BIRTHDAY weekend...

I just have to say that my birthday weekend was AWESOME!! It included many of my favorite things and people, lots of laughter and pictures, and tender words that filled my heart to overflowing. I am so blessed. It all started on Friday morning (well technically it started on Thursday in the LATE evening {9pm to be exact – that is midnight – and my birthday had officially begun on the East Coast! Thanks for remembering me ALL DAY Kayla!!} when I woke up and found the most TENDER card on the dining room table from my sweet roommate Shalina. IT IS A KEEPER FOR SURE! {I have this thing for keeping cards that include words that grab my heart – on the WORST DAYS they can bring such a sense of refreshment and encouragement!} Then I got to the office and found my chair literally (ok maybe not literally) flying away because of ALL the balloons attached to it. SO FUN to feel celebrated by coworkers – they really are some of my closest friends and DEFINITELY the people I spend the most time with. SO GLAD that I work at a church where the people around me are ASTOUNDINGLY AWESOME!!! Lunch brought our weekly tradition of PIZZA FRIDAY but was topped off with a BEAUTIFUL cake from Beverly’s {definitely one of the best cakeries in North Orange County!} that Diane brought!SO FUN! RED VELVET IS FAVORITE!!! Megan came by in the afternoon for our coffee break and before I knew it 5pm had arrived and I was OUT THE DOOR to teach ESL. Teaching went relatively quick as well and by 7pm I was back in the car and on my way home to grab the rest of the party supplies before rushing over to Jenny’s. People were late to my party – which rocked because I was running behind on the setup – but finally all the work was done, all the people were present, and the PARTY GOT STARTED!! This is my favorite picture from the party - everyone is TOTALLY confused about something! ha! WHO THE HECK KNOWS WHAT!!! It was a really fun party. Nothing too intense – just martinis and fondue – with GREAT friends and LOTS of laughter!! SO THANKFUL for the people in my life (have I said that enough in this post yet??) Before I knew it the night was gone and it was time for farewell hugs!! I felt truly loved and celebrated and it was wonderful. Saturday I had lunch at Tessa’s house which was also just delightful. She made DELICIOIUS pineapple, strawberry, banana, mango smoothies and a DELUCTIBLE salad with garlic bread and parmesan on the side. SO YUMMY!! We chatted and caught up on life a bit and gave Winston (her 4-month-old son) googily eyes repeatedly. We don’t get to spend a lot of time together anymore now that our LIVES are in the way – so it was a treat to have lunch together for sure. After lunch I met up with Gan and Kenz and we went to Newport to visit Roger’s Gardens. SO PRETTY. The flowers there are absolutely remarkable! I was enchanted. Then we went to Fashion Island to partake in the champagne truffle phenomenon, blaze through Anthropologie, and get a FISH TACO (Megan’s current craving). We accomplished all three feats successfully and then enjoyed dinner at Rutabegorz in Downtown Fullerton (Megan ate the BIG POT – just had to include that!) even though our waiter was ENTIRELY unpleasant. After dinner we found the weirdest architectural playground and played on this CRAZY spinny thing that literally throws you off the edge (either that or Megan and I were far beyond the expected weight limit). LUCKILY the ground on the playground was basically like a trampoline so no REAL damage was done. ha! I got home just before 9pm which was past my Craigified curfew; however, I was not punished. (Craig is my roommate Shalina’s fiancé – and he is HYSTERICAL – he has a really DRY sense of humor and is SUPER nervous about having a daughter. He said that she is just not going to be allowed outside! Ha! SO when I told him I was out the door for an evening with friends. He told me to make good choices and be home by 8pm {which was generous considering his daughter will have to be home before the sun goes down!} CRAIG is GREAT!) I spent the rest of the “evening” cleaning up the RIDICULOUS mess from the party on Friday and then painted my nails before tucking in for the night. Sunday was a MUCH calmer day…I went to church, a baby shower for little Goo, then came home and rested for a bit before Steven came over. When he arrived, we made a SERIOUSLY DELICIOUS dinner of shrimp skewers (Shalina really made those – I just peeled the little guys) steak, potatoes, grilled veggies, and salad. SO GOOD. I haven’t had dinner like that in a LONG TIME! Craig, Steven, and I had brownies for dessert – Shalina was a good kid and put looking good in her wedding dress ahead of her desire for chocolate! SO PROUD! When the dishes were done and Amazing Race had been watched, it was time to turn in yet again…can’t believe how quickly the weekends go – but I love LOVE them!!! It was a FABULOUS birthday weekend and a GREAT way to kick off 25!!! Here is to an entire year of weekends just like this one (but maybe let’s add a little more couch time in a few and some FABULOUS moments with Madeline in a few more!! PLUS Shalina’s wedding weekend! WOOOOOOOT! It’s gonna be a good year for sure