BIRTHDAAAY

          Well, today is not my birthday BUT I will not be at home on July 9th this year, so we are celebrating early!! There has been cake:

  

        My mommy designed this cake for me and community bakery did a beautiful job! Very appropriate with my upcoming trip, non? And it is DELICIOUS. I love birthday cake heehee...

And Presents!! Uncle Larry came over for cake and to watch me open them: 

Birthday Presents from Mama and Daddy!

       When I opened them up, they contained two VERY USEFUL items for my trip! The first is a Kodak pocket camcorder so I can make videos of my adventures and post them on this blog! I've already made one thrilling video of my parents and Uncle Larry talking around the table---with more to come! I suspect Alex and I shall make one when she flies in tonight at 5:50! 

       The other thing is something I've desperately needed and wanted and that is my NEW RAINCOAT! It is a Northface waterproof trench coat in a khaki color. It is fitted, adorable, and when I  put it under the sink it came out completely dry! It is really spiffy and I only wish it would RAIN so I could test it! 

        In other news, we had a truly FAB time in Mountain home with our family! We watched fireworks out on Bull Shoals Lake, ate two delicious breakfasts, had a fish fry out at my cousin's cabin the Ridge, chilled by the pool, and they had even gotten me a birthday cake! They sang and Aunt Karen gave me a new charm for my Pandora bracelet :) I would say it pretty much perfectly illustrates my personality: it is a pink cupcake with a minnie mouse bow! My bracelet is getting full! 

                                                 

       







          The BEST thing that happened in Mountain Home was God's birthday gift to me: through providence alone He provided a PUG PUPPY for me to play with! June's brother Don's wife Stephenie had brought her sweet puppy Buster to visit and she was very generous about letting me hang on to him nonstop on the 4th of July. Pug's just happen to be my favorite creatures in the universe so it was really a miracle. Too bad I had to give him back, but kidnapping is not classy. And I couldn't have done that to Stephenie--she is sweet and so is her pug! 

Me and my pug baby

         Last night when we got home from Mountain Home, the BFF Ayana and I exchanged the pillows (see SHENANIGANS post), had birthday cake and went to see a late night showing of Despicable Me 2. Who knew that 3D movies are actually way cooler with contacts in? ]
        My Big Kyleigh-my-best-bud-Naughton was also thinking of me because she sent me a super-useful and special birthday package that was waiting for me upon my return from Mountain Home. She is waaaay too good to her Little and sent me a new makeup case with a WONDERFUL makeup starter kit that she chose herself with me in mind! Not to mention a very sweet card:

Thank you Big!!!!

         And Alex is coming tonight for us to begin our trek to Sewanee EARLY tomorrow morning! BEST EARLY BIRTHDAY EVERRRR