Happy birthday to me...I had some coffee...

Hey hey, it's my birthday!  Ok, well actually it's 5 minutes after my birthday.  Here's a special, birthday edition of Thank*ful Thursday, on early squirrelly Saturday morning:

1.  My kids are home from camp!  It was a lovely break, but I missed them.  My boy really enjoyed being a junior counselor, and my girl said she wasn't really homesick at all after the first day.  As for me, I got chores done, but for the most part I spent the week doing whatever the heck I wanted.  Ha.

2.  My husband did super-well on the birthday present front this year.  My coffeemaker broke two weeks ago, and he bought me a new one - a Bunn!  It's superfast - My coffee is ready before I am!  And I told you all about the camera - I'm still figuring out the functions, but I will post more pictures from it.

3.  One super-fabulous friend has been helping me (read: doing most of the work) make purses out of pants to sell at Relay For Life.  They are really cute, and I'm hoping they'll sell really well.  I'll post pictures of them this week.  Relay is also building up to do well...we got a DJ, which is awesome, and the location is outstanding.  We're very excited.

4.  Facebook - where else do you get 75 happy birthday messages before you even speak to one person?  It makes this dork fell uber-popular.

5.  Much needed rain, and a good lazy day to enjoy it.

6.  The fact that there are so many amazing writers out there practicing their craft.  I just finished another excellent book, called The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton.  The story is full of beautiful imagery and captivating characters.  And it takes place in Cornwall!  I read a Nancy Drew book set in Cornwall when I was a kid, and I've wanted to visit ever since.  So good.

7.  Another super-fabulous friend made me salted caramel brownies for my birthday.  I've been dying to try them ever since she described them, and she made me a whole pan.  And came over to enjoy one with me whilst chatting.  AND she's going to make cake pops for my survivor gifts.  Awesome! (read in a sing-songy voice.)

8.  The summer is starting strong!

I have a lot of stuff on my mind, but it's late, so I'll wait to chat about it until later.  Some of my family is coming for dinner and cake tonight, so that should be fun.  My cat just started snoring rather loudly...I come downstairs to get away from the snoring in my own bed, and there is a cat snoring down here.  Noisy animals in this house...