Birthday Bliss

I turned 28!! In the past my birthday has been a sensitive topic for me. My birthday always fell on Spring Break weekend and so my big celebration was usually rolled into whatever getaway my parents had planned for the whole family. I remember being filled with anticipation of what present I would get and what surprises the day would hold. Usually my present was the trip and I always felt let down because all my siblings got to go on the same trip. I quickly learned if I wanted a cake I needed to make it myself. I now love making birthday cakes for friends and family. (Mom, don't feel bad...this is just what I remember and I know you and dad did the best you could at the time). I find myself every year wanting to cry as I reminisce on birthday disappointments. Since I have married my sad memories are being replaced by wonderful birthdays.

Jess and Tyler were staying in a hotel the week of my birthday because their condo was flooded with sewage. They traded their hotel room for 1 night to let Tanner and I stay there. Tanner took me to dinner and we enjoyed a delicious meal at Macaroni Grill. We usually order some kind of alfredo dish and share it but today we ordered our own meal and branched out and Tanner's dish proved to be awesome, seafood portofino. We ordered the most amazing lemon cake dessert with marscopone cream and caramel sauce....Yummy! As I stepped through our hotel room door there was a beautiful boquet of bright pink and yellow daisys. Daisys were on our bed, carefully placed in the bathroom and petals on the floor. There was Meadow Gold chocolate milk in the fridge. Tanner introduced this to me a few years ago and it is always our treat of choice for special occassions. It was so fun to be alone....really alone. I could see us as a couple again and I really love my husband. We went swimming and relaxed in the hot tub. Since we don't have TV channels at our house I always look forward to TV watching at a hotel. The night was perfect until about 11 pm. We picked up Owen so I could nurse him but he wouldn't stop crying. Tanner got several calls and had to leave. He came back at 5 am and he was so sweet. He wanted to make sure I got a good nights sleep. I've learned as a mother that getting solid sleep is a luxury. Life goes on sleeping only 3 hours a night or 8 but those 8 hour nights feel so good!

We ate breakfast and on the way home we saw a garage sale sign on my street so I dropped Tanner off and took the kids to see what treasures awaited. I spent more than I ever have at garage sales and I only went to 1. I spent $91 and bought a huge entertainment center, a glider rocker and ottoman (looked brand new and retails for $199), a darling diaper bag, a new purse, a double stroller (used twice and retails for $200), some learning toys for the kids that I have really wanted that normally cost $50-70 each and I bought 2. This was the cherry on top of a fun birthday event. Even with all this celebrating Tanner threw in another birthday surprise on my real birthday. He bought me top of the line cake decorating tips and bags from Orson and Gygi to assist in my newest hobby. Thanks honey!

This all happened before my official birthday and so there was so much more to come. Chelsea surprised me by sleeping over at my house and spending a day with me. She taught me how to curl my hair using what she calls "finger burn curls." Several people called to wish me a happy birthday. Mom Carver sent me some shirts in the mail. Mom Cooper chipped in to buy me a beautiful ring I have wanted. We had friends over for dinner and played games. Everywhere I turned I felt like I was surrounded by friends and receiving gifts and tons of attention. I was spoiled by a special day because of awesome family and friends.

The older I get the better the birthdays become! I can't wait for my 90th birthday. Thanks to everyone who made my day really great. It really has helped heal that small part of me that hurt. Thank you!