Although it is neither George Washington’s nor Abraham Lincoln’s birthday today, we are nonetheless celebrating President’s Day.
I’m sure this makes sense to someone.
Possibly the person who thought up the plan to celebrate the birthdays of two presidents on a day that was no one’s birthday.
We don’t care though, because around here we’re just always glad of an excuse for a day off from school and/or work, and also of an excuse for cake!
Because I think George and Abe would like us to have some cake in their honor, don’t you? Phyllis picked this one, very Abe and George!
[okay, so my internet is being very persnickety and won’t upload a photo tonight, so imagine, if you will, a luscious lemon layer cake with blueberry lavender buttercream icing in a vivid shade of purple that would definitely be right up George and Abe’s alley – and if you follow the link below you can see it! Phyllis and I are thinking Spring!]
Lemon Layer Cake with Blueberry Lavender Buttercream http://thewholesomepursuit.com/2014/04/23/lemon-layer-cake-with-blueberry-lavender-buttercream/
Go ahead! Dig in!
It is not Phyllis’s birthday either, although she is hoping that when she becomes President her birthday, which is also not on this day, will be included with George’s and Abe’s. Phyllis feels that a little marmot in the White House would be a good thing, and I can’t disagree 🙂
So even though it is no one’s birthday today, we are having cake and celebrating the selection of the prize winners from Phyllis’s Birthday Bonanza!
Are you ready?
Let me start by saying that it was not easy to choose winners.
For starters, all the entries were amazing and marvelous and enrapturing. In addition, Phyllis felt strongly that all 19 should receive 1st Prize.
“You can’t give 19 people first prize,” I said.
“Maybe YOU can’t,” said Phyllis, “but I can!”
“No, what I mean is that if you make a 19-way tie for first place then it’s like no one won!”
“No, it’s like 19 people won.”
“19 people can’t win!”
“Yes they CAN!”
“No they CAN’T!”
“I say they can and I’m giving them all the Punxsutawney Phyllis Pancake of Awesomeness!”
“Oh, well who wouldn’t want to win a Pancake of Awesomeness?!”
“No one,” said Phyllis smugly. “That’s why it’s the perfect prize.”
Therefore let it be known on this 16th Day of February 2015 (which is not anyone’s birthday) that Julie A, Karen, Sarah C, Jilanne, Kathy, Stacy, Catherine, Julie R-Z, Wendy, Michelle, Heather, Erik & Josie, Donna, the Hoeft Family, Linda, Vivian, Suzy, Robyn, Sarah M, and Christie all get a pancake from Phyllis.
I’m not really sure what to say about that.
I hope you like it?!
“Now that we’ve got that pancake business out of the way,” I said to Phyllis, “who were really your favorites? There must have been some among that talented pack that really stood out to you.”
“Well, now that you mention it,” said Phyllis, “there were a few!”
So, without further ado, here are Phyllis’s selections for top placement in her Birthday Bonanza! She is uncomfortable labeling them 1st, 2nd, etc. because she loved them all so much!
The Hoeft Family – for their beautifully written, illustrated, performed, and videoed Happy Birthday Wish.
Stacy – for her amazing quilling which Phyllis had never heard of before but thinks made her look beautiful and also was fabulously videoed.
Robyn – because Mr. Ed said, “you mean the world to me Phyll” in such an endearing way and had a whole Phyllis wall of wonder in his stall – what’s not to love about a video with a horse in it?!
Julie A – for her amazing poem that included not only Phyllis but all her literary brothers and sisters… and trains and airplanes.
Erik & Josie – for their awesome video which included singing AND costumes and was just an all-out funkadellic performance – and Phyllis wants it to be known that she is Super Funky!
So Bekah, Stacy, Robyn, Julie A, and Erik & Josie, please Email Me to sort out your prizes.
Up for grabs are:
– a generously donated signed copy of SUBSTITUTE GROUNDHOG by Pat Miller along with an audio recording!
– a signed copy of PUNXSUTAWNEY PHYLLIS (should there happen to be anyone among you who wants one and doesn’t already have one)
– any picture book of your choice (recent titles I have enjoyed and would recommend include Blue On Blue, The Most Magnificent Thing, and Gaston.)
– any MG or YA book of your choice should you happen to be a winner who would find something more at your reading and interest level more to your liking 🙂
Congratulations to all our entrants! You all did such a wonderful job, and Phyllis and I enjoyed your efforts SO MUCH!!! Thank you ALL for making Phyllis’s birthday and 10th Anniversary SO MUCH FUN!!!
Have a marvelous Monday, everyone! And those of you who have the day off – celebrate like no one’s watching! 🙂
Susanna Leonard Hill 
Why, thank you, Phyllis! We were honored just to be able to wish you a happy birthday!
Thank YOU, Bekah! We LOVEDLOVEDLOVED your entry! Email me so we can get your prize organized 🙂
Woo! Congrats winners!
BTW: It does not surprise me at all the learn that Phyllis is funky. I'll bet she listens to James Brown.
Phyllis LOVES James Brown! She likes to get down with her bad self and GET UP OFFA THAT THING 🙂
Yum thanks for the pancakes! Congrats to the winners, they were amazing! What a fun time of year for Phyllis. Enjoy President's Day!
I appreciate the pancake, Phyllis and Susanna. Great fun was had by all and all who participated are winnahs! Congrats to all.
She's my kinda gal.
Pancakes are always a good gift! Second only to bacon.
I went to pilates which means I didn't eat which means a pancake is perfect! XO
Congrats to us all.
Oh fun. There were so many fun tributes to Phyllis. It's snowing here (but I'm saying that in a whisper, because it's nothing compared to all the snow you all are receiving in the northeast). Thank you.
Yay!!! Congratulations to the winners!!! And to everyone who took part! Great job, Guys! (And of course, Phyllis.) 🙂
YaY, congratulations to all the tributes. Mr. Ed enjoyed them all. He did a *sniff* when I told him the news. I grabbed a tissue to dab his eyes. Then he said:
“Cette dame a classe!” Yes. He speaks French. He also knows Phyll's funky side. Thanks from Mr. Ed and me, Sus. I shared the pancake with him. He had that toothy grin as he ate. We await the snow. Wahoo!!!
Congratulations to all! Enjoy that Pancake of Awesomeness!
We have a holiday here today in Canada, too. Not President's Day (because we don't have a president). It's apparently called Family Day. I think its real name should be “Oh Gosh, there isn't a long weekend between New Year's and Easter — we'd better think up an excuse for one.” I think we should celebrate Pancake of Awesomeness Day instead. Yay, Phyllis!
Now how did Phyllis know that I LOVE pancakes? Well, I do! So thank you, Phyllis…and thank you, Susanna, for the entertaining dialogue…I love your conversations with that little marmot…what fun!
Congratulations to all of the winners…job well done, everyone. 🙂
Three cheers for the winners. And may all of the entrants enjoy the special pancakes 🙂
I'll take that pancake with plenty maple syrup, please! So much fun to party with Phyllis! So glad so many friends celebrated!
Ha! Love the dialogue. Congratulations to the winners!
Hope you're having a great holiday!
You and Phyllis are so generous. Sounds like everyone who participated was a winner. It's Family Day in Canada. Any excuse for a holiday. Congratulations to all the winners. 🙂
Everyone really was, Tracy, the Odes, videos, poems and pictures were all SO amazing! Happy Family Day! 🙂
Thanks, Teresa! I'm just sorry I couldn't show off that lovely cake! 🙂
Thanks, Caryn! Glad you enjoyed Phyllis's cheekiness and hope you're getting a holiday too! 🙂
Around here, we take our maple syrup by the gallon, so help yourself! 🙂 And Phyllis is always happy to party with YOU, Julie 🙂
Thanks, Angela! 🙂
Phyllis knows that you and she are kindred spirits and therefore it is an elementary deduction that you would love pancakes! Enjoy 🙂
Hahaha! You are so funny, Beth, and so absolutely right, I'm betting! 🙂 I love your idea of a Pancake of Awesomeness Day… we could have a sort of pancake tapas, where everyone got to sample tiny pancakes of every possible flavor under the sun! 🙂
I need to come by and gorge on syrup!
Phyll got a little teary-eyed when she heard Mr. Ed say she meant the world to him. The French just puts him over the top. Because, in addition to pancakes, she also LOVES french toast! Y'all stay warm and safe down there and enjoy the snow! Does Mr. Ed do sleigh bells?
Phyllis thanks you kindly, Cheryl 🙂
I absolutely LOVE the idea of the pancake tapas!!!! Lemme at 'em!
Thank YOU! You are so talented! I'm still marveling over that quilling! My internet is flat-out impossible the last day or so, but hoping you emailed me so we can get you a prize!
If you went to pilates, then I think you need TWO pancakes, or possibly twelve! Thanks so much for making Phyllis's birthday bash such fun!
And the two together – with plenty of maple syrup – simply can't be beat!!! 🙂
You're very welcome, Kathy. It is not just anyone who can say they have had a Pancake of Awesomeness bestowed upon them! 🙂 Thank you so much for helping to make Phyllis birthday so much fun!!! 🙂
Thank YOU for sticking me with having to call her, er, thinking up the delightful name of Phenomenal Phyllis! Enjoy your pancake and Family Day! 🙂
YAY! I WON! The Punxsutawney Phyllis Pancake of AWESOMENESS!!!! WOOO!!!!!! 🙂
WAIT THERE'S MORE?!?!?. 😉
YAYYY for everyone! YAYYYYYYYY!!!! 😀
Thank you VERY much! 🙂
Seriously, how has no one thought of this yet? I think we need to patent this plan! 🙂
You're very welcome, Erik! Phyllis is so happy that you are showing the proper level of enthusiasm for her Pancake of Awesomeness 🙂 Thank you and Josie for your fabulous video!!!
Our door is always open for you! 🙂
Congratulations to all the winners!
Phyllis! Thank you for the pancake! Congrats to all the winners! Munch, slurp….burp! Oops! That pancake of awesomeness was pure deliciousness! Thank you!!!
Yay! to all the Bonanza winners!!! *confetti falling* 🙂 Erik and Josie, I KNEW you'd make it to the finalists! 😀
Woohoo, what an awesome pancake!! Thank you muchly, dear Phyllis! Thank you too Susanna and to all the others for soooo much fun reading! 😊
Thank YOU, Julie, for your poem of awesomeness that earned you the Pancake of Awesomeness 🙂
Yours was delightful too, Donna – we so enjoyed it! But Phyllis felt the folks who went all out for video really deserved so extra recognition… since she and I failed in that department! 🙂
Thank YOU for your awesome limerick, Jilanne – we so loved it! 🙂
Thanks, Rosi 🙂
🙂
Oh, Susanna (*singing*), no, don't you cry for me! I didn't do it thinking to win! I just did it 'cause I wanted to participate. My little limerick took all of 5 minutes, my dear, and was fun! 😀
A BIG round of applause for the birthday bonanza winners: Bekah, Julie, Robyn, Stacy, Erik and Josie!
Phyllis, I feel like a winner because you encouraged me to read, write and create all about YOU! Plus, I enjoyed a tall stack of silver dollar pancakes with tasty strawberries and cream. Such a tasty Phyllis filling kind of treat. ~Suzy
I know you didn't! I just always want everyone to get presents 🙂 I'm glad you had fun – we certainly enjoyed your efforts! 🙂