I have been up since 6am baking a double layer birthday cake from scratch – in my pajamas and an apron of course, since I wouldn’t want those to get dirty…
The office desk is clean for the first time in weeks – you can even see the table!
The dogs are freaking out because they can tell something is going on. Huey is hiding in my closet…
And Indy is planning an escape…
The towels are laid out…
The bed has been made…
And the house is freshly vacuumed…
It can only mean one thing – COMPANY is on the way! I have been looking forward to this weekend for weeks and weeks. My mom and both sisters are currently en route to Virginia. It is hard to believe that the four of us haven’t all been together since my sister’s gorgeous farm wedding last October.
In case it’s not clear, I am 100% obsessed with my family. I don’t share a lot about my past on the blog, but let’s just say it has been rocky. My dad left us when I was 15, and while my older sister was off at college, my mom and I bonded together to pull our family back together and raise my little sister.
While the rest of my friends hung out after school, I worked at my mom’s flower shop – making wedding bouquets, driving the delivery truck, loading cars with mulch – you name it. When I wasn’t there, I was taking Sarah to soccer games and birthday parties. Like it or not, I grew up very quickly.
But I’m not complaining. Our unusual circumstances only made us stronger. My mom became my best friend, and my sisters were my teammates. Our family truly embodies girl power. My mom’s birthday is this weekend, and I can’t even explain how excited I am that we will all be together to celebrate. She is the bravest woman I know.
Counting the minutes and staring out the window until they get here. Hurry up guys!
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yay! have fun with your sister and Mom!
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Apron + PJs=too cute. Can’t wait to hear more about the cake.
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Aww Happpy Birthday to your Mama! Thanks for sharing some of your family background… you girls seem so bonded and it’s precious :) Love the picture of your sister in her wedding dress + cowgirl boots!
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Oh I love it! I have 2 sisters as well and we’re also very close! Enjoy your time with your family!!
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Have fun!
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Happy birthday to your mom! My birthday is this weekend too :)
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I’m fairly new to your blog and have been catching up on so many posts over the past few days, I really enjoy reading it :)
Have a wonderful time with your family and can’t wait to see the layered birthday cake!
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That is so sweet. Have a great weekend together! I am sure your cake is extra delicious for them.
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!!! PICTURES!!! I love you guys. Give everyone huge hugs for me!
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Have a great time! Love the pics in your office:)
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So sweet!! Have a great time with your family :)
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Yay, have fun with your sisters and mom!
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Thank God for your close family. When my mom died 8 years ago, it really put a block between my dad and me, but we are really doing our best to move past it and reconnect, and I’m so grateful for that.
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I am 100% obsessed with my family as well! Enjoy the reunion!
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You’re so lucky to have such a nice family! And your sister’s farm wedding was so awesome!!
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Have fun with your mom and sisters this weekend! Also, is that an Ohio State room I see? Go Bucks!!
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I truly admire how you can take negative circumstances (your accident, your dad leaving :( ) and turn it into something positive. You’re so inspiring.
Have a wonderful weekend!
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Enjoy your time with your family. My sister, mom, & I have such a special bond too. I couldn’t imagine not seeing them regularly. I’m so happy you get to be all together!
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Y’all will have such a fun weekend! I’m excited for you!
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Aw yay! Last weekend my mom and sister visited me at school and we had such a great time together. So happy you get to visit with yours!!
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Love the cowgirl wedding attire.
Love to see a man vacuuming ;-)
The fan/light over the bed would give me nightmares!
And have a super visit with you mom and sisters :D
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Awww, I wish I got along with my family. Most of the relationships are very strained with past hurts. I try and let it slide around the holidays, but it tends to be tense and surface-nice. Luckily my husband’s and best friend’s families are AWESOME!
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Enjoy the weekend with your family, Emily!
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I am excited for you! I hope you guys have a blast. :)
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Your mom sounds like she absolutely rocks – and so do you! That
ust have been a lot of responsibility for a 15 year old. Your’e just awesome.
Have fun!!!
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Family is so great! Have a wonderful time :)
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Sounds like it’ll be a great weekend with the family then! :) Happy birthday to your mom!
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Have a wonderful weekend with you mother and sisters…I love those kinds of weekends!!!
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I am so excited for you! Happy Birthday to your mom! I have a similar story, but in the end, I was adopted by my step father! So I have siblings that are 16 years younger than me. It has been a year since I have seen all of them and I am so excited for Thanksgiving because we will all be together and we have a new family member to celebrate. Enjoy your family Emily!
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Have a great time with your family! Just posted my thoughts on volunteering. It is tiring, but overall a great experience and you would make some excellent contacts there. Let me know if you want to volunteer!
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Love this post, Emily. How gorgeous is your family?! HAVE FUN!
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Your office looks like the one from Young House Love!
Have a great time with your family.
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Hi Emily,
Nice to see you baking make 1 for me too.
When is your Mom’s BD?? Mine is tomorrow the 20th. I won’t ask her age she looks a little younger than me. I’m having a big one next year the waiting for retirement in a few.
Lancaster Co PA Gal
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I feel the same way about my 2 older sisters and my mom…and now my 3 nieces! LOTS of girl power. :)
Enjoy every minute of your weekend!
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Thanks for sharing. So happy you get to see your fam! Love the beautiful flowers in the bathrooms. Don’t they just make you smile? My Mom said she always wanted to be the person that jumps outta the van to deliver flowers. Not the driver, just the messenger, and always see smiling faces. Have a wonderful visit Emily.
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Awwww poor Huey :) Isn’t that funny how they just know when somethings up?
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Sounds like a great weekend to me. Enjoy it!
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I hope you have a great time with your family. I love it when my sisters and I are able to get together. We all live in different states so it can be difficult.
Side note: When I was growing up my mom owned a flower shop. I worked in it doing pretty much the same stuff you did.
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Hugs to you for loving your mom, and sisters so much. Your post brought tears to my eyes…
Take lots of pics for us, and enjoy your family like crazy…
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awww, have fun! thanks for sharing your family story. how awesome that you’re all so close :)
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Have a great weekend with your family!! I understand about being forced to grow up and play mother; my dad died when I was 12 and my brother was 5. My mom and I were already pretty close, but that just made us closer…and I defintely helped raise my baby brother! It was easy most of the time, but it was interesting!! I think it makes the bond I have with my mom and brother (and the one you obviously have with your mom and sister!)so much more special and close! Again, enjoy this weekend with your family!!!
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Have a great time with your family!! Is Casey ready for a weekend and house full of females? I see a lot of dog walks (a.k.a. male time) this weekend. :) Happy Birthday to TFB’s Mom!
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Yay! I just saw that you advanced to Challenge 8 =D I’m so excited for you. Have fun with your mom this weekend!
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This made me warm and tingly. I hope you have a FANTASTIC weekend. You ladies deserve it! Happy Birthday Front Burner Mom :smile: xoxo
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Happy early birthday to your Momma. So exciting when family comes to town – have the best time!
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Aw…it’s so nice to hear that you have such a great relationship with your mom! I’m quite the opposite- my mom and I are at odds and my dad is my best friend. I completely understand the excitement in getting to see your family though! Have a wonderful weekend :)
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I cat hides when I clean the house too. Obviously there must be something going on, as I sure wouldn’t be doing it otherwise! ;)
It made me smile to read about your mom and sisters. Nice.
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Happy birthday to your mom and have a great weekend!
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It’s a Great Day, now isn’t it Emily? – have fun with your family and enjoy your success !
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I hope y’all have an amazing weekend!!
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Awe! Happy birthday to your mom! :) I love hearing stories of people persevering and making a better life for themselves! :) I’d had a rough childhood but people today would never know unless I told them, so I love hearing “happy endings” from others as well. :) This made me tear up. Have a wonderful weekend with your family, Emily! :)
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HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND
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Have fun this weekend!! Love the photo of you and your mom and the farm wedding one too. Gorgeous! :)
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Did Huey eat her birthday cake this year???? Remember the year he ate not only the first cake you baked for your Mom but the replacement cake you baked after that!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL, How many did you have to bake this year?
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your sister’s wedding dress is gorgeous, i think we have the same style. your family sounds incredible! i hope you enjoy your time with them :)
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I am so sorry you had a rough growing up :o( sounds like you have some amazing women in your family! Have a great weekend!
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What a beautiful story about your family. I hope you have the best time this weekend!
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HAVE so much fun with your family this weekend! I was thinking a few weeks ago that I thought it was strange you had not mentioned your older sister in a while!
Also I LOVE how much you love your family. I also envy you. My family has been through some hard things that we just can’t seem to get over and we are not close at all anymore. I’m totally jealous that your mom is your best friend :)
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Happy Birthday Mama Front Burner!
Wow, the 4 of you gals are simply awesome. Make sure to keep the cake in the fridge or in a safe :)
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Aww how exciting! I love to hear about strong families like your’s that take rough circumstances to become closer. My husband’s family is the same way and being a part of it has grown me so much.
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I have two sisters too- best combo. Congratulations on BEING AWESOME INSTEAD.
Have fun!
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Yay for moms! Have a great visit with everyone.
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Baking a cake at 6am? Sounds like a dream for me. :)
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Thanks for sharing your story. I could “feel” your emotions through your writing and the closeness that you and your sisters and mom all share. What a bunch of beautiful women too – love that wedding photo! Have a wonderful and blessed weekend.
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I’m 16 and can really relate to your story. I’ve had to grow up more in just a few months than it feels like I ever had to. However, it’s nice to know that family will always hold us together. Now more than ever I appreciate the love that we share. I hope you have a wonderful time with yours this weekend! How lucky we are to have such amazing people around us.
Have a lovely day!
xox
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hope you have an absolutely wonderful time with your mom and sisters!
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So happy that you get to be with your family!! I hate how often I take for granted the close-ness of mine, although I never forgot it when I was away at college. Can’t wait to see the photos, have a wonderful time!!!
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Have fun! Can’t wait to see your cake :)
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Staring out the window until they get there – too cute! And I love that you were up at 6:00 AM to bake. Sounds like something I would get teased for. I hope you guys have a fantastic time!
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I love learning more and more about your life each post :)
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I can relate to your accelerated maturity very deeply. Your right it does make us stronger and more responsible people :-)
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I just got around to reading this blog since I was on a plane when you wrote it- This is the nicest birthday present ever!
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