Lucky ducky me. My birthday and Mother’s Day are always within the same week, so I end up getting treated pretty much like Queen Carrie around here for a good week or so.

I thought that the week couldn’t get any better after my birthday weekend, but then my birthday present from my sister came, as in…literally came via airplane from Michigan, on Friday. My sister flew out for a mere 24 hours – but we made the very best of our very short time together.

Massages, a picnic lunch on the beach filled with lots of girlfriend talking time, and then margaritas and dinner at Mijares with J. and the girls. It was a much needed reality check and special time with my girl. Thank you Meesh and DJ, thank you so very much!

A few other birthday treats that I’ve been using this week and LOVE -

Ceramic lovelies that I have been drooling over at Anthropologie for many months. They make my kitchen just a little cheerier.

And these are also looking to help me out in the kitchen, hopefully!

And when I am ready to pop out of the kitchen, I have these to inspire some creativity around here.

Plus I have $$ to spend at Sew Mama Sew on some fabric! I feel some summer skirt making coming on very soon.

And all of this? It was just in celebration of my birthday. Today I got in the car to run to church and my car was full of gas and squeaky clean courtesy of my sweet husband. That right there is just pure heaven. After church, we hit Disneyland. It really was the perfect way to end MY week.

Watching these two together…

…I’m yet again in awe of the fact that they are mine. I’m so thankful God blessed us with these two beautiful girls. I adore them. And I think I fully appreciate the awesomeness of my job. It truly is the best job in the world.

I’m a lucky, lucky ducky.