belated birthday celebration

Last night was our (very!) belated book club birthday celebration for Jenn. I feel badly when so much time elapses between the birthday and the celebration, but hopefully it's fun to have birthday festivities no matter when they occur (at least that's what I tell myself).

Customarily, we have our birthday dinners at Amy's house, but since Marc was off seeing more Sundance screenings, they obliged me by coming to mine. The only problem: I somehow spaced the fact that we meet for dinners at 6:30, instead of our usual 7:30 book club time. Whaaat?? I really don't know how I did that. I was somewhat flustered when people started arriving an hour before I was ready, but oh well, what can you do? At least it happened with my good friends, who don't mind if Eva and Lucas are chasing each other and toys are scattered around the floor. They just picked up the slack, set the table for me, and finished the dinner prep. while I put Eva to bed.

Jenn looking through her birthday book. She started a tradition of making each of us a book for our birthdays (everyone participates but she does the bulk of the work). So when her birthday rolls around, there is a little pressure to make a book for the book-maker! The great thing about Jenn, though, is that she is the ultimate gift recipient. She is just so appreciative, it makes you want to make and give her gifts.

This is an example of the pages within (Jill made this one). It's what makes the birthday books such a treasure!

{this shows just how late we were}

I think we were feeling like we were done with the books (because of how much effort is involved and maybe we're feeling a little tapped out creatively -- I say we, but I don't think Jenn is included here). But then Jenn floated the idea of doing circle journals, and we were immediately sucked back in! For those of you that are wondering, a circle journal is just a journal that you circulate between 2 or more people. Ideally, each participant has her own journal so that she has one to keep. You can write in them, draw, doodle, paste in pictures (Jessie often includes newspaper and magazine clippings in the one that she sends me). It's very cool, a great keepsake, and definitely a low-pressure book alternative. I think it's a brilliant plan.

{the only photo Jill authorized me to take of her}

Jill has instituted obligatory book club self-portraits whenever we get together. We usually end up doing it at the end of the night, when almost everyone has been eating, laughing and crying and rubbing their makeup off. (not to mention looking very tired!) I have suggested that we take the pictures at the beginning, but after looking at the ones from last night, I wonder if the late night aspect lends a certain hilarity that we might otherwise miss...

oops...

oops!

Slightly better. It's grainy, the lighting is not good, and we're tired. It was 11:30! But we were all laughing and having fun, so it's just real.

Collette, you're not allowed to get sick anymore. We missed you!