40th Birthday! A Week Straight of Celebrating!

The girls made me the cutest banner for my big day!

And I wore it with pride!

"WORLD'S GREATEST MOM!"

It was so sweet!

I love opening gifts!

Especially when they are homemade!

Chloe is becoming quite the seamstress.

All on her own,

she sewed this little soft flannel

pillow for me on her very own sewing machine Sister Yingling (often referred

to as Grandma Yingling, whom we miss very much)

gave her before we moved to IL.

This cute pillow is to use when we are down here in the basement

watching a movie.

It's the

perfect size!

Everyone in the family scrambles for it!

It's is just that comfy.

Kev took me to the Pheasant Run Resort Friday and Saturday in St Charles.

A wonderful hour long massage was my favorite, he'd set up in the resort's spa.

I had to pause for a minute and just watch the sunset.

At the time I was thinking about my friend Elisha Daines, mother of

4 and in a coma in the hospital.

I am so grateful for my health

and the body Heavenly Father has given me to do the things

I love to do.

Kev took me to dinner hibachi style. To me fresh asian food is always welcomed!

At the end of our meal, the server brought me a big plate of fruit and a cupcake

(which I gave away) with a candle and a

gift certificate for a free dinner on my birthday for 2012.

SWEET!

Ashley took me to

Panera for lunch along with my Visiting Teachers.

My dear new friends in IL took me to lunch at NOSH where I enjoyed

a yummy Avocado Shrimp Salad. They gave me some darling jewelry from my favorite store

CHARMING CHARLIES!

These women have become very special to me. They are genuine and so kind.

I received 2 packages in the mail! I saved them for the night of my birthday.

One from Jill Coon with a darling hot pink watch and one from Bridget Crane filled with

jewelry and fun goodies wrapped in pink and green.

On my actual birthday day I got my hair cut and then came home to a

delicious healthy meal per my request of salmon, shrimp and a big green salad.

The girls and Kev also made healthy little birthday muffins with no sugar or flour.

I know it sounds icky.... BUT THEY ARE WONDERFUL and so moist!

See the recipe below.

I felt so spoiled and so lucky... blessed!

THANK YOU EVERYONE!

Right before I blew out my birthday candle I reached for something and

the little flame burned my arm giving me an instant blister!

I grabbed my icewater and held it there for a minute or so.

We all thought it was pretty funny and had a good laugh.

Here is the recipe:

2 1/2 cups almond flour (or meal)

1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups carrots, peeled and grated
1 large apple, peeled, cored and grated
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup raisins
3 large eggs
1/2 cup coconut or olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a standard-sized muffin pan.
2. Combine almond flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add carrot, apple, coconut and raisins and combine well.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, honey, oil and vanilla extract together.
4. Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and mix very well. The batter will be very thick.
5. Spoon the batter out into muffin pan and place on upper or middle rack of your oven for 40-50 minutes.
6. When a toothpick inserted into the top of a muffin comes out clean, the muffins are done.
7. Cool muffins in the pan for 8-10 minutes and then remove to a rack to finish cooling.