to have "camp-outs" in my parents back yard.
By no means was my parents' backyard large. But they'd set up a 10-person tent, run an extension cord from the garage, and let me invite 6 or 8 friends over for the night. We listened to music and played video games until the sun came up; and I loved every second of it.
Plus we were close enough for my parents to hear any screams, cries, etc. but we weren't actually in the house to get into anything.
My other favorite birthday memory is of the Football Field cake my mother made on my 8th birthday. In my mind, it was the greatest cake ever! (I guess its a good thing Tera likes decorating cakes - if we have kids, they'll be sure to get some awesome birthday cakes!)
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