My big SIX ZERO!

Several months ago when I was anticipating turning 60, I thought I'd throw myself a party for the occasion and invite everyone over to my Beach House. In our small group at church, there are several folk who do this for themselves every single year, and I've always enjoyed going to their parties and being a part of their special day. But as my actual birthday approached ... my life at work and with being a grandma to recently returned Texas grandkids kind of exhausted me, and I no longer even considered having a very FEW people over to celebrate my birthday! But dear Kelly ... well, she had other plans!

When I told Kelly a few weeks ago that I wasn't going to have a party for myself, she told me she was going to cook me a birthday dinner instead. When I drove over to Dylan and Kelly 's that night, I had no idea all of these dear friends were waiting for me ... SURPRISE! I was completely ... surprised! 

We enjoyed a lovely potluck
for my birthday ...

Some of the beautiful cards
I received for my 60th birthday ...

One of my favorite gifts ...
my very own BRENDAN mug!

 I got other treasures for my birthday as well. Emma, Chris and Matthew were allowed to pick some pretty flowers from their Grandma Hand's garden to give to me ...

 And they made my an enormous birthday card too!

Christopher drew the lighthouse
Emma did the lettering as well as
the surfers and waves ...

I love their handprints on the back
Even baby Kaity got in on this one!

This is the kind of birthday TREASURE
that I love ...

 The little children I used that I used to nanny also gave me gifts ... they are sweeties! Philip made me a paper sailboat (it really floats), as well as a paper lighthouse; and Violet wrote me a poem about the beach.

HAPPY 60TH BIRTHDAY TO ME!