14 of 31 - Gigi's Birthday

Let's start this post by saying I probably win the award for worst daily blogger....it's the 22nd day of the month, and I'm doing my 14th post.  I will get all 31 up by the end of the month!!

We got to celebrate Gigi's birthday the day after we went to the circus.  (Gigi is my mom.)  We also started my new craft.  And I may be slightly obsessed with it.  We are making a hand embroidered family tablecloth.  I originally read about it at the doctor's office in an old issue of Country Living.  I have since looked online like a madwoman for other examples, and I cannot wait to see what ours will look like.

Of course the kids were more than happy to write all over the new white sheet tablecloth with Sharpies.  David even, unknowingly, gave me my first hand embroidery challenge when he started to write his name, then crossed it out.  Um, we can't really do that.  I will do a little heart or something over the crossed out part.

I love that Henry wrote "Henry vs. Mario".  He is o.b.s.e.s.s.e.d. with Super Mario, and it is so perfect and fitting that he captured that on the tablecloth.

My mother wrote a short book.  She'd really like to test my skills. You know, since I've embroidered by hand like four times.  Why not take on a project like this?

I love to see people's handwriting, and I know that I will be so thankful to have this years from now when my children are grown.

I think that lots of times people think my "family tradition" ideas are lame, but thankfully they all play along!

I'm going to start sewing it this week.  I'd like to have the birthday part all sewn by Thanksgiving so we can use it then too.

We had a yummy lunch of chili, salad, and my mom's famous pull apart bread.  

Then we all played outside for a while, throwing the ball for the dogs, playing with the chickens, playing baseball, and just running around.

Gigi requested Key Lime cake, so naturally I was more than happy to provide it.

I am so lucky to have my parents live here.  They love my children so much, and my children adore them.  I can't imagine how much I would hate it if they still lived in Massachusetts.

We had a great day together.

Happy birthday Gigi!