There are several members of our family that have served our country including my father, my grandfather, my husband’s father and grandfather along with numerous uncles and cousins and many friends. On this Memorial Day I want to pay special tribute to the only two people I personally know that have served tours in Iraq and/or Afghanistan: my cousin Paul Cook and my friend Marcus Johnson. My cousin Paul spent time in Iraq and Marcus did tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. I have heard several of Marcus’s accounts of his time in both countries and am so very grateful that both him and my cousin are safely home. As I pay tribute to both Paul and Marcus and thank them I also remember those that lost their lives while serving their country-those men and women that I did not personally know, but someone knew and loved.

My very first Saturday Review happens to fall on my birthday. I have had some fun birthday’s as an adult, like when we went to New York a few years ago, but nothing beats your childhood birthdays with friends, streamers, homemade cakes, matching plates and napkins and the excitement and anticipation that leads up to it. So for my very first Saturday Review I decided to take a trip down birthday memory lane and do a little review of my childhood birthdays. It’s funny how our birthday celebrations change as we get older (at least mine did.) From big parties with all the neighborhood friends to parties with your college friends to small get togethers with a few close friends and family to a simple dinner out with your family, which is where I am in my life. As I think back to my birthday parties as a kid, I don’t know about you, but the cake was always a big deal to me. I can remember a cake my Mom made build around a Barbie doll (my Mom took cake decorating classes at one point in her life and we reaped the rewards for a few years!) I think back to my childhood birthdays and have great memories and it was important to give that to my son so his birthdays were always planned well in advance (I actually thought of party planning at one point!) We will celebrate my birthday as a family at Benihanas this year. It’s one of our favorite restaurants, especially for special occasions. I am looking forward to celebrating my birthday without a theme or matching plates and napkins…just a simple dinner with my wonderful husband and son.

So my birthday review today will come in the form of a few childhood pictures from birthday celebrations. I could not find any earlier pictures than 4-years old so I will have to talk to my Mom about that. Here is what I have to share (feel free to have a few laughs, I know I did!)