Three Birthdays

Fun Fact:  In our house, the four of us have birthdays right in a row.  My son starts the birthday season with his on August 11; my husband is next on September 16; my birthday follows on October 3rd, and my mom ends the season of partying on October 8th. 

In some ways, the four back-to-back celebrations can be difficult (i.e. the party planning, budgeting, and time management).  In other ways, the time of year is perfect.  My son gets the summer birthday, my husband gets the sweet spot between summer and fall, and my mom and I get the first few glorious weekends of fall.  Additionaly, our birthdays don't have to compete with any major holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas.  Instead, we have the start of school and Labor Day; by the time Colombus Day rolls around, our celebrations have ended.

In August, I already posted how my son became a teenager this year, celebrating with a pool party and a sleepover.  For us, the celebrations were much different but FUN!!  

The first of the adult birthdays started with Hubby (Big Lew). He wanted to go to NYC for his birthday, so he could attend the filming of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. (Jon Batiste and Stay Human are some of his favorite musicians.)  The request was not an easy one, but I was determined to make it happen.  

I chose several weekdays in September and put our names on a waitlist.  (Getting those days and my work schedule to line up felt like a maze, but in the end, Tuesday, September 21st became the lucky day.)  We took the Metro-North train into Grand Central Station at noon, and from there, we walked to the Ed Sullivan Theater in Midtown Manhattan.  (The day was warm and pleasant, perfect for the walk to the theater and the several hour wait outside),  After the filming, we walked to The Tavern on the Green inside Central Park to have a delicious birthday outside underneath a canopy of starry white lights.  Honestly, the ambiance made me feel like I was in a fairytale.  

On the train to Grand Central...

We could take pictures outside, but we couldn't take any pictures inside the theater.

Underneath the starry canopy of the Tavern at the Green

By the time we took the train back to CT and drove home from the train station, it was well after 11 p.m.  Our feet were tired and our throats were sore from all the hooting and hollering, but our hearts were full of gratitude for the beautiful day that was given to us without any hitches.  It was a birthday (a 51st birthday celebration) to remember!

My birthday was a little more low-key.  I requested a yummy lunch on the patio of the G.W. Tavern followed by a hike.  Hubby accompanied me, and much like his birthday, mine was equally perfect.  Somehow, we were lucky enough to get the best seat in the house--a small, simple table on the outermost part of the patio overlooking a lush green hillside.  Then we went for a stroll on one of the many trails at the White Memoiral Conservation Center, where we were able to get a glimpse of a few vibrant yellows, oranges, and reds from the slowly changing trees.

Sitting on the patio wall of my favorite restaurant.

On the following weekend, we celebrated my mom's birthday--first going to Clover Nook Farm (local to us) to pick pumpkins and then visiting Pumpkintown U.S.A. in East Hampton, CT.  Before my mom's fall (last May), I had visions of taking her on a weekend getaway to Stowe, VT, but she still didn't feel ready for an overnight trip.

Pumpkintown U.S.A. is this unique little village made of people with pumpkin heads.  It begins with a drive through the forest and then ends with a walk through the "town" next to a few shops, notably The Harvest Store and Paul and Sandy's Too Hardware and Garden Center.  We had never gone before, but it turns out that it was the perfect event for my mom that is still recovering from her fall and for Lewie who lately has this aversion to huge crowds.  We had a chance to view many cute scenes of pumpkin people going to school, golfing, skiing, running a farm stand, getting married, and so much more.  During the forest drive-through, we ordered yummy popcorn and cider donuts for the ride.  In the town, we visited the stores and bought ourselves plants at the garden center.  It was another gorgeous day without any hitches, and while the event certainly attracts people (mostly young families), it was easy to walk around, take pictures, and shop without any waiting.

Pumpkins at Clover Nook Farm

Welcome to Pumpkintown U.S.A.

Why "I do" take this pumpkin to be my lawfully wedded wife.

Too cute for words!

Our cake celebrations for all three birthdays were held at home--whether it was pecan pie (Hubby), cupcakes (me), or an apple pie (my mom), we all blew out candles and made a wish--probably the same one... After a year of having to do all our celebrating at home in 2020, it was nice to be able to travel locally to celebrate our special days.  Still, in the end, the sweetest part was being able to spend these days with the people we love, knowing we get to cherish another year!!