October is the month of birthdays in our family. We celebrate many relatives, cousins, and a niece who officially became a teenager as of Tuesday morning. For my Taylor Swift-loving niece, this week Annabelle is in her birthday era.
My Gilmore Girls book arrived in the mail on Tuesday. The show marked its 25th anniversary on Sunday and, even in 2025, remains a fan favorite. For most of us, the show (and The Office) got us through the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The book was written by a literature and pop culture enthusiast. It will come with me on trips to Cutie’s and maybe on Sunday when I go to the Gaffron Family picnic. This season, I am in my Stars Hollow Era!
“It’s a lifestyle. It’s a religion!”
We celebrated Annabelle Tuesday evening with a cookie cake and chocolate ice cream. She also opened a few presents from us. Her birthday has fallen on a busy weekend for us the last few years, as we’ve held our Gaffron Family reunion too. In the past, I’ve gone to Fort Ligonier Days as well on that weekend. We’ve taken turns having the party at Twin Lakes and Mammoth Park. The most memorable party was a few years ago at Mammoth where the theme was Harry Potter. All the kids got to wear the iconic wizard’s glasses. Coincidentally, a few of my gifts to her this year were some Haribo gummies shaped like characters from Hogwarts.
In the last few years, we’ve graduated from the parks to other venues. Last year, her birthday party was at Brave with all her friends. Her cousins got introduced to karate while my cousins tried Cutie’s Coffee for the first time.
I’ve had fun watching Annabelle grow up and excel in school. The pandemic meant she would have to learn from home like many other kids. Just like my Toastmasters meetings, she also had to be remote when she was learning. She’s very active in the band, and we enjoy hearing her practice her (baritone) sax. She’s passionate about dogs and loves being around her family and friends.
Happy 13th Annabelle! We Love You!
Stylish 🍒 