Sunday, August 10, 2008

It's my birthday and I'll eat cake if I want to!


Forget the diet, at least for today, because I just turned 34 years old and what better way to celebrate than with a big slice of Tres Leches Cake?

I even have some for all of you, so go ahead and help yourselves to a slice :)

Wow, 34! Where did the time go?

Last year I had made a post about how my birthday was going to be like any other, a day that would not stick out in my memory for any reason, nothing major or important would happen but little did I know that within an hour of writing that entry, I would get a phone call with the news that my Uncle Carlos had just passed away.

So the days leading up to today have been a mixture of anticipation, excitement and sadness all rolled into one big ball of emotions. I woke up this morning determined to have a good day no matter what came my way, but then I checked my email and had a message from my youngest brother wishing me a Happy Birthday but also giving me some sad news. My sister in law Nadine (his wife) is 5 1/2 months pregnant with their second daughter, yesterday she started bleeding and having some stomach cramping, she's been admitted to the hospital and is still there. So again, Sandra's birthday coincides with another family struggle.

Nadine and Bruno

I'm asking you all to please say a prayer for Nadine and my little niece, they could use it right now, please pray that they are able to stabilize them both and that the baby will hold on until November to be born, or if it is God's will that she is born early, then that she will be strong enough to fight through this. I'm almost positive that she will be, she is after all a member of this amazing family and our love will pull her through.

But enough with sad things, I could sit back and think that it's becoming a pattern, every year on my birthday something happens to someone in the family, but I choose to believe otherwise. I choose to rather think of this as just a reminder of what a wonderful family I have, how much we love each other and how important each and every one of them is to me. They are my rock, all of them in their own special way!

http://members.tripod.com/MagnoliaStation/curvem.gif
So before I go and celebrate, I'll leave you with some fun facts about August 10, 1974!

Top News Headlines This Week:
Aug 10 - Judy Rankin wins LPGA Colgate-European American Golf Open Aug 11 - Head-on collision between two buses kills 21 (Ankara, Turkey) Aug 11 - Lee Trevino wins PGA championship Aug 11 - 56th PGA Championship: Lee Trevino shoots a 276 at Tanglewood NC Aug 11 - Coup in East-Timor under UDT Aug 12 - Nolan Ryan strikes-out 19 Red Sox


Top Songs for 1974
Billy, Don't Be a Hero by Bo Donaldson & the Heywoods Seasons In the Sun by Terry Jacks
Kung Fu Fighting by Carl Douglas The Loco-Motion by Grand Funk
The Streak by Ray Stevens The Way We Were by Barbra Streisand
TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) by MFSB with the Three Degrees Having My Baby by Paul Anka
Annie's Song by John Denver I Can Help by Billy Swan


US President
Gerald R. Ford

US Vice President

Nelson A. Rockefeller

Academy Award Winners
The Godfather Part I
Directed By Francis Ford Coppola

Best Actor: Art Carney
in Harry And Tonto

Best Actress: Ellen Burstyn
in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore

1974 Prices
Bread: $0.28/loaf
Milk: $1.39/gal
Eggs: $1.24/doz
Car: $4,440
Gas: $0.53/gal
House: $38,900
Stamp: $0.10/ea
Avg Income: $14,711/yr
Min Wage: $2.00/hr
DOW Avg: 616

People born on August 10
1959 - Rosanna Arquette NYC, actress (Desperately Seeking Susan)
1947 - Ian Anderson Scotland, rocker (Jethro Tull-Bungle in the Jungle)
1874 - Herbert Clark Hoover, West Branch Iowa, (R) 31st Pres (1929-1933)
1928 - Jimmy Dean Tx, actor/singer (Jimmy Dean Show, Diamonds are Forever)

On TV in 1974
Emergency
The Bob Newhart Show
M*A*S*H
Little House on the Prairie
All in the Family
The Rockford Files
The Waltons

Happy Days
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Columbo



Hot New Toys in 1974
Connnect Four Evel Knievel Dragster Star Trek figures
Evel Knievel Stunt Stadium Monchhichi Planet of the Apes figures
Digger the Dog Rubik's Cube Sit 'N Spin


Top Books in 1974
The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard
The Lives of a Cell by Lewis Thomas
The Power Broker by Robert A. Caro
Working by Studs Terkel

36 comments:

Michelle said...

Happy Birthday! I will pray for Nadine and the Baby,Hoping they can stablilize the baby.And she's born healthy and happy.Have a good day..

Cheri said...

Happy Birthday!
I'll be praying for Nadine and the baby. Keep us posted!

Anonymous said...

Very interesting post.

Happy Birthday to you and I wish the best for your family.

Mari said...

Happy Birthday, Sandra! I'll be praying for Nadine and the baby.
I enjoyed all those 1974 things. I was 13 in 1974 and remember those tv shows and those songs. You've taken me back in time!

Courtney said...

Happy Birthday Sandra!! I hope you have a wonderful day. Cake looks yummy! I'll take a piece. (Maybe 2=))
I will be praying for your family. Keep us posted!

Karen said...

Happy Birthday! You have a wonderful attitude about celebrating in the face of the past couple years. I will pray for your sister-in-law and her baby.

1974 -- I was 16, so all the songs you listed are so familiar, and the t.v. shows, too. Good stuff!

Mike Golch said...

Sandra, Happy my friend. the prayers are being said.
Hugs and God's Love and Blessing to you and your family!Mike G. said that!(It's an A.A.thing of mine)

Anonymous said...

I'm still celebrating today! We're having my party at mom's tonight. . . happy happy happy birthday to you Sandra. I pray this year brings too many blessings to count!

Angela said...

Happy birthday!!!!! Your were born thirteen days before me :o) I loved the stats. I'll be singing "Everybody was Kung-Fu Figh-tiin!!!" for weeks :o)

I will be praying for your brother, Nadine, and for your little neice to say put.

Barbara said...

Happy Birthday Sandra!

I will be praying for Nadine and the baby, and hope that you have a healthy family for all your future birthdays. I do hope the rest of your day goes better and that you get good news.

I told you I'd make a reappearance for your birthday ;) Just 6 more days I keep telling myself...

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday! My daughter was also born in 1974 - the 1974 facts are fun to remember, and I will send them to her.

I hope all works out well for the little one and her Mom.

Pam

Mozi Esme said...

Prayers said for your sister-in-law and baby! That sounds scary.

Those 1974 prices are to die for!

And we are now the same age - for a couple of weeks . . . I turn 35 at the end of this month.

Happy birthday! Thanks for the cake!

Kelli said...

Happy Birthday, Sandra! I will be praying for Nadine...that is so sad and heartbreaking.
~Kelli

Jen said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY dear friend...any many more.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Sandra!! =)

I will also pray for Nadine and the baby, such a scary thing to go through... =(

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, Sandra. May the Lord bless your new year! :)

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday! The cake looks delicious. You should definitely celebrate with a big slice of cake!

Praying for Nadine, your brother, and the baby.

Susanne said...

Happy, happy birthday, Sandra! Your cake looks delish!

Praying for your sister in law and babe!

Elizabeth said...

Happy birthday!! That cake looks so yummy. And, I'm sending prayers. How scary :(

Lisa@UnexpectedJourney said...

Hi, Sandra! I haven't commented in awhile, but I wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday! Hope you're having a nice one. I'll pray for your sister-in-law and baby.

Unknown said...

Oh how I love a good tres leches! Yum!

Very Happy Birthday!

threesidesofcrazy said...

Hope you had a super birthday and I will keep your family in my prayers Sandra.

Barbie @ Mamaology said...

Happy Birthday Sandra:)!!!!! That cake looks oh so yummy (everything you make looks oh so yummy!) I will be 34 in 5 months my self:)

Praying for your sister in law and baby!

Tina said...

Happy Birthday!! We are exactly 2 months apart in age. I turned 34 on June 10th :)

I'll be sending up prayers for the sweet baby and her mama.

Lisa Cobler said...

Happy Birthday!!! I will be praying for your family.

Elizabeth said...

Happy Birthday, Sandra! Your family is in my heart..may things go well for all.

Thanks for posting those factoids from 1974 (I was 14,gasp!) I didn't realize our incomes were soooo low, but the prices were soooo low, too! Gas at 50 cents, oh my :)

The cake looks delicious...I'm sure it didn't last until today!

Peace be with you.

Jill said...

Happy (belated) birthday, Sandra. Sorry about the sad family news. Bummer. I did love reading about all the happenings in 1974. I remember my mom and dad bought a new Chevy Impala (chocolat brown) in 1974 and it cost $4,000. I hope your year ahead is blessed in many ways.

Andrea@Sgt and Mrs Hub said...

Happy Birthday sweet Sandra!! I hope that your 34th year is the very best year so far.

The cake.... How delicious looking!!

-Andrea

Stacy at Exceedingly Mundane said...

Happy Belated Birthday Sandra! That cake looks delicious :) I hope you ended up having a wonderful day. I'm so sorry to hear about your SIL and the baby. Will be thinking and praying for them, please let us know how she's doing.

Those were some cool facts. I especially love the food and gas prices compared to today, haha! Great idea for your post :)

Have a wonderful day and week!

Nicole said...

Happy Happy Birthday!!!

Linds said...

I m late, but Happy Birthday for yesterday, Sandra, and I will be praying for Nadine and her baby too.
I remember 1974 well - I was at UCT then, and having a wonderful time!

smilnsigh said...

I missed your Birthday, but please accept a belated Happy Birthday wish. So sorry that it coincides with sadness.

My best wishs to brother, s-i-law and the baby.

Birthdays should be just for doing whatever one wants to do, and for having a nice day. I'm so sorry it was not completely possible for you Hon.

Gentle hugs,
Miss Mari-Nanci

Kim said...

Happy Belated Birthday Sandra!! I hope you had a spectacular 34th B'day. I really hope your SIL stabalizes. Best wishes!

Kim

Cris said...

Feliz aniversário Sandra!!! Que o Senhor derrame sobre você muitas bênçãos. Beijinhos

Michelle said...

happy belated birthday Sandra! I hope you were able to still have a wonderful day! Praying for your SIL and neice - please update on them when you can!

Katy said...

oh! A VERY happy birthday to you Sandra!!!!! I am so sorry I missed it! You definitely NEED a purse like the one I just got! I totally agree!!!! :o)
I will say a prayer for Nadine and the baby! I Hope everything is OK!!!