BirthdayLOVE

Confession: I really like birthdays--everyone else's included. I know it's not as big of a deal to some people, but we've always made birthdays special in my family, so I'm a big fan. "Big fan" (in a Brick whisper voice).

Facebook has semi-revolutionized birthday greetings. Now everyone is aware of your birthday, so they can offer appropriate wishes. I really do appreciate all of those friends and family members of mine who took a moment to wish me a happy birthday on FB, through a text, or over the phone.

I decided to pick out the top SIX (since I just turned 26) birthday greetings I received on Facebook to share with you all here. Beginning from number six:

6: Another year, youngster! - David Putnam 


Thanks, David. While my brother was teasing me all day about getting too close to 30, I get called youngster. I needed that affirmation while I spent my day at the zoo. 


5. Well well well....It is an absolutely beautiful day today. You know why? Because a BEAUTIFUL PERSON's BIRTHDAY is today!!!!! WOHOOOOO!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY my love!!!! :) I hope your day is spectacular!!!! You deserve nothing but smiles, laughter and killer dance moves! Celebrate!!!!! -Kasey Kelly


Kasey, just thinking about you puts a smile on my face. Thanks! :) 


4. Happy Birthday FC!! I hope your day is amazing and that this year would be your best one yet :) I hope Bakersfield knows what it has with you as a resident!!! -Jeff Taylor


Thanks, FC!...and thanks for not making a crack on Bakersfield for once in your life. :) 


3. What is this?? You having a birthday?? I didn't even check my calendar yesterday or today cuz I knew it was the weekend! hahah Imagine!! Happy Birthday, you gorgeous, sweet young lady!!! Sounds like your birthday WEEKEND has been wonderful!! Flying a helicopter and the lions, tigers and bears all in one weekend?? You are so special...guess you get to do all of that ! Love you!! -Mrs. G


I just love you, Mrs. G! I could hear your voice and see your beautiful face as I read this. 


2. Happy Birthday to you dear Amy Happy Birthday to you!!!!!! And many more!!!!! Love ya sweet girl, Ron and I wish you a blessed year!!!!!! Maybe this is the year of you know!!!!LOL - Debbie Jonas


Talk about laugh out loud. That last sentence is classic! Let's hope so, Debbie!


AND THE #1 TOP BIRTHDAY MESSAGE WINNER IS.....


1. Happy, happy birthday Amy!!! I just picked up my phone to call you, and I don't have your dang number! How stupid is that?! So this is my phone call... "Hey Amy! It's me, just calling to wish you a happy birthday all the way from England. You're such a wonderful friend and blessing in my life. I hope everyone is spoiling you like crazy today, because you deserve it. Let's Skype soon, k? Ok... gotta go. Love you! Bye!" -Nicole Parker


Winner by far. It would have been an even greater win if I'd have gotten to hear your voice, Nicole, but now I get to keep this in writing forever and always. Thanks! 


I love you all! Thanks for all the birthdayLOVE! 

Elephants and Helicopters.

For my birthday, I told my mom and brother that I wanted an elephant and a helicopter. Why, you may ask? Well, I couldn't really think of anything I wanted, and I really like elephants and helicopters....

Who knew that on my birthday, these wishes would actually come true. :)

I opened my gift from my mother at breakfast, and I found a "grow your own" elephant and a certificate to actually FLY A HELICOPTER!!! This was my reaction...

I believe my face turned beat red and tears fell from my eyes--I was THAT excited!! (I still am!).

SIDE-NOTE (while we're on the topic of presents): I also got a stuffed sushi later in the day. I received some really neat gifts as well, but this picture just had to make it to the blog.

Thanks Jensens! 

And because I wanted to see real elephants, we headed to the LA Zoo after breakfast with some family and friends. Here are some highlights: 

 Beautiful Koala! One of them was carrying a baby on her tummy--amazing--too bad I couldn't catch a picture of it. 

 Dude in front: Whatchu lookin' at?

Dude in back: I don't like time-out. 

 LAZY zebra

 Silly giraffes 

 Cousins

 Erin! (Christy and Carrie and Shelly and Lauren also came, but we failed on the picture front)

 Family with the elephants

 So pretty!

 YEAH! The elephants! ...and not just any elephant, a DANCING elephant (see video below) 

 Yup, my trunk gets heavy sometimes...

This little big guy danced the entire time we watched him. It was hilarious!

And what birthday would be complete without an amazing dinner...

YUMMY dinner at C&Os!

What I Learned at the Eye Doctor...

I had my annual eye appointment today. As I sat in the waiting room, I thought back to my minor panic attack last year around this time when I realized that I could no longer see the bottom row of letters. You hit 25, and it all goes down hill apparently... :) Well, let's hope not because 26 is just a few days away.

Anyway, I learned a few things at the eye doctor today, and I thought I'd share them with you:

1. I am not terrible, but I am a little off (thanks, Doc).

2. I really HATE those eye numbing drops. My eyes still feel funny hours later. Is anyone out there working on a better system? Please?

3. I most likely don't sleep with my eyes completely closed (hence the INTENSE eye watering  weeping that occurs at night and in the morning). Strange.

4. I can't get through an eye appointment without laughing because Brian Regan won't stop running through my head....

How can instantly improved vision not be at the top of your to-do list?!?

And finally...

5. I'm going to look rockin' in my new prescription Aviators! :)

Observations: Part Five

Here are a few observations for your enjoyment (in no particular order):

* Sometimes I find it difficult to hold it together when my kids say the darnedest things. For example....
     ME: What's the base word of condensation?
     KID: Condom? (not trying to be a smart alec)
     ME: (couldn't keep a straight face--oops)

* My students can be quite clever. For example...
     KID: What are you doing for your birthday, Ms. Erickson?
     ME: Going to the zoo!
     KID: Why? You have one right here!
     ME: Touche!

* Kids eat up rewards (literally). I've been handing out hugs and kisses (of the Hershey's variety) for high scores, good tests scores, good behavior, etc. and they are loving it!

* I'm remembering how much I HATE being cold. It also doesn't help that I HATE wearing shoes! I was shocked today when I had to walk out of my warm cocoon of a classroom out into the elements.

* I am a complete SUCKER for tradition. I could venture to say that I'm obsessed with it. I love love love it. I am so grateful for my family who also loves tradition--from Thanksgiving dinner to Black Friday shopping to this lovely one...

Watching Elf and eating pizza with family and friends the day after Thanksgiving. 

* I love kids. I especially adore my cousins. But, as much as I can't wait to have my own one day, I do enjoy the quiet every now and then. :) 

* God has been showing me lately how to be thankful for my singleness during this time in my life: the quiet like I just mentioned, the freedom to travel, the ability to shop when I want, independence, time to work out when I want, more time to read and study and serve (I'd like to focus on those last three a bit more), etc. 

* I don't want to waste this time I have in the Land Between (good book, check it out). 

* I am currently really into elephants and helicopters. In fact, I told my family that all I wanted for my birthday was an elephant and a helicopter. I'm not sure why, but I have a feeling that that's not going to happen... I guess I'll settle for seeing the elephants at the zoo. As for the helicopter? Perhaps that'll have to wait a few more years. 

Anyone know any pilots? ;) 

We Have No Lives.... ("WOW Walmart" is Christy's preferred title)

....so, what do we do on a Friday night? Venture to Walmart (in BAKERSFIELD--it's supposed to be a whisper says Christy) of course!

We just couldn't help ourselves.

Ahh, no you didn't BRA!

This is my cabin sweater. 

This is my everyday wear. 

Sneaky, sneaky, SNUGGIE!

You SNEAKY slipper!

Which shall I choose?

SpongeChristy? ChristyBob?

Woof.

Scandalous! ("I think they mention themselves" -Christy)

You SNEAKY, Amy!

Gambling Lalapalooza doll--way to start um young!

But the pirate is surely ok!

She's a brunette? 

Ummm?

Lady wheeling into the aisle: "Did you get the picture? Am I in it??"

It's what I've always wanted!

It's what I've always wanted!

Lunch and no clean up!

Can life get any better? I submit that it cannot!

Fruit cake mix = epic fail. 

Note: If you did not understand the "sneaky" reference, be sure to watch THIS VIDEO!

ANOTHER NOTE: If you did not understand the"lunch and no clean up" reference, check this out!

It's almost ten.... bedtime. 

Thank You for the Worst Morning Ever...

Thank you, God, for the worst morning I've had in all of my many few years of teaching....

Thank you for the kids you have placed under my care to love and guide with your help.

Thank you for the very real feelings I felt this morning (and for teaching me all about them in this book) and for the tears that I used to express them.

Thank you for showing me your love through the kind words, clean tissues, and sweet hugs from the greatest librarian ever.

Thank you for offering me guidance through a counselor who took one look at me and dropped what she was doing to sit down and help.

Thank you for the blessing of staff members who listened, helped, and hugged me, and for a VP and security guard who checked on me later in the day.

Thank you for offering me peace through a student who sincerely apologized later in the day.


Thank you for showing me your gentleness through a girl who asked for a hug, not knowing how much I needed one too. 


Thank you for giving me laughter through the rest of my kids throughout the day.

Thank you for your prompting to wear my hair straight today so that when kids asked later why I looked different  (I'm sure due to a lack of makeup), I could blame it on the change of hair.

Thank you for sweet messages of encouragement through FB and texts even after I got home today.

Thank you for helping me to see your amazing provision, even in a time of turmoil. 


Thank you for your tears, your love, your guidance, your blessings, your peace, your gentleness, your laughter, your prompting, and your encouragement. 


Thank you for using your children (young and not as young) to teach me more about you today.


Thank you for making beauty from ashes....

One Word Wonder (I was on TV!)

In case you missed it, the madre and I were on the news this week. Our favorite news team, Eyewitness news (mentioned here) , planned a segment about carbon monoxide detectors in homes. They asked for someone willing to open their home to do a few live segments at the crack of dawn  before the dawn cracked, and of course, the madre and I were all over that.

So, on Wednesday morning at a time that is completely ungodly, the news reporter Cambi Brown, the fireman Sean Collins, and the photog LJ showed up on our doorstep (with Polly Pocket--Cambi's adorable dog).

We chatted for a bit, filmed a segment, had some donuts and hung out, filmed some more, and hung out a bit more. Although it was super early, we really did have a blast. Unfortunately, there was a fatal car accident early that morning, so they had to pack up quickly and leave before we filmed the last segment.

And in case you missed it (I know, I know, it's tough to wake up that early), here is one of the segments for your enjoyment:

It's true what they say....tv adds 10 15 pounds. It also turns your pretty purply sweater into a greyish color, makes your eyes look like they are closed (or was that because it was so early?), and turns a person who talks for a living into someone who can only blubber out one word--definitely!

All ridiculousness aside, we did have a blast!

Now go get a carbon monoxide detector if you don't have one!