Mix 'n' Mingle & the Birthday Celebration

Our daughter Bethany was happy with her Silhouette items I created for her birthday--the trifold shutter card, the memory keeper box, and the Mix 'n' Mingle album (below). Photos in the slideshow are of both the front and the back sides of the album sections. She gets to write on some of the back sections for her birthday 2011 memories.



Shimmering butterflies on jeweled ribbons in yellow, green, and blue decorated the Christmas tree, plates, napkins, and party favors for Bethany's birthday celebration Sunday evening. We had lasagna, garlic bread, spring greens salad with dried tomatoes and chopped peppers, and her favorite lemon cupcakes for dessert.

Derek & Bethany before she made her 2011 wish ...

The Birthday Tree Tradition

For nearly 25 years, we've had a tradition of keeping the Christmas tree up and its lights glowing to help celebrate Bethany's birthday in early January.

The Christmas ornaments get packed away and the birthday theme changes each year--sand and beach toys; Barbies, Kens, and Skippers; Scooby Doos; Smurfs; Strawberry Shortcake & friends; musical instruments; mini-volleyballs; car keys; plastic champagne glasses; Betty Boop; plastic skeletons (when DD began chiropractic college); and colorful paper parasols, just to name a few.

I love the bright lights in the darkness of mid-winter and really hate to pack it all away.

Any suggestions for DD's next January celebration?