...and I'll cry if I want to."
Well, actually, I wasn't really crying (about my birthday that is), but to tell you the truth this one was a bit hard to take. I have never had a great problem with turning another year older, until this year. Turning 49 (and way too close to 50) really got to me. My life is over halfway over (unless the Lord should tarry and I reach 100 or so - very unlikely). I don't know why it should bother me because I have always looked and acted younger than I am and I have been joking the last few years that now my age is going backwards -- I am now 35 in homeschool mommy years. I think it is in part that this has been a really hard, long winter up here this year and I'm really tired of it. I so long for Florida (that I was crying about). And I know it is unreasonable for us to head down there every year...
But, I ended up having a very nice Birthday anyways and ended up going to someplace almost as good as Flordia. We headed to the Como Park Conservatory. I got to be in heat, humidity, and fragrant tropical flora on my birthday afterall. It was just what I needed. Here are a few scenes from our visit...
Jeff is holding the jackets. Behind those smiling faces & squinting sun-filled eyes we are roasting - but happy to be warm!
 The Sunken Garden is one of 7 rooms - about 300 weddings are held here a year. Jeff proposed to me at the Conservatory 15 years ago. (Except he was nervous, and instead of proposing to me in one of these beautiful gardens, he proposed in front of a pop machine). lol
A Key Lime Tree - I love key lime pie and had to take a picture - it reminded me of Florida.
 An orange tree - this is the only way these babies survive in MN.
 A "Chocolate" Cocoa Plant.
It was very fun to come here and we have plans to return when the weather is nicer. There is a small zoo a short walk from the conservatory that I went to as a little child that the girls need to see (it's not open now) and of course we will have to see the plants again when we don't have to wear sweaters & jackets.
Afterwards we went out to eat at one of my favorite restaurants, Eddingtons (great soup & breadsticks), and then toured about 8 Parade of Homes. We enjoy doing this. We are not in the market for a new home, but I enjoy touring the larger ones ($500,000 - over $1,000,000) to get decorating ideas. This time I picked up a neat decorative painting idea for our family room and saw a cool light fixture that I would like for over our table.
The evening wound to an end with us going out to Culvers with my inlaws and a restful evening at home - reading. It ended up being not so bad of a birthday afterall. At least I don't feel any older today.  | 
