It was the weekend of birthday parties……one for a 40 year old and one for a 4 year old.  One of my dear friends from High School turned 40 and a classmate of the twins turned 4.

One of the major differences in the parties was this –  the old ladies lined up to take a picture like this:

And the 4 year olds got on a giant hot dog suspended from the ceiling that swung back and forth to take a picture like this:

I don’t know about you but I would much rather have been on that hot dog…that was swinging fast, so fast in fact that poor Eden could not decide if it was so awesome or so terrible.  The best part for Eden was that she had her main squeeze, Wolfie, snuggling up to her during the salami ride.

How in God’s name we got to be 40 years old, I will never know.  I still remember when my mom turned 40 and I was 9 years old.  Keep in mind she had 6 other kids.  My Dad threw a surprise party for her.  It was a  50’s themes and I remember thinking it was so cool but I also remember thinking that 40 was old.  Holy balls, was I wrong.  I am nearly 40 and I feel like I am still going to get in trouble if my mom catches me doing something naughty.  I mean, how can we be 40?  I still think farts are funny and I love Taco Bell.  I just feel like I am so young….and I know I am not the only one.  40 really is the new 30 or 20 or 19.  Wait, as long as it is the new 21, I am good.

I went to a girlfriend’s 40th birthday party and it was a trip.  So fun to see some great friends that I have not seen in years.  That is the pretty cool thing about when you get older, almost turn 40.  You really learn who your real friends are and you realize that you do not have to talk to someone every week to consider them a good friend.  If you have true, real, deep friends – you really can go months or even years and pick up right where you left off.  I have been blessed with awesome friends who put up with me as I unintentionally push people to the wayside and focus on my 3 pals.  It is certainly not intentional at all but sometimes real life just takes over.  This is why I have an open door policy and I LOVE the pop in.  Remember the Seinfeld episode where he talks about hating the surprise “pop-in”?  Not me.  I love visitors, even surprise ones.  As long as you don’t care that our house may look like a tornado just rolled trough and most people won’t be wearing pants – come on over.

So back to the 40th birthday party…besides the fact that I need a new hairdo (and this is because I cut my OWN hair…..and dye it too), I think we look pretty damn good.  We are all pretty much as thin as we were in High School….and way cooler.  I bought a size 4 pair of jeans the other day and my jaw dropped.  Wow. Having 3 kids and working and living life just keeps you busy and non-stop on the go…..and apparently lets you sneak into a size 4 pant….now, my top on the other side – XXL but that is another story.

Until then, I have realized that the world is full of cycles and we are deep in the midst of the 40 year old and kids birthday parties.  I remember 15 years ago when we had a wedding to go to every weekend.  These have turned into the modern day 40th bday and 4 year old bday which we now go to every weekend.  And I LOVE them.  There are not many things that you invite Arno and I too that we do not show up too.  As my friend NI’al says, “I’m like a bad penny, I show up everywhere.”  We are kind of the same.   And my dad too….we hate to miss out. If you invite us, we are there, usually “with bells on”.  If you have an open bar, we have more than bells on, we have the whole symphony on.   See you soon.