The big 50 at the 'Olive Garden'

Wow, turning 50 has been so cool. It's great to have five decades behind me!! (Jewel made my crown from Bendaroos)

gratitude thoughts: for the gift of life, loved ones and friends over the years, vivid memories to make me smile!

age 0-5...learning to say the word moon, my dog 'Rainy', living in South Carolina, walking to the front of the train traveling to NYC in 1963, my sister Diane taking off my newborn sister's socks, my sister Diane almost drowning in the tub, falling down and skinning my knee the 1st day of kindergarden, my mom always smiling. gameshow 'Let's Make A Deal' and 'I Love Lucy', my 1st grade teacher Ms. Gera, reading 'Dick, Jane and Sally' books, naps with Hester, eating chips with my dad, my mom buying me a new pair of bedroom slippers, watermelon in the summer, New Jeruselem Baptist Church, wearing cat eyeglasses, last one in line at school (taller than everyone including boys)

5-10...swallowing a nickel, long summers and becoming a tomboy, love of dance begins, dance lessons at Ruth Williams in Harlem, going to a different school out of my district, my dad playing jacks, summers in South Carolina with my aunts (all 6 of them), my dad teaching me baseball, my brother Kevin being born, my height of 5' 4" and my size 8 feet at the age of 9

11-20... Hunter College HS (all girls school from age 12-18), dance lessons all day and night as an Ailey scholarship student, my mom graduating from college with her MA, my sisters wearing my clothes after I told them NO! Joining Alvin Ailey junior company, tons of homework, my brother Kevin on his skate board, no idea of how to date, Alvin Ailey audition and being so nervous...

21-30...my suitcase, my first NYC apartment, Capezio's dance store, aches and pains, my passport, getting lost in Sweeden, my first 'walkman' Alvin carrying my heavy suitcase in DC, being a vegan, Music, music.. Athens, Rome, Tokyo, South America, Europe, Israel... The Kennedy Center, travel, travel, travel, watching Alvin make ballets, staying up days at a time, Studio 54, my electric heating blanket, getting too skinny, Pilates, retiring from the Ailey company at age 27, meeting Daniel while teaching at City College, my sisters get married and begin their families, long walks in Riverside Drive with Daniel

30-40....my grandma Hester dies, DANIEL and I are married!!!!, I join the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, visit from Opa to NYC, DAKOTA born, Daniel returns to school twice, living in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Denver, homeschooling and reading loads of kids books, Dakota gets baptized in Salt Lake City with Oma, Opa and aunts and uncles, Opa driving with Daniel to LA, Dakota and I staying with Oma and Greg

40-49...JEWEL born, Daniel gets an MBA, 9/11, Dakota starts college at age 9 attending Arapahoe CC, driver's license at age 43, moving to NJ, My dad Peter dies, taking care of my mom Mable, becoming a YW president, new house in Highland Park!, Daniel becomes a Bishop, Dakota graduates MCC and starts Rutgers, Jewel starts school, Jewel on gymnastic team, a stake calling in YW presidency, talk at stake conference (hard, hard hard!) KPMG for Daniel, driving, driving, driving! attending the Alvin Ailey 50th reunion

50-60...???