'Bout sums it up

Saturday night we had a party to celebrate my 40th birthday. Initially, I didn't want a party. Then I thought ok, maybe something simple. Then it got BIG. But in the end, it turned out just right: family, friends, food, fun...

I was so amazed at some of the people who came to help me properly acknowledge this milestone. My aunt and uncle drove all the way from Cleveland! There were friends I've known for years and people I've been more recently lucky to meet. It felt a little bit like a wedding, trying to get around and visit with everyone and make sure they were having a good time.

The party was one of those events that left me enjoying the memories of it even as I woke up the next morning. And as I thought about it, I realized it captured a big part of who I am in just 4 words:

Diet Coke: (My sisters collaborated to create this Diet Coke "cake" made of 40 cans of the good stuff!)

A few other folks know me too well, too...

Chocolate: (This was just one of the representations of chocolate. There was another chocolate cake, ChocoVine wine, brownies and an entire gift pack of chocolate!)

Scrabble: (How did I miss this at Target? I LOVE Scrabble and I'm at Target all the time. But somehow I did, which made this beach towel Scrabble game a super fun surprise!)

For the record, we said "no gifts." But they were sure fun to receive anyway! But honestly, the most fun was just watching who was coming through the door and spending the evening with people I love being around.

If you want the recipe for my sister-in-law's Italian beef, which we served as mini-sandwiches, click on over to my FB fan page. She's a really good cook (unlike some of us) and you're gonna love it!

The 12 blogs of Christmas: #5 -- Soccer Mom's got the spirit

Through the obsession with -- I mean the magic of -- Facebook, I recently reconnected with my friend Lori. She and I met in the lobby of a major pharmaceutical corporation where we were both starting that day as members of the media relations department. If I remember correctly, it was the Monday before Thanksgiving and no one was exactly waiting for us to arrive. We should have taken that as a sign of things to come.

After spending nearly three years writing ridiculously long and convoluted press releases that no one but the legal department was happy with, she and I both left said pharma company to embark on lives as mothers and freelance writers. Aside from the occasional run-in at the grocery store, we haven't been in touch much. But Facebook changed that; Lori found The 4th Frog and I found her blog, A Soccer Mom Speaks.

A few days ago, I read her entry Christmas hits and knew I had to link to the post as soon as I read "Christmas shopping used to mean hunting for something your loved one really wanted; today it's all about finding that one thing your loved one doesn't have."

Then all this RIDEMAKERZ mania happened and I didn't get to it. So tonight, when I went back to Lori's blog to link to her post, I was treated to another link-worthy entry, Mom tunes. Where Christmas hits might leave you a little teary, Mom tunes will have you giggling and singing along.

And the best part? The legal department doesn't get any say!