My Birthday

Tuesday was my 34th birthday.  Every year when my birthday comes around I go a bit crazy.  It's one part not loving the fact that I am getting older and one part not loving the fact that the world doesn't stop and celebrate me.

I know, crazy, right.  Getting older is better than the alternative, as my dad always says.

But this year was a really good birthday once it actually happened.  The night before, I kept probing Justin for information.  Did you make any plans?  Are we doing anything special?  He kept answering "no," so I was about ready to push him off the balcony.

I made it clear to all involved that since my husband had made no special plans for me, I was taking my kids to the beach.  I went across the street to visit my friends and see if they could come.  They were so excited.  We made our plans for a great day.

When I came home I started getting a few things ready for our beach day.  Justin then says that he decided to take the day off from work and go with us.

NOPE!

I had just invited my friends (women, obviously) so culturally, Justin could not come with us to the beach.  You snooze you lose!

I woke up on Tuesday morning to the sound of very excited giggles from the kids.  They had been checking on me every three seconds to see if I was awake.  So, when I opened my eyes, they were through the roof.

Justin had gotten up early and he and the girls were putting together a really nice breakfast for me.  It was so lovely.  The kids couldn't wait, so first I got to open my presents.  The kids [Justin] had gotten me some really nice pots that I had been wanting.  My mom sent me a cute outfit.  Callie had made me the cutest penguin earring holder.  She had found the pattern in her Highlights magazine (thanks, Mom, for the subscription!) and had been saving it for my birthday.  Noah made a big drawing on a poster.  They were so sweet and proud of themselves.  Justin also got tickets to a concert and arranged for our friends to watch the kids this coming Sunday.  So exciting!  I can't wait!

After the wonderful gifts, we ate our breakfast.  I love to have a big nice breakfast.  It feels like such a luxury because ordinarily I never even eat breakfast.

Justin left for work.

Then we got ourselves together and went to the beach.  The weather was perfect- hot and sunny.  We tried out a new beach just down from the one we've gone to a bit this summer.  It was really nice.

We got home at about 5:30- tired, sunburned, and happy.  We all had a quick shower, and then Justin arrived home.  We didn't have dinner plans.  We were tired and sort-of wanted to order in.  But I knew that once the food came I would be sad that it was my birthday and I was eating pizza or some other yucky fast food.

So, I made Justin take us out to a nice restaurant.  It was perfect.  We sat in on the back patio.  Even though it was a really nice restaurant, there was a fun place for the kids to play.   The food was really good, the kids were happy, and I was happy.

Our neighbors from across the street had asked us to go out for tea that night.  We had all had such a full day so I had Justin ask them if they would just come over for tea.  But, they were pretty insistent on going out.

Since the kids had done so well at dinner we were all feeling up to going out.  We picked up our friends (9 people in our hatchback-style car!!) and headed out for tea.

When we arrived at the tea-garden I was so surprised.  They had reserved a special table and it was decorated with rose petals.  The view out over the city, the bridge, and the water was stunning.  There was live music.

Sidenote: Noah and Callie take guitar lessons.  They LOVED watching the guys play their guitars.  It was so cute!

I felt so loved and special.  Our friends ordered food and tea.  Much to our kids' delight, they let them order refills (not free, so our kids never get refills!) when they finished their lemonade.

Justin was happy because he got to smoke the hookah pipe.

The waiter brought me a cake with special fireworks.  (I think the awning caught on fire because there was a little scramble.  But I couldn't see it that well, and they played it cool.)  The cake had an elaborate flower-shaped candle that shot sparks and then opened up and had candles on each petal.  It rotated and played the Happy Birthday tune.

AMAZING!

We don't have enough pyrotechnics in American birthdays.

We got home at almost midnight.  Such a fun day!