5 + 4 Birthday Favorites

I mentioned a few weeks ago about how I felt I had the best birthday ever. Ever. EVER! this year. And, I definitely stand by it. The weekend was filled with sweetness starting from the day prior to my birthday and ending the night after my birthday, making for a full weekend of goodness.

At the end of my actual birthday, my husband told me he thought it'd be a fun idea to write down on paper what I was thinking during various events on my birthday. I nodded and thought it a sweet gesture, but then come Sunday he became a bit more persistent.

At the end of it, we ended up taking the pictures. It took me awhile to get it down on writing. For one, it's hard to capture everything I was feeling because of me being me - wordy, can't find the words, spaghetti thought process, etc. etc. etc. But, I did it! Messy handwriting and funny strange pictures and all. For the sake of remembering, I'm really glad we did it. For the sake of organizing this post, I'm really really glad we did it. And, for the sake of the amazing surprise he had planned out for me that included me taking these pictures, I'm definitely glad we did them!

Onward to the birthday fun that started on Friday and continued on to Sunday!

--1--
Family and Friends. Sweetness & Love.

I was so blessed in this department throughout the weekend. For one, my parents and in-laws were so generous in gifting me with gift cards and some shopping fun along with really sweet cards. They love me and I couldn't be more grateful for all the different ways they share that love with me.

And, not only am I blessed with some amazing family, I am blessed to know some of the sweetest and most thoughtful people. For example, a dear friend sent me these cookies from Tiff's Treats on Friday in hopes to kick-start my birthday weekend. Her gesture was such a gift and blessing that definitely contributed to my birthday weight gain (If you've never heard of Tiff's Treats, they deliver cookies fresh from the oven! Yes, fresh! Delicious! And, still warm!!!)

See, last year, my birthday was spent mourning the loss of a cousin who I loved very much. So having my friend send these cookies to help the fun begin was just what I needed this year (Something I know she was aware of.). It's things like this that make my heart swell with goodness.

Also, I'm happy to report all cookies were devoured by myself, my husband, and the boys by Sunday night. Yes, all two dozen of the 4 glorious types of cookies. All. of. them.

Onto Birthday morning!

--2--

Cronuts and Time

I had cronuts for the first time ever and they were a happy dance in my mouth! Amazing! Exciting! Nutella! Strawberries! Maple Bacon and sprinkled sugaaaa! Yes, Happy Birthday to moi.

And, tack on some more birthday pounds. Worth every bite!

I am always saying the way to my heart is food. It's true. It is very true. And, for the most part, I have no shame.

These sweet friends found their way over to enjoy the amazing taste bud dance party. They thought all was pretty fantastic too.

Funny story: The sweet ladies that were incredibly sweet. Yes, double sweet they were! The kind you want to take home with you so that maybe their sweetness will rub off on you...or something like that. Anyhow, they made the awesome Happy Birthday donut below for the birthday person. The reason the story is funny is because I'm 85% sure they thought we were celebrating a little person's birthday and not my 31 year-old person. The birthday was for this donut (now, cronut.) loving adult.

Ha, they then asked if they could take a picture to post to Facebook since this was the first time someone had a "birthday party" at their place. I'll take that for my 10-seconds of fame.

If you are in the Dallas area get thyself to Jaram's Donuts! You won't regret it!

The time that my friends shared with me was special. I'm grateful they came out. I felt very loved, again, and hope they know that I love them a whole ton too!

That love goes to all the ones that spent time with me and the ones that couldn't but called or wished me a happy birthday. There was so much love had throughout the day! Love tank was FULL!

--3--

SLEEP

Pretty sure my face says it all. Who are we kidding. Napping, for me, is tough! I used to be a champion napper, but then came the little ones and life. Now, I nap with one eye open awaiting to hear a cry or "Mamaaaa, I awakkkee nowww!!!....I neeed to go potteeeee!!!"

Birthday nap did not happen. But play time with my beautiful family did!

--4--

Play & a Flower

My oldest has gotten into picking flowers for me every time we go outside (which is daily). My heart overflows! I love receiving flowers and his gesture is just the sweetest. I hope he never stops loving me in these little ways. 

 

Playtime was filled with smiles. slides, and fun.

Just look at that face!!!

My oldest is getting so big! I can't believe he'll be 3 in a couple months!

I loved having some play time with my boys. They were happy. Their happiness makes me happy. It fills me too. In ways I never knew possible. The weather was perfect and being outside makes me happy. Plus, I got to swing on the huge bench swing outside our patio. Bench swings also have a special place in my heart.

--5--

Girl Time & Uninterrupted Conversation

You read that right. I had uninterrupted conversation on my birthday. My husband was amazing and watched the boys while I met up with two friends to get our nails did. It was fun. Nourishing. And, relaxing.

If you know anything about me, relaxation and down time are key for me. I love it. I can sit and read all day long inside and out if I have a cozy corner and tea or coffee with me. Doing nothing is productive for me. If that makes any sense to anyone. 

Point being, it was nice to sit and talk while drinking a warm cup o' joe.

--6--

NOM NOM

That's right, more food! And, not just any food, SUSHI! I love sushi and we found our new go-to place. Everything was wonderful. Delicious! Amazing! And, Happy!

The boys loved the chopsticks, potstickers, cucumber salad, and teriyaki chicken.  I take that as a major win.

Sushi, not so much. Just couldn't get past the seaweed.

But, that's okay, because that just means more for mama.

Sake is another major favorite of mine and it was yummmm!

Unfortunately, after dinner I ended up with a migraine. The legit kind that leaves you in the dark only being able to get a whisper out of your mouth. It was tough! 

It had been pretty windy that day and I had had a small headache throughout the day that I kept ignoring forcing myself to be present and happy. Little headaches. No biggie. Big migraine. No bueno. 

However, we ended up talking to my parents that evening (whisper tone for me, volume on low) and my mom suggested taking a zyrtec. I did, after I had taken two tylenol which did nothing for me. Within an hour after taking the zyrtec my migraine had passed and I was feeling alright. That was my Saturday birthday miracle.

Onto Sunday!

--7--

Champagne & Relaxation.

Sunday was filled with relaxing, family time, and Mass. It was a good day. It always is a good day. But a day with Mass and a massage are extra good days!

My amazing brother got me a gift card to a nearby spa for a massage over Christmas (He's amazing, huh?). So, because life happens and we are now in April, I was able to use it for my birthday!

I say it was perfect timing. Give me a massage on my birthday for the rest of my life and I will be quite the happy woman. Massages are my friend and I hope we keep it in the lifelong category.

--8--

Ladybug kisses and Blessings.

After the massage a little ladybug decided to land on my arm. As I was walking out of the spa all I was thinking about was how wonderful God is to have loved me so abundantly throughout this weekend.

I took the ladybug kiss as a sweet kiss from Above giving me a, "Yes, I do Love you more than you will ever know."

Okay, so you would think that the birhtday awesomeness would have ended at 8. I sure did. I was happy. I mean the kind of happy where you start doing random happy sighs often because you keep getting lost in the I'm-so-happy-thoughts. But, there's more!

--9--

Surprise.

Remember when  I said the amazing guy below had an additional surprise that shocked me into tears and absolutely zzzzzzzzero words? Yes, the incredibly handsome one below. 

Well he had one more picture for me to see on Sunday evening when he wanted us to go through all my birthday pictures taken throughout the weekend. He was insistant that it'd be a nice way to finish off my birthday weekend. He wanted us to look through all of them, even the ridiculous pictures of me holding up silly thought signage.

See, while I was putting Linus to sleep, the wonderful man I am married to was busy editing a photo. He wanted to surprise me. He wanted it to be the last piece of birthday goodness I saw because he knew it'd be the ultimate cherry on top my already amazing birthday.

It's the surprise I've been dying to share! So, without furthado...

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CAN YOU BELIEVE IT????? I couldn't either. At first. At. All. I was choked up and teary and huffy and all kinds of I-don't-believe-this contorted face. Sitting there, with him, playing back all the conversations we had back when the conference was first announced by Jen and Hallie. Thinking back to the conversations we had leading up to the ticket sales. Remembering all the conversations we had sprinkled throughout the mere 24-hours of ticket sale. All. That. Time. He had a plan. A plan to love me. A plan to surprise me!

Surprised I was! I had so many emotions happening at once, but I immediately started to feel slightly guilty because of the cost and we just bought a house and...and...and...

I started thinking that I didn't deserve to go. I mean, little old me. I just stay home. I don't even "work". How have I earned such a treat? All these society-derived mean thoughts started flooding me. Then my husband just looked at me, after I had been crying, quiet, and obviously processing and said, "You deserve this." Open tear flood gates, uh-gain.

I told him what I was thinking and he told me how much he valued me. How glad he was that I get to go to this conference to be with other women who are striving to live out their vocations of motherhood and marriage according to His Will the best they all can. He's excited for me to meet and mingle with so many wonderful women of faith that I've met over the web through blogging and that I get a chance to be nourished through all the wonderful speakers and amazing fellowship. 

He's right. And, I'm grateful. Grateful for all of it. And so much more!

And, I'M SO STINKIN' EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Linking up with Hallie over at Moxie Wife today for Five Favorites. Hallie, I know I stretched it but I've been dying to share and there were just so many favorites! PS Can't wait to meet you and everyone else going! Yay!)