Thursday, August 8, 2013

Ella's Turning What? Blog Hop

Ella Jade is celebrating her birthday by giving away presents to YOU! The grand prize is a $100 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner's choice) gift card, but all of the 107 bloggers participating in this lovely blog hop are offering prizes. 



When I signed up for this blog, Ella asked that we blog about a special birthday memory, a special gift, or something along that line. I didn't have to think too hard about my special birthday memory. It was the year I turned 4.

  

I should probably start off by telling you I was the only granddaughter. My family had high hopes that I would be the girly girl they all wanted. Hahaha, the joke was on them. I'm a tomboy princess.
Birthdays were a big deal in my family. My uncle and his family would gather with my grandparents and my parents for a big meal for each birthday. My grandma used to make us these beautiful cakes. (This one was chocolate with peanut butter chocolate frosting with ballerinas on top. Yes, I still remember the flavor of that frosting...years later.)

I'm not sure who thought it was a good idea to hand a 4 year old a knife that size, but here I am. LOL (That's my daddy sitting beside me. Don't you love those mutton chop side burns?)
My dad was a volunteer fireman. He served with some amazing men. If they weren't family, they were very dear friends. One of my dad's friends loved to tease me mercilessly and I adored him. When Bill found out it was my birthday, he decided to crash my birthday party. As we were finishing up our dinner, Bill drove by in one of the big firetrucks and got on the loudspeaker of the truck. "HAAAAAAAPPPPPPYYYY BBBBIIRRRRRTTHHHHDDDAAAAAYYYY!" rang through the soft summer air...scaring the bejesus out of one little girl who immediately burst into tears.





This is the reason I look so somber in this picture. 
Okay, I may have been a little angry as well. I mean, my whole family laughed because they thought it was funny. I was not amused.

Bill made sure to apologize to me when he saw me next. "Sweetie, I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday. I didn't mean to scare you." It took a big man to apologize to a 4 year old little girl.

Looking back, I don't remember the gifts I received or what food was eaten (though it looks like burgers and picnic foods), but I remember the cake and the unusual birthday wish from a very special man.

How many other little girls have gotten a birthday wish like that? Is it any wonder I love firemen like I do? *grin*

Now it's your turn:
Tell me about the most unusual birthday wish you ever received.

The winner will receive an e-copy of both Keeper of the Golden Dragon's Heart and Natural Born Enemies.

Happy Birthday, Ella!!! I hope it is the best birthday ever! I appreciate being able to be a part of your celebration :)







53 comments:

  1. I never did get a birthday wish come true i wished for a corvette but never received it on my 16th birthday i tried at least. joehawkshaw@yahoo.com

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    1. I'm still waiting for the Camaro I asked for. May actually have to buy that one myself :)

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  2. My first birthday with my husband (boyfriend then)... I asked for a comforter. He got me a huge blue comforter with the sun/moon/stars on it. I washed it and used it right away. Woke up the next day BLUE! It took several washes of the comforter for that to stop.

    Thanks for being part of this blog hop!
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELLA!

    jrryba(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Oh no! :) That's funny! I'm sure it wasn't at the time though.

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  3. My favorite was my 9 The birthday my parents got married that day
    happy birthday Ella
    virgilio324@gmail.com

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  4. I'm still waiting for my birthday wish to come to :)

    Happy Birthday Ella!!
    crystal.glenn88@gmail.com

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  5. Happy Birthday Ella! so glad to be a part of the blog hop! slazar918@aol.com

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  6. Not really a weird wish, but a weird tradition...it started when I was 7 I think. Every year I always watch a bunch of Gilligan's Island episodes cause I've always loved that show.:) Love your story though!! That's so kick ass!!

    little.ingram@hotmail.com

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    1. Oh, goodness! Now, I've got the theme song stuck in my head. "The millionaire...and his wife..." I love Gilligan's Island. Great tradition!

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  7. I was in my 20's and leaving to go to work. I walked to my car & it was covered in "Happyu Birthday streamers, confetti and balloons. I really love my friends!
    Ella, have a fantastic birthday month and enjoy the hop!
    Thanks for inviting ua all to celebrate.
    starznstripes24@yahoo.com

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    1. Gotta love your friends! They always know just what it takes to make your day brighter.

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  8. My birthday wishes never come true. LOL
    stamper_sierra@yahoo.com

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  9. Hmm most unusual.. and exciting was having a birthday on a small plane.. ;) Stewardess came out with cake no burning candles though..lol Awesome and a never again experience I'm sure..lol

    Ella is celebrating with style.. and fun!! Thank you..

    vals_hemi at yahoo dot com

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  10. Happy birthday to Ella! Thanks for participating in the hop. Hmmm...no unusual birthday wishes for me. When the iPad first came out, my husband debated between getting me that or jewelry. He went the iPad...smart man. :)

    pjmillion(at)comcast(dot)net

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  11. Happy Birthday Ella! Great Blog Hop. One of my best birthday is when my husband surprised me at work with flowers, chocolate and a pair of diamond earrings - made all my co-workers jealous. Koala571@msn.com

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  12. happy birthday ella. and thanks to you for being a part of this blog hop:)
    My favorite was my 23rd this year my daughter was born 2 days before my birthday and we got to leave the hospital on my birthday!:)

    indiansgirl9@aol.com

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  13. Thanks for participate on Ella's birthday blog hop.

    nflannery0@gmail.com

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  14. Thanks, I don't really have an unusual birthday wish that I can remember tbh. Thank you for the giveaway tho and happy bday Ella! kamclauc AT gmail DOT com

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  15. Happy Birthday Ella!!

    alslagle06@live.com

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  16. I want to win! Happy Birthday!
    kyla.stein@gmail.com

    -Kyla Stein

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  17. Happy Birthday to Ella! My birthday is 2 day before my anniversay so I got my hubby as my birthday wish :O)
    Carin
    mawmom at gmail dot com

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  18. Thank you for the giveaway and Happy Birthday to Ella! Purexc00@aol.com

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  19. I received a dremel....the thought process for this gift was I love to carve pumpkins so it was a good thought and I did use it....once...it's much messier than a knife...lol (or maybe I just didn't use it properly) ;-) Happy Birthday Ella! fuades3@yahoo.com

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  20. I would give almost anything to spend a little more time with my grandparents and mom.

    daringzoey at yahoo.com

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  21. Not so much unusual but the best one yet was when my ex and I got back together last year. He truly is my soulmate.

    vampiremistress2010(at)gmail(dot)com

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  22. Happy Birthday! Thanks for the giveaway!
    Talkington07@yahoo.com

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  23. Thanks for joining the hop!!
    caiidynsmommie(at)gmail(dot)com

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  24. Happy Birthday Ella, and hmm.. I'm kind of boring, but the most memorable birthday for me was my 21st I went to a dive bar with my boyfriend at the time (now hubby of a bunch of years), my bff, my parents (haha I know) and my aunt. My dad's goal was that I be so sick the next day I would want to die. I never had less than two drinks in front of me all night long. And shots galore. Woke up in the bathroom on the floor with tile marks on my face and no shirt on.... did I puke? nope... I had gotten up in the middle of the night to pee, took my shirt off, realized oh that won't help me pee, couldn't get it back on, did my business and then decided getting back to bed was too much work so I curled up on the floor and slept there. Okay I'm sure you want to know what this has to do with a bday wish... the next day at 11 am we had a birthday lunch at my favorite mexican place.. I was hungover and every single smell made me gag. It was awful... I wished, prayed, and begged for mercy throughout that entire freakin' lunch and it took me months before I could eat it again. Awful. Thanks Dad! However, I won, I didn't puke. Lol.

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  25. Thanks for sharing Ella's wonderful day and the giveaways. evamillien at gmail dot com
    My most unusual birthday wish, I was called it to work and when I got there my boss and co-workers had 38 purple balloons, (years old) birthday cake, and a clown shooting a water gun. All the customers had fun.

    Happy Birthday, Ella!

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  26. Thanks for sharing your birthday memory with us. Also thank you for the wonderful giveaway.

    Happy Birthday to Ella =)

    humhumbum AT yahoo DOT com

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  27. I can't think of an unusual b-day wish now but thanks for sharing yours :)

    butterflypetals7(at)gmail(dot)com

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  28. happy 40th birthday Ella

    leetee2007@hotmail.com

    most memorable birthday wish was for my brother to wake from a coma (he did several days later)

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  29. Happy Birthday, Ella!!!
    verusbognar (at) gmail (dot) com

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  30. Happy Birthday Ella! Fantastic blog hop! I love your photographs Gemma.
    samanthadarling1986@hotmail.com
    xxx

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  31. Happy Birthday Ella!! Thanks for the blog hop!!

    No unusual birthday wishes for me.

    carrollfamily02@gmail.com

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  32. I truly cannot think of any unusual birthday wishes, though when I turned 15, my sister surprised me a party and even got my father to leave the house for a bit so all our friends could come over have some peace (he was quite intimidating). She grilled hamburgers and hotdogs, had tons of finger foods and made me my very own homemade "Happy Birthday strawberry pie" (the pie was presented privately), with a birthday cake for the guests to enjoy for traditions' sake. She made the pie for me because I was never a big fan of cake. Since my sister and I fought often and she had led me to believe that I was a leech of the worst possible kind, I had expected nothing from her. I had looked forward to turning 15 from my very earliest years, and she most definitely made this a year to remember. This was also a turning point for the two of us. Despite the fighting, we'd always been close, but from that point forward, she became my best friend. That has never changed. Thanks for the hop and Happy Birthday, Ella. michelle_willms@yahoo.com

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  33. Thanks for the hop. Happy Birthday Ella.

    When I was 8 I wanted an alligator? Not sure why or what possessed me to ask for that but I did. Needless to say my birthday passed and NO alligator. I was devastated. That summer we went to the amusement park and I won a stuffed jumbo alligator - 3x the size of me, with large eyes and it was green & yellow. I loved that thing - I would sleep on it, read on it, use it as a punching bag etc. I wish I had some pictures to share but sadly I do not.

    jrcarroll314@comcast.net

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  34. My 30th was a pretty awesome birthday, I took a cruise with my BFFs!
    Happy B-Day Ella!! What an awesome idea for a hop! And so many awesome books to add to my TBR list!

    grapeapril75(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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  35. Hmmm I guess it would be the one time in high school when my friend's dad let my friend throw me a party/sleepover and while we were wishing some of our guy friends would show up they did. When we heard her had coming one of them jumped off the balcony and got caught by a nail with his pants and was dangling off it lol
    Happy Birthday Ella!
    Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
    dixiedukegurl2 AT yahoo DOT com

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  36. Happy Birthday!

    I can't recall any unusual wishes, however, I do think I must have a body odor problem. My mother in law has been giving my soaps ans shampoos for over 15 years.

    Mel
    bournmelissa at hotmail dot com

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  37. I can't say that I have received any unusual wishes but for my 21st birthday my boss and his wife took me to dinner and give me a gift: a bowling ball! I had that thing forever until I left it in the garage in the winter and it cracked.
    Thanks for the giveaway!!
    barbistull(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  38. Happy birthday Ella!! My fave b-day memory was surprise weekend road trip to St. Augustine, for a long weekend at a great B&B.

    Thanks for the amazing giveaway!
    elizabeth @ bookattict . com

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  39. I think my most memorable birthday was my 21st. My friend owned a bar and shut it down and just had a party for me there with everyone I knew. It was amazing. I got totally drunk, shot some amazing pool with my new cue, and then got burned on my face by someones cigarette and I was so drunk, I didn't even care! LOL Your 4th birthday sounds amazing!

    Thanks for the great giveaway and Happy 4-0 Ella James.

    Best wishes,
    Marlena
    charmedpoms(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  40. Happy Birthday Ella! The most unusual birthday gift that I have received is a huge pack of diff. colors gel pens (I love gel pens).

    Thanks for being a part of this FUN blog hop.

    jmesparza821 at gmail dot com

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  41. Happy Birthday Ella!! I hope you have a wonderful day! as an adult, my grandma gave me a huge Piglet stuffed animal for my birthday. Not sure what to do with it, but it was pretty cute!

    ehaney578 at aol dot com

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  42. I don't know if it's the most unusual, but the best birthday present I ever got was my son. :-)
    Happy Birthday Ella! I hope you had a fabulous weekend!!
    Thank you for your generosity,
    Karen.arrowood@sbcglobal.net

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