Yesterday was a special day for my mom for two reasons.
- It was her birthday
- She got a brand new hairdo
I think she looks so beautiful. 
I know it may seem silly to make a big deal over my mom coloring her hair, but it really was a big deal.
When my mom went through treatment for breast cancer and lost her hair during chemotherapy, it grew back gray. She was hesitant to dye it back to the color it was before but always said that her gray hair reminded her of breast cancer and made her feel like she wasn’t quite herself. After undergoing a double mastectomy and struggling with lymphedema to this day, I think my mom has dealt with her fair share of body changes, so hearing her talk about her “transformation” after cancer always made my heart ache a little bit.
When my sister and I spent the weekend with her in Orlando for the Jazzercise Tropic Heat event a couple of weeks ago, she yet again expressed dissatisfaction with her gray hair, saying she was seriously considering dying it. While Leslie and I assured her that she looked 100 percent gorgeous with her gray hair, we knew that she was ready to dye her hair back to the color it was before chemo.
For her birthday, I set up an appointment at a salon in St. Pete for the color and my sister and I popped in halfway through to surprise her and be with her when the foil was removed and her hair was styled.
I felt a little emotional when I saw her because her hair looked so much like it did before her battle with breast cancer. She kept some of the gray, but added in more blonde and highlights. She was absolutely beaming and my sister and I couldn’t stop talking about how fantastic it looked. It was a wonderful birthday!
(Also, thank you all so, so much for your kind comments about my mom on the PBF Facebook page yesterday. My mom read them all and they really touched our family. Thank you!)
Dinner
To celebrate my mom’s birthday, my parents, sister, Ryan and I headed out to Hook’s for sushi.
Our meal started with edamame and included a big sushi boat that we all shared.
Then my mom was surprised with tempura ice cream that she let us all enjoy as well.
Even though we had a dozen cupcakes awaiting us back at my parents’ house, when my mom informed our table that Menchie’s frozen yogurt was buy one get one free, we had to stop by!
Big fro yo cup, I fill you up!
When we arrived back at the house, we broke in to the cupcakes that I brought with me from Ocala.
I bought them at The Blakely House, a beautiful Victorian home that doubles as a café, bakery, boutique and salon.
We cut the cupcakes into fours so we could try the flavors that called to each of us.
Domination.
It’s safe to say that we were all in a sugar coma when the cupcake eating concluded.
It was a wonderful way to celebrate my mom’s birthday!
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This post is so touching. Your mom looks so beautiful; happy birthday to her! You have such a wonderful family! <3
Wow! Your Family looks great! So does your mealll hahaha
What a trooper a trooper your mother is. She seems so strong and inspiring to be smiling from ear to ear with her beautiful daughters after all she’s been through. You must be as proud of her as she is of you.
Random question, but I just finished reading The Violets of March and it was FANTASTIC. I could NOT put it down. Do you have a couple other books that you would recommend that are similar to that book? THANKS
i loved that book, too! have you read her other books? the bungalow was similar, though i must say i liked violets of march better. 🙂
Nope! I have yet to read her other books!
Do you know of any other books in that same genre that you thoroughly enjoyed?
I could be your food twin. On Thursday, we went out for sushi, grabbed frozen yogurt at Menchies,and ate some cupcakes a friend brought over when we got home.
Your mom looks so beautiful! You look just like her!
Happy Birthday to your mom! And she looks absolutely amazing and glowing! 🙂
So glad I popped in on your blog today looking for a recipe! Your mom looks positively radiant! She’s very lucky to have you girls cheering in her corner! My mom battled breast cancer & the same surgery 17 years ago while I was in college. We are both so lucky to still have our moms in our lives! Congrats to your mom, and I pray she stays cancer free…FOREVER!
thank you so much, sarah, and i pray the same thing for your mom!
Dessert three time = my kind of celebration!!
You’re mom does look beautiful and it looks like she had an amazing birthday thanks to all of you! My mom had breast cancer as well, and although she didn’t have to undergo chemo, she did have to have a mastectomy, which I know probably affected her more than I know. It makes me so appreciative to have such a strong woman as my mother, which I’m sure you can relate to!
i’m so glad your mom is as strong of a woman as she is and has the support of a daughter like you!
Congratulations to your mother! She looks gorgeous. My mother had breast cancer as well, and while her hair didn’t fall out she does want to always strike the delicate balance of being proud of her strength and success while reminding herself that as of today she’s in six years remission! It looks like you all had an awesome time celebrating her birthday 🙂
that is so wonderful to hear!
Awe, that is so sweet that you did that for your mama! She looks absolutely stunning and I’m happy she enjoyed her day and celebrations! Happy belated to her by the way!
Happy birthday to your mom! She looks absolutely beautiful with the new ʻdo! She could pass for your sister! 😉 My dad had a cancer scare earlier this year, and it was awful. They kept telling us that he wouldn’t live to see the end of the year. Praise the Lord, it turned out that his tumor was benign, but it really opened my eyes on how serious cancer is. Thank you so, so much for sharing your mom’s experience with us… as well as her triumphs!
ps I like your version of Red Solo Cup MUCH more than the original!!
oh my gosh, that must’ve been terrifying. so glad everything worked out okay for your dad (and your family)!
Your mom looks great, but I always thought she looked really striking and beautiful with the gray. 🙂 I can definitely understand the change though!
A beautiful post- ahh so touching. I actually got a little teary. Your mum looks amazing and you are all lucky to have each other. Mmmm dinner and dessert (s) hah!
happy birthday to your mom- her hair looks amazing.
after hearing so much about menchies on not only your blog but others as well i was jealous as i live in canada and for some reason we havent caught on to the whole frozen yogurt thing. well im so happy because they JUST opened one 5 minutes away from me and i am going there now because of this post!
Happy Birthday!! You looked beautiful before!! You look beautiful now!! I hope you continue to feel well and stay strong!! My mom is a breast cancer survivor. YOU ROCK!!
Thank you for sharing your mom’s amazing story. Good for her!
Your mom looks absolutely beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing, this brought tears to my eyes. Definitely inspiring for everyone reading.
Happy birthday to your mom!! She looks absolutely beautiful 🙂
Hi
1st happy birthday to mom PBF! Second I love that she dyed her hair! Not because she needed to (she was gorgeous with the gray) but because she basically said eff you to cancer, which is the ONLY talking to I think cancer deserves. When my mom got brain cancer I learned to celebrate the days the seconds even. We had parties for EVERYTHING. 1 year cancerversary? Party invite everyone. First seizure? Let get a cake (make sure they squiggle the words – my mom had a sick sense of humor). She refused to let cancer define her. I refused to let them put a cause of death on her obit – cancer doesn’t deserve that honor — just like it doesn’t get to make your mom feel anything but her beautiful self!
thank you so much for this comment, joy! i LOVE the attitude that you and your mom had towards cancer!! awesome.
Awwww!! Mama Bream looks amazing!! Please give her a birthday hug from me and let her know I think she is fabulous (a genetic trait amongst the Bream woman!!) lots o’ love JB miss ya!!!!
i sure will! thanks, mer. miss you!!
What a great present!!! Your mom looks lovely and is absolutely glowing!
Your mother seems to have the same story as my mom and I remember how special it was for our whole family when she dyed her hair back to her natural hair colour!
Your mom looks stunning, happy belated birthday to her! I lost my mom when I was really little and am so happy when I read about you cherishing your time with her, its something I really wish I could have done with my mom.
Your mom looks so beautiful, Julie! Happy birthday to her! This post almost brought me to tears. You and your family are so sweet. 🙂
Your mother is so beautiful, Julie. Happy belated birthday to her and many more to come!
Congrats to your mom! She looks great! Your post about finding out about her diagnosis made me cry! I could not imagine anything happening to my mom! She is everything!!
This post made me cry 🙁 Your mom is beautiful, gray or blonde, but it does look amazing!
Congrats to your mom! She looks wonderful and I hope that she is enjoying her new look!
Lymphedema is no fun at all, I’m sorry to hear that she is struggling with that- but so glad that she won her fight with breast cancer.
Yay for Mama B!!! She looks beautiful 🙂
Your mom looks absolutely amazing!!! I’m so happy that she has won her battle!!
I unfortunately lost my brother to cancer a little more than 2.5 years ago! One of the hardest things I’ve ever been through in my life! So to say that I’m happy your mom has beaten cancer is such an understatement!!!
She looks lovely. I think it was great to keep some of the gray and add blonde. SO pretty 🙂
Ahhh!!!!! Tell your mom she looks AMAZING for me! =) My family is at constant cancer [both of my grammys, my dad, and Roxy] alert so it makes me so so so happy that your mom is kicking ass and taking names! <3 Here's to MANY MORE birthdays =)
xo
Your moms hair is gorgeous.You have every reason to show her off. All that she did during yiur wedding exemplifies the love a mom has for her daughter.
My mom as well had a double mastectomy. At a much later age. She is now in hospice and they do all possible to make her comfy.After they realized her love for hummingbirds, they have moved her bed and pit a feeder next to her window.
I am so happy your sweet mama is better.
Frozen yogurt + cupcakes = two of my favorite desserts!! Happy birthday to your mom, she looks fabulous!
Happy birthday to your Mom & what a special way to celebrate with her hair all done up!
I remember how different my little sister’s hair grew back after cancer – it was straight & fine like the rest of my family’s & grew back thick & curly – you never know what you’ll get! Your mom looks great!
Your Mom looks fantastic and she did before the new color too. In fact, I thought she looked so great with gray hair I am considering letting myself go natural when I get to that age. Until then, lots of blackstrap molasses to keep the grays from coming.
What a beautiful and touching post! Your mother is so lovely and it what a great birthday gift!