Turning 50 in Florida

Today is my birthday.  For the past 30 minutes, after a too long absence from my blog, I have been writing out my story of how this weekend has been one of the best weekends of my life.  But all around me the boys are starting to get up one by one, and Hubs is packing the cooler and folding the beach towels to get to the beach.  I should get ready too and load up the dishwasher at my brother/sister-in-laws house by the beach, south of the Space Center.

Last week was one of the hardest work weeks ever.  Yet it was sweet.  Every year, the whole year long, I look forward to the week in June where Hubs takes the boys to Florida ahead of me and I get to be in charge of the TV, I barely cook, I run one load in the dishwasher and clothes washer and do what I want in my own house.

It is always heaven.  This year I am at a job that I like but it is also very demanding with announcements every day, processes changing, new clients to figure out, trainings to always take and more.  So I worked day and night to be ready for a week off.  By the way, Hubs took the laptop which has the bathroom redo photos so the photos of the rest of the bathroom will be posted in July.

A couple of months ago when asked what I wanted to do for my big birthday I said, oh nothing much--I just want to be at the beach and do things with my sister-in-laws as well.

Well, I had no idea what a plan that was in the works.  I knew that as typical my birthday is a day apart from Father's Day so I knew that some of the big family was going to be gathered and some gold guy plans were being made as well as surfing.  As for us women, I had no idea what was going on but 3 weeks ago, the sister-in-law whose house I am at now, came to Atlanta (with Hubs' bro) on their way to NC.  That is when she started to weaver her story that was going to grow and grow and be used successfully to surprise the sandals off of me this weekend.

But all I knew three weeks ago is I was told that most of the sister in laws could make it but not all (there are 6 of us plus a mother in law) but that I was to think of an item that I loved and buy 6 of them (under $10  each) and we were going to share our favorite things such as a small lotion or fave nail polish, etc.

Readers, I was blown away by the celebration that awaited me....a few days before actually turning 50.  The plan worked--turns out that my sister-in-law was a hidden actress and it was a great plan to have me drive 8 hours, great with with a glass of wine and that evening there was laughing and crying.  It was incredible.  I promise....more to come!