twenty seven

I've spent exactly one day in my 'late twenties' and I've got to tell you, they've been pretty great so far.

In lieu of a tangible gift, this year Jeff paid to have my Nugget fly to CO for my bday weekend.

What's a 'Nugget'? She's a best friend, a sister-from-another-mister, it's a term of endearment for my friend. Get with the program!

As always, the time spent with her was too short, but it was a great weekend and the best birthday present ever!!

She, my friend Tia Leah, fellow-mommy-friend Erika and I went out for my birthday and went 'bar-hopping' while Jeff stayed home while Bean was sleeping..... well, we only hopped to two bars, but it was still a fun night. We stayed out until the bar closed at 2am. (I have NEVER in my life witnessed a bar, closing, before this birthday. Growing up in Las Vegas has clearly warped my reality a bit.) We technically went out the day before my birthday so it was fun to count down till midnight and then "WOOOOOO" and yell about it being my birthday. Then quickly switch to drinking water for the next two hours so that I could drive home safely.

 

Since we didn't leave the bar until it closed at 2am, I didn't get to bed till 3am, and when I woke up with Bean later in the morning I quickly realized that 27 year old me doesn't recover from a night of "Woohoo"ing, drinking, dancing, and yelling over extremely loud music quite as well as 22 year old me did. (Please note that 22 year old me would have never even noticed the volume of the music at the bar, but 27 year old me definitely did. It definitely gave me a headache. Because I'm old.) Needless to say I took a nap when Bean did.

After our nap we got dressed and went to dinner before met up with my extended family at the Chocolate Cafe for birthday dessert.

Yes, those are chocolate raviolis. Yes, they were delish. Yes, I ate them all.

Despite the fact that we are 27 year old mothers, my Nugget and I made suuuuuuuuuuper awesome tie-dye shirts - which we wore out to dinner and dessert on my birthday. Because we're classy. And awesome.

Dontcha wish you were THIS awesome?

Other super amazing bday gifts were my Sex and the City COMPLETE SET - all 10 television seasons, PLUS both theater-released movies - that came from my dear Rib. (Another nickname, for another great friend!) 

As well as 2 pairs of TOMS shoes. One pair from my Nugget:

And the second pair from Jeff's grandparents:

Technically, they gave me cash and instead of paying a bill with it I actually bought something for myself. That's a big deal. I usually don't. I'm really stoked on my new shoes and can't wait to parade them around.

I also got a giftcard to Old Navy from one branch of family, a gift card to Barnes and Noble Bookstore from another branch of family, a giftcard to The Human Bean (an amazingly delicious coffee shop) as well as a griddle/grill for on the stove from my mom, and a suuuuuuuuuuuper sweet card from Jeff and Bean Girl. My mom also babysat so that Jeff, Nugget and I could go to the movies - which was super nice of her. (We saw Snow White and the Huntsman, which I liked despite Kristin Stewart's awkward facial expressions and man-hands.)

The rest of the time spent with my Nugget was doing pretty mundane stuff, but really, that's my favorite stuff to do with her. I wish we lived closer (she lives in Northern California) so that we could meet up for park dates, coffee talks, Target shopping, etc more often. The doing-nothing days are what I miss most about not living near her anymore. That and her boys. I miss watching them grow up. I wish our kids could grow up playing together. BUT, since that' not reality, I'll just be so super thankful that I get to see her once or twice a year and make the best of it. 

This birthday weekend has been amazing. Tomorrow I get back to the daily grind. I've got to drive Emily to her swim class, I've got to clean my house, I've got to get back to normal.... I had a great weekend. I hope everyone else did too.

**This weekend the horrible movie-theater shooting in Aurora, CO happened and while I'm thankful that it didn't happen here, and didn't effect anyone I personally know, my heart goes out to the victims of that horrible crime and their families. Sometimes in the midst of our own lives (or bday celebrations) it's hard to look outside of ourselves and at what others are going through, but it weighed heavily on my mind and my heart from the minute I heard about it, and I thought about the victims multiple times throughout the weekend. I realize that my birthday weekend seems fun and carefree, and it was for me, but it wasn't for those 62 people injured or killed at the movie theater that night, or their families, and I don't mean to be insensitive or disrespectful by gushing about my weekend and not mentioning the tragedy that happened there.**

After the fact edit:
In my sleep deprived state last night when I was writing this post I forgot to mention the giftcard to Michael's craft store from Tia Leah (so I can make another wreath! Yipee!), as well as two gifts I got the month before my birthday. My mother in law got me a new pair of Birkenstocks since the ones I was wearing were 5+ years old and falling apart. Rest assured they're 'hip' hippie shoes, not the Jesus styled Birks. I get compliments on them all the time!

And while I was out in San Francisco when my friends, The Leavitts, came up to see us Jaynie made a wonderful ice cream cake for my birthday! Not to mention my flight there, the toll-road and parking fees and lunch at Source that were my gifts from Larissa. I've recieved many cards in the mail (which I LOVE, by the way! Mail that ISN'T a bill is the best kind!) and a ton of Facebook comments - all of which made me smile.

I've had a wonderful birthday MONTH! I really am a lucky girl woman!!