Told ya'll it was genetic...

My mom made me another Lego cake for my birthday. There were no candles on this one...my loving, two-and-a-half-years-older-than-me Husband mentioned something about fire codes...but it was still tasty!


A few months ago my parents traveled to San Diego and my dad spent some quality time in the Legoland store. The figures are from a vintage collection set--part of my birthday present.

The nifty part was that the cake pan for the blocks was also one of my birthday presents. Jacob now wants a Lego cake for his next birthday. I think I just might be able to oblige.

It was a delightful birthday. I'm so grateful to just be able to spend time with my family. After so many years of being scattered across the globe, the hour drive out to my parent's home isn't that far at all.

In a couple of days the kiddos and I will pile into my sister's Suburban along with her and her kiddos and make our annual pilgrimage down to my mom's family Christmas celebration. They rent out the fellowship hall of my aunt's church--it's the only place big enough to accommodate us all. It's a three hour trip from my driveway. There's a little coffee shop we stop at on the way home--they seem to remember us every trip and we always tell them we'll see them next year. We actually found them by accident the first year we took over the church. On the trip down we followed directions for a by-pass of a small town. Driving home we missed the by-pass road and drove through the town--and passed the Java Hut. Suburbans can actually perform neat and efficient u-turns if the driver is sufficiently motivated.

My sister and I used to be upset with our husbands because they've always found some reason or another not to join us. This year they are both working--really, they are. Now we simply enjoy the trip--she and I get to chat and enjoy each other's company while the cousins all keep each other entertained. There's only one spare seat now. So even if one of the husband's wanted to come, they'd either have to flip a coin for the seat or we'd have to drive two vehicles. And where would the fun be in that?

(top picture taken by my dad, bottom picture taken by me)