Fabulous Fifty

As if an endlessly energetic child of five, I had been anticipating this 50th Birthday Party for weeks. 

But I didn't realize until I saw the photo posted on Cassandra's front door, just how much.


The world celebrates Fiftieth Birthday parties with black balloons and archaic sentiments of "over the hill", "an old fart is as good as a new one" and "anyone have a flame-thrower to light the candles".

But my adorable children chose a "Fabulous Fifty" theme to celebrate this milestone birthday instead. It truly is so much fun to have a birthday party and this is one I'll always remember!

Bob set up a photo booth and the kids crafted cut-outs of my hair through my various stages of life!

How hilarious and awesome was that?

Like this one of "Baby Lisa" which Chet is donning...just a tiny lock of curl on top.

Or appropriately...Dean with snow-bunny skier Lisa...sporting sunglasses. I never skied with a hat, I was too cool for that. Sometimes I skied in jeans to show off my coolness as well...but that's another story.

But who could forget iconic Farrah-haired Lisa wedding hair.

Every detail was perfect...from the photo booth, to the Fabulous Fifty display, to the gourmet meal, to the company and to all the vintage photos scattered around the house. The party was completely delightful!

Here's a vintage picture of snow bunny skier Lisa.

I think they got it just about right.

And this picture of newborn baby Lisa with the black-haired curl on top.

A stack of gifts representing every decade of my life...wrapped in gold...not black!

Cassandra prepared a delicious meal with Dione as her sous-chef. Dione looks intense preparing that salad.

The photo booth was so much fun...printing photo strips of all the nonsense taken inside the booth. Once my people stepped outside the booth though I made sure to catch a few ridiculous images as well. Chet is wearing "10-year old Lisa in pony tail hair."

In this photo I'm sporting what my kids refer to as "helmet hair Lisa". I think I was stuck in that hairdo for a LONG time.

Olivia was just waiting for dinner...patiently...patiently waiting.

My Fabulous Fifty meal consisted of Salmon Florentine, whole-grain artisan breads, roasted Brussels sprouts, and fresh salads.

The most delicious part of the meal though...

would have to be the grandkids!

Olivia cracks me up in this photo...she kept peeking from behind the sunglasses trying to see what was going on. Henry just kept losing his helmet hair. As I look through these images...I notice I have a giant smile in nearly every one.

The kids gave me presents representing the different stages of my life. A teapot for when I was a little girl playing with my tea set.

A subscription to Us Weekly for my teenage decade...so I can get my celebrity fix.

My family likes to conceal small gifts in large packages...like a certificate for Yoga Classes in this one...representing my twenties. The thirties decade was a night out on the town to the theater.

The forties decade was a notebook and pens for recording memoirs.

I can't help but realize how blessed I am to be Fifty years old and celebrating with people who love me. 

I am grateful for another year of life...this wonderful fulfilling life.

My heart is filled with memories and experiences of the past fifty years.

Moments I'll never forget.

Moments that take my breath away.

My birthday wish...

to be enveloped in this much love

for all my years to come! And I wish the same for each of you.