Happy Birthday to me! In the middle of a cold Ohio winter, having a special day to celebrate is certainly something to look forward to. Turning 53 will be a good thing this year especially if it’s a day that involves a pretty cake and birthday wishes!

My birthday falls two days after February 14 so as a little girl, I always felt giddy with excitement when the January calendar turned. Practicing patience when I was in grade school was difficult, so luckily there were preparations to keep me busy. This entailed creating a Valentine’s Day box to collect classmates’ cards. I remember our kitchen table overflowing with red and pink construction paper, multiple sizes of cut-out hearts, intricate paper doilies, puffy stickers, and plenty of glitter!  It was hard work to turn my dad’s old shoebox into a beautiful masterpiece!  I have fond memories of grade school classroom parties at Hilltop Elementary passing out valentines with my name carefully printed on the back of each one, and being delighted when we were served a decorated heart cookie and a carton of milk right at our desks. Ahhh..the simple memories of grade school!

In my early years, mom sometimes merged Valentine’s Day with my birthday celebration and I would be presented with a heart-shaped cake adorned with red hearts and roses. One particular birthday that sticks with me included decorations of red and pink streamers weaved through our kitchen chandelier, blue Holly Hobby paper plates and cups (which I recall choosing from Hills Department Store), and a few neighborhood pals coming over for lunch on a very snowy February afternoon. Fisher-Price Little People were my toys of choice and I distinctly recall unwrapping the play camper as my favorite gift that year, complete with the boat on top, a grill, and the little motorcycle that came with the set. I was thrilled to receive it and cherished it for years!

I have great memories that took place during the middle of February, so I absolutely look forward to the 14th and 16th each year.  To this day, the smell of lit birthday candles placed on a sugary iced cake leads my mind to those simple early birthday celebrations. Bring on the extra lit candle this year. It’s time to celebrate!

I purchased the cupcake for my picture at Kim’s Confections in Canfield, Ohio. It is a quaint, local business that has wonderful treats and beautiful cakes. If you live near Canfield, you should stop by! When you walk through the door, the smell of vanilla will welcome you!