First Lady Celebrates 60th Birthday

By DEB RIECHMANN
The Associated Press
Sunday, November 5, 2006; 12:34 AM

CRAWFORD, Texas -- It's bling again for Laura Bush's birthday. For the second year in a row, President Bush gave his wife jewelry for her birthday.

This year, it's a triple-strand necklace with amber-colored citrine, a November birthstone.


First lady Laura Bush, right, waves beside Annette Pombo, wife of Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., while speaking at a California Victory 2006 rally for Pombo, Friday, Nov. 3, 2006, in Pleasanton, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
First lady Laura Bush, right, waves beside Annette Pombo, wife of Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., while speaking at a California Victory 2006 rally for Pombo, Friday, Nov. 3, 2006, in Pleasanton, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot) (Ben Margot - AP)

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The Bushes were celebrating Saturday night with four other couples over Mexican food at their Texas ranch. The president and first lady reunited after two days campaigning separately for candidates in the midterm election.

Bush teased his wife during his rallies. "I'm not going to tell you her age," he said Friday in Iowa, "but we were both born in the same year, and I turned 60 this year."

Mrs. Bush celebrated her 59th birthday last year in Argentina, where she and the president were attending a Summit of the Americas. To mark that occasion, she was given a coconut cake aboard Air Force One and the president gave her a green glass stone necklace and matching earrings.

The Bushes have another reason to celebrate Sunday. It's their 29th wedding anniversary.

"The president and first lady will be spending that together tomorrow morning," press secretary Tony Snow told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Texas. He wouldn't speculate on whether the president is obligated to get another gift. "I know how it works at my house, but I'm not sure," Snow said.


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