Happy Birthday Papa!

Papa's birthday month is in full swing and today is the pinnacle .. your actual birthday. Yesterday James and
I made little pumpkin
patch cakes. Today we'll decorate them and after your favorite meal.. Shake and Bake chicken we'll blow out your candles. We sure wish you were here to blow them out. We miss you so much and most days still can't believe you are really gone. Maybe because you can never truly be gone as you will live in our hearts for eternity. It still seems so unfair that your life was cut so short -- you had so many great experiences to enjoy. Oh, I miss you so much it hurts! I suppose you are watching over us and experiencing it all with us.. in some ways you aren't missing a thing; but we sure miss hearing your laugh, your perspective and your support.

Happy Birthday!
Love, Lisa, James and John

Photos are from 2006, the last time we celebrated your birthday together.


Our Birthday Celebration for Papa and James 1/2 Birthday - Pumpkin Patch Cakes plus Shake-n-Bake chicken with baked potatoes and green beans!

Challenge: For all my friends who dread their birthdays... in honor of Rick's birthday -- I don't know anyone else who loved his birthday more....I challenge you each to take another approach and embrace your birthday, celebrate your life, yourself, your friends, your family and most of all HAVE FUN!!! Find joy in every moment, you just don't know when it will end.

Introduction and Why?

For several years I've been wondering about blogs and why I should care? If it's like a journal why would I write for everyone to see. Plus what possibly would I want to write . Recently, a mom from our birthing class, as all our little ones were about to turn five, something about celebrating 5 years of parenthood and she is right. Our children's birthdays are not just a celebration of their age on this earth but also a celebration of becoming a parent the first time, the second time and beyond for those of you who have more than one, each birthday is a celebration of you as a parent as well as the birth of the child. Anyhow, over the last several months I've been planning my son's 5th birthday. Somewhat in awe and wondering how in the world it has been five years. He has been such a complete joy, even though when I found we were having a boy I wondered.. "what in the world do you do with a boy?" I've learned a lot about having a boy and what fun it can be and couldn't be happier. Parenthood is a roller-coaster with extreme highs and lows and adrenalin rushes, frustration beyond your wildest dreams but in the end it is amazing. I can't imagine life with out our son. I've also learned that every parent makes different choices and has different beliefs and that everything a good parent does does because they believe it is what is best for their family and their child.

I've also learned a lot about myself. While I've always enjoyed going to parties and having fun with friends once I had a child the birthday party took a new meaning. It was a space for me to have fun and be creative all while creating an amazing party for my son. In future posts I will share some of our parties. While there are so many options for parties I am all about the party at home but with a theme. As long as my son will let me I will continue to plan fun at home. I like the control that while other places you can rent make it easy, they take too much of my creativity out of the picture.

I am doing this blog for fun, to record the first 5 years through James birthday celebrations and whatever else inspires me to record here.