Did I tell you about my birthday?

Of course, I didn't! (sorry) The day we celebrated my birthday (since I'm a leap year baby and didn't get a birthday this year) - I started having a tooth problem that has taken me OUT for 2 weeks now.
I am like the turtle just peeking out now and feeling SO happy that last night was my first night of sleeping without medication helping me... which made this morning MUCH better... no dragon mommy in sight.

So I just have to tell you about how fun my birthday was... For Christmas, I gave J some tix to a re-enactment period play at the Doheny Mansion - Greystone Manor, in Beverly Hills. We've loved Greystone Manor for a long time - the grounds are unbelievable, and we've wanted to see the inside of the mansion as long as we've been able to visit the place... but you can't just go in. So this play is set in the mansion and you follow the actors from room to room. (so fun)
My mom and dad also got tickets and that made for a fun activity to look forward to...but I am getting a little ahead of myself. Since the kids weren't a part of the day's big events, we needed a way for them to celebrate. So we had a breakfast birthday party with 3 friends over, balloons, decorations by the Design Director (of course), and quiche and muffins.
Then J and I headed off to the manor, for a great afternoon - and then we met up with the rest of the SoCal family (suffice it to say, my sister married a best friend of J's and the family tree is quite tidy - all the inlaws and "outlaws" are lifelong friends and the kids are easy cousins.) It's family tradition for all 12 of us adults to get together to celebrate birthdays - and that is a major highlight of living in LA for me.We went to Cha Cha Cha, in Silverlake - a new favorite for me. Which meant that we were in the neighborhood of Intellegentsia. Oh yeah. The brothers and sisters joined us for after dinner coffee and I have to say, it was a great birthday!
(other than the tooth pain)