So I married a farmer...: Thoughts on Birthdays

"Flu season" tends to happen around here in the middle of November, which just happens to be my birthday so as I look back on my birthdays they have been generally good but with a foot note "went to bed early due to ____ (insert all forms of sickness here)" This year was no exception, I completely lost my voice and along with a head cold.

Gifts:
Ben and the boys bought me flowers which seems to have a great impact on Reid because we keep having this conversation:

R: mom, can I tell you a story?

Me: Sure!

R: Once a upon a time a dinosaur

when to the store to buy his mom some flowers.

The End

The big gift I got for myself was hiring someone to take good family pictures for us (click here to see them) what treat, the photos are beautiful and the experience was fun. It feels good to know that there is a record of me looking good, not just in sweats and a pony tail. (and the rest of my family looks pretty darn good too)

Cake:
On the "big" day Dexter and I had this conversation:

Dex: mommy what kind of cake are you going to have?

Me: I am not going to make a cake, I am sick

Dex (with tear welling in his eyes): but mommy it is your birthday you HAVE to have cake

so I made the easiest brownies ever from the back of the bakers chocolate box:

4 squares BAKER'S Unsweetened Chocolate

1/2 cup butter

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 Tbsp. vanilla

1 cups flour

Preheat oven to 375°F. Melt chocolate and butter in small saucepan on very low heat, stirring constantly. Cool slightly.

Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on high speed 10 min. Add chocolate mixture; beat on low speed until well blended. Gradually add flour, mixing until well blended after each addition. Spread into greased 9x13

Bake 25 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Cool completely in pan.

Facebook:
Everyone makes fun of "facebook" birthdays as if they are lame or insincere, I however love them, you know when it is your birthday, and you walk around wishing you had a sign over your head saying "it is my birthday" so people would know, that's what facebook does.

thank you friends for think of me and wishing me well!

Milestones:

It was a big week around here, Reid learned how to tie knots, Dex now wears underwear (a birthday miracle??) and Zane is on the move (maybe he will learn how to sleep next month)