forty bumps

September to November feels like one birthday party after another between our family and my sister's ... and this past weekend was certainly a biggee! Sam turned 40 on Saturday and little did he know all the surprises that were in store for him! He asked for and assumed we would just have a quiet family dinner (with cake of course!) but I just couldn't let his 40th pass by without a little more fanfare than that. So at noon while on the phone with Jeff our ridiculously loud door chimes went off and there at the doorstep were Jeff and Eli themselves... oh, I was so happy that we actually pulled off that surprise!! They were kidnapping him for 24 hours and I was honestly thrilled that all three of these hardworking exhausted Dads were getting a kids-free night to themselves. Sunday afternoon we had another peal of door chimes and standing there were Sam's Mom and Dad to join us for supper ... surprise #2. This is their Baby Boy's 40th birthday so of course there were needed to be here for our family celebrations. I ended up making our Raspberry Layer wedding cake as I missed it over our anniversary weekend and it is definitely a favourite of ours. Top 5 for sure! My last surprise for Sam was his main birthday present from me, one I have been working on since the big scrapbooking weekend up at Joy's in January. It was his Life Album, every photo I've tucked aside of Sam's from his first 40 years of life. It was a big, big job but I really had fun putting it together ... and I'm inspired now to get going on my life book. I think it was a good weekend for Sam ... something a bit extra than other years, as it should be, but a good reflection of where we are in life now. Not living large or too fancy for big trips away or big parties but simple time and love from friends and family. Wearing party hats and tucking into a huge slice of raspberry cake.