Blogging Challenge Day 2!

Hey, all! It's day two of my blogging challenge, and ... so far so good! :-) B: B is for Birthday! Today is my kiddo's birthday! Woo-hoo!

She's a big third grader, but not too big to go to take her doll to the American Girl Store in NYC today! (Which I mentioned last post) It's going to be a LONG day for me, but she deserves a nice trip like this.

So... in honor of her big girl birthday, I would like to share some random things about her:

1) Once, when she was three and saw a port-o-potty at the playground, she referred to it as a litter box. (We don't have a cat) :)

2) She recently asked me what the term was for an orphanage for old people. I was like, "You mean a retirement home?" She was, "Oh, yeah, that's it!" Orphanage for old people. That still cracks me up. LOL!

3)She loves soccer, basketball, and surfing.

4) Her favorite foods are sushi, fish tacos, and cupcakes. (like her mama) :-)

5) She used to call Wonton soup: One time soup. LOL

6) She LOVES to read. Her favorite books are the Dear Dumb Diary series.

and (as I always tell her)

7) She is the best gift I ever received.

** will be away all day, so I'll catch up on blogs later this weekend.

Any April birthdays in your family?

On Birthdays...

Hey, all! Guess what? Last week I celebrated a... birthday.

Yes, it's true.

I pretty much kept it on the down-low because 1) I didn't want to make a big deal out of it and 2) I was super jammed up all week with individual birthday celebrations and didn't really have time to write a blog post to tell anyone. :)


Ever since college by birthday has turned into a week long fiesta of parties instead of just one day. Not sure how that happened, but the hubby just shakes his head at me every year.

Yesterday, even my neighbor told me, "Wow, yours is the longest birthday I know."

Hey, it's not my fault people like to shower me with parties, gifts, and/or cake. LOL (I've had three cakes, by the way. Most of which are in the freezer now)

Anyhew, the hubby ended up taking me away for a few days in the middle of the week to a really beautiful bed and breakfast. We visited some local wineries (yes, New Jersey makes some worthy wines) and did a little shopping.


I even bought myself this cool sparkly ring:





-------------> Doesn't it look fun?



I call it my "bling ring". :)



Anyhew... since I had birthdays on the brain and was looking over my WIP, I realized I've never written a book where one of my characters had a birthday. In fact, I only remember ONE book in all the books I've ever read where the main character celebrated a birthday.



The book was Honey Moon by Susan Elizabeth Phillips and the scene was an especially heartbreaking one. I think it worked so well, because birthdays can carry a high level of stress ( just like the holidays) which can provide a great opportunity to showcase something special about your character--whether it's fear of getting older, fear of being alone on his/her birthday, or maybe worry over no one remembering it.

I'm thinking of working in something like that to my recent WIP. I think it'll add to her motivation.

What about you?


Do you remember the last book you read which featured a character having a birthday?
Have you written a book or scene in which one of your characters is celebrating a birthday?