Happy Birthday to Me!

I definitely have the best birthday date: November 1st - All Saints Day, and the day after Halloween (which is really All's Hallowed Eve!) I had to work that day, but it was only call, meaning I get to stay home and get paged all day by the various skilled nursing facilities when any of our patients gets sick (or sicker) or when labs come in, or whatever. I don't actually see patients, just order whatever labs or tests I think necessary, or medications, or treatments, or sometimes send patients back to the hospital. This Sunday was pretty busy, but by 5:00 pm it was over and the fun began. Chelsea made dinner for me: chili dogs (that's what I asked for, good Fall fun food), onion rings from Hungrygirl.com, grilled corn on the cob, and salad (provided by Liz Shelley). For dessert Chelsea made delicious low calorie pumpkin caramel pudding cupcakes (also Hungrygirl). Delicious!

In addition to Chelsea, Trenton, Natalie and Martin, our friends Brian and Liz Shelley and their adorable little boy Porter came to celebrate with us. I had an opportunity to iChat with Nick, Jamie and Andrew earlier in the day and got to play video peek-a-boo with Andrew. Skyler & Sarah called later that evening as did the Dubrows. Lots of love!

I was also spoiled rotten with amazing gifts - the kids bought me this (don't be jealous):


I don't actually have it yet, but it will be mine by the end of the month!

And Martin gave me this:



This is a Tiffany necklace I wanted to match a bracelet I already have. Actually, there is a funny story about the bracelet:

When Chelsea and I went to NY 4 or 5 years ago, we went street shopping down on Canal street. I was looking at some little sterling silver bracelets one of the shops had. The woman says to me "I have something you like better" and brought out this really pretty thick mesh sterling silver bracelet.


It was $25.00. I loved it and bought it immediately and wore it quite a lot. Then about a year later, I happened to see a Tiffany's display, and there was that bracelet!

Of course my bracelet isn't really a Tiffany's, it is just a knock off. But since I'm not much of a shopper, nor a fashion plate, I didn't know that the one I bought was supposed to be a knock off and I never bothered to try and read the tiny little hallmark on the inside. I just thought I got a really pretty bracelet for not much money.

About two years ago, I asked Martin for a Tiffany's mesh ring, similar to the bracelet although not exactly.


He bought it for me for an anniversary gift. I guess he got the idea to buy me more Tiffany's stuff so last Christmas he bought me . . . the same mesh bracelet only this time the real thing! But he didn't know he had done it until he saw me wearing my original bracelet to a Christmas party before he had managed to give me my gift. He said "where did you get that?" I told him I had it for a few years and that I had worn it often and where had he been? LOL! It's no wonder he thought I would like it since he had seen me wearing it so often. Anyway, I told him that since I already had the bracelet, he could trade it in on the necklace sometime. And that's what he did.

Now I'm tempted to buy earrings to match - I see a pair on eBay - but is it weird to buy them for myself? I suppose I could wait for Christmas . . .

Anyway you look at it, I'm a lucky woman.