Happy Birthday, Tom!

This is a special week for me.  It’s Tom’s birthday on Thursday.  I am excited to bless this man with whom I have shared every birthday of his since 1979.  He was 23, and I was 18.  We have celebrated in so many ways, but always it’s all about making the day he was born a day to remember.  One fun tradition of ours – I’m a pie baker, not a cake baker.  So we have always had birthday pies – not cake.  Tom’s favorite is Coconut Banana Cream.

We will be celebrating his birthday this year in Charlotte, N.C. with special friends we haven’t seen in….too long.

♥ FUN DATES TO CELEBRATE ♥

August 15

• National Relaxation Day – make a list of all the things your spouse loves to do to relax and pack as many of them as you can into this day.  You may need to relax yourself when this day is done.

August 16th

• National Tell A Joke Day – spend some time looking for some good ones to text to your spouse all day long.
• National Rum Day – bake a rum cake, play pirates or watch one of Capt. Jack Sparrow’s epic movies.

August 17th

• National Thrift Shop Day – okay, this one could be really fun.  When was the last time you played dress up?  Halloween isn’t included.  Each take $5 and see who can come up with the sexiest outfit from your local Thrift Store?  You know what they say, “A penny saved is a penny in your pocket!”

August 18th

• National Soft Ice Cream Day – and it’s no wonder Tom loves this treat – today is his birthday!
• Tom Walter’s Birthday!  I love you, babe!

August 19th

• National Aviation Day – go parking in a field near your local airport to watch the planes come in.   A great excuse to park like you used to – back in the day!  🙂 But don’t forget to salute the pilot as he flies over.
• National Potato Day – buy an order of french fries on your way to the airport (see above).  Or you could have a stuffed potato buffet for dinner.

August 20th

• Lemonade Day – if it’s really hot, make some frozen lemonade Popsicles as a cool surprise.
• National Radio Day – a great American pastime to listen, relax and enjoy those Popsicles.

August 21st

• National Spumoni Day – Spumoni is an Italian dessert made of layers of ice cream, whip cream, candied fruit, and nuts. It’s a complex concoction of many flavors that originated in Naples, Italy and remains popular in parts of the US with large Italian immigrant populations.

♥ THINGS TO DO IN ORLANDO ♥

CENTRAL

• Thornton Park – Downtown Art Walk on 3rd Thursdays, August 18th.  The event goes from 6p – 9p.  FREE.
• Altamonte Springs – Uptown Altamonte presents Jazz Jams Uptown on Saturday, August 20th in beautiful Crane’s Roost Park.  7p – 10p  FREE.
• Winter Park – Music at the Casa on Sunday, August 21st from 12p – 3p.  Cost is FREE.

NORTH

• Deland – Hot Summer Nights on Saturday, August 20th from 4p – 8p.  FREE

EAST

• New Smyrna Beach – 4th Annual Shrimp And Seafood Festival on Thursday, August 18th from 5p – 9p.  Food and drinks available for purchase.

WEST

• Clermont – Lakeridge Winery hosts The August Stomp on Saturday and Sunday, August 20th and 21st.  The event runs Sat. from 10a – 5p.  and Sun. from 11a. – 5p.  Cost is $2.