Twice the fun with TWINS!

This weekend I was off to Birmingham to host a shower for my best friend Leah who is having TWINS in May (or sooner!) and I cannot wait to meet their precious faces!

But first on the agenda was dinner Friday night at Brio, which turned into one last birthday celebration for me! But if I eat one more sweet this month I will have to re-enlist with Weight Watchers, I swear I will!

Maggie, Casey and I at dinner

Leah and me

my wonderful strawberry birthday cake from Edgar's! the most handsome (and well behaved!) guy at the table, Patton! On Saturday morning, it was shower time! We held the shower at The Club, and our room, The Vulcan Room, had the most amazing view of Birmingham! Everything looked precious, in pink and blue of course, for Mary Miller and Hayes!

Like the precious door decorations from Brooke....

And the hydrandrea arrangements (I almost sacrificed in the car....)

And cupcakes from Columbus Corner Bakery....

And monogrammed cookies from Icing On the Cake....

The sign in table (everyone signed their best wishes on the back of these picture frames for MM & H.)

But the best part by far was all the sweet friends and family that came from all over Alabama (and Georgia!) to celebrate this sweet mama-to-be, oh--and I of course like the present opening part too!!

Emily, Lindsay, Mrs. Talley, Casey, Mrs. Patton, Maggie

Allison, Caroline, and Brooke

Kim and Amy (Leah's sis)

Me and the mama, Leah Allen

Leah and her niece Emma, who was a serious present-opening assistant! I think she's pretty excited about her two new cousins!

Love you Leah, and I cannot wait to meet Mary Miller and Hayes! See you in two weeks to play in the nursery and get pedis!

**Until then.....4 more days until OOC weekend!!

Well, the joke's on me!

I posted too soon, apparently! I thought my amazing birthday week was over! But my sneaky little friends and the guy had something else up their sleeves....

After what seemed like the beginning of a lazy, relaxing, SNOWY weekend, and a full day of shopping Saturday, we pulled into a little Mexican restuarant Saturday night for dinner.

But instead of a little round top for two, Jeff led us to a table full of FIFTEEN of my favorite people in Columbus waiting to scream HAPPY BIRTHDAY to me!

Aimee and Sam Horstman! My precious friend Aimee who's had a ROUGH few weeks with hospital stays with a sick bambino, then the bug made its round with the rest of the family, but of course is still here for me! Love you!

Ben and Jenn Brannin, precious parents to be of a new little man! and Ashley and Brad Clements, tricked me all week for my big night!

My lake friends, Jen, and Rich and Chrissie Warner --who I can't believe made it after totalling her car this week! SO thankful she's ok, and praying for a speedy recovery! What a friend!

Lisa and Crawford, who kept apologizing for missing Wednesday's bday dinner and asking for a rain check....sneaky girl! Guess I took her up on it and didn't know it! And Haley, the mastermind getting all my girlfriends together!

Sweet Brandi and Capp Hett, who have been incredible friends too! And know how to keep a secret for sure!! And the hilarious Kristy Dugan!

And of course what's a Mexican birthday dinner without a sombrero and a poncho!!

Sweet Chrissie designed my precious cupcakes! I should own stock in Cbus Corner Bakery! What a birthday! But I've been informed it's officially over! No more surprises. And I'll accept that. It's been the best EVER! This little senorita is one happy, spoiled little girl and loves it!! (partially kidding here) I just hope everyone knows how much I love them and appreciate them!

Goodbye Twenties....

Saying goodbye to my twenties this week wasn't nearly as painful as I thought it would be, with so many special people helping to celebrate my "birthday week" and keeping my chin up! Starting Sunday when my sister Jessie came into town all the way from Tallahassee for a special Birthday lunch, kicking the week off right! There was no question where and what to eat....Niffer's corn nuggets!

And she gave me just what I wanted....(which may be sad, but it definitely screams "I'm thirty, and getting old!" because this little "chef", using that term lightly here people, needed a new sifter, griddle, and pepper mill.....sheesh.)

Monday was a long day at work, filled with some personal family business weighing heavily on my heart as well, so when I came home and saw this guy walk in the door with these....

How could I not smile!?!

Tuesday was a roller coaster of emotions once again...it must be in my blood. (Poor Jeff.) An Army auditor walked in my office in all her sassy glory, like she didnt know it was my birthday week or something., to audit me. Add in the family thing.... The next thing I know these tulips are being delivered, and I can do nothing but cry. (like on the phone. to the florist. because I called them.) Jeff is definitely earning his stripes.

So Wednesday was my birthday. And first on the agenda is meeting with that wretched auditor who rode in on her broom. When I return to my office, I see.....

My dear friend Haley got her hands on some streamers (that's what we engineers like to call surveying tape when we're being creative....) and decorated my office, and along with signs announcing to the world I've officially turned 30. Thanks, now the world knows!!

And right on cue, as the final streamer was hung apparently a THIRD bouquet arrived for the week....30 pink roses for my 30th year!

I was on Cloud Nine, needless to say! After a birthday lunch with Jeff, and a (little prize there too!) I tried my best to focus on work the rest of the day....but my office smelled like a greenhouse! Ahhhh.....

After work, it was off to dinner at Sushiko, who has the BEST sushi in town with Haley and Jeff, two of my favorite people!

Check out that spread!!

Oh, see that thing in the middle? The white thing with the black seaweed band? That's octopus. Yep, sure it. And not your little fried squid appy either. No sir-the real deal. Jeff ordered it and said, "oh, you'll like it, its kind of seared on both sides...not raw like the tuna." Let me tell you what. That thing was jiggly as the day is long. But like a good girl, I tried it, see.

Tenticles and all.

And you'll never guess....but I liked it!!

After devouring all my sea creatures, I thought my birthday week had finally come to a funfilled end...until I hear the clinking sounds of little Japanese servers and their instruments entering my view. (I am praying in this moment there is no candle in a Kani roll, with a shot of Saki on the side....) But Jeff strikes again. Either I am completely oblivious, or I ignore the obvious on purpose because I love surprises....but he (with the help of Haley I'm sure!) snuck a cake in behind my back from my favorite bakery, Columbus Corner Bakery! The funny servers did sing an interesting (and interactive!) song, and we then dive into my delicious...or should I say FABULOUS cake! Best part about this cake is when Jeff went to the bakery and they asked him how he wanted it decorated, he told them I was turned 30 (obviously) and said I love the word "Fabulous!" and apparently they asked what else?? So he told them "Well, she's really turned into a real Betty Crocker lately...." Hilarious! So check out the cake!! Priceless!

This guy is the best!

So is the girl!

And I had the best birthday week ever! Thank you to all my friends and family for making it so special, with birthday wishes, cards, texts, calls, lunches, dinners, emails, EVERYTHING! I love yall! Bring on 30!

Let it Snow!

Well, he turned 40. So it's official, I'm dating an old(er) man. I'm one of THOOOOSE women.....haha! But to set the record straight, I'll be da$% if I'm still not wiser and more mature. Sheesh. What's a girl to do???

So after a full week of birthday fun and surprises....an Edible Arrangement of fruit delivered to embarrass him in front of all the guys....check....

filling his office with balloons....check....

catering breakfast for his office.....check....and surprise birthday presents of new luggage....check.....(gosh, what a girlfriend).....

We were off to Beech Mountain, North Carolina!!

The birthday boy signed up for ski school, got the wedge down pat, and breezed through the bunny slopes in no time!...for the most part....

Then it was blue slopes for us the rest of the weekend! We were like the rockstars of the slopes......or maybe went down the slopes like rocks...whatever....we looked cute.

FORTY and SPORTY, BABY!! (his new motto, haha!)

After long days of skiing, all we wanted was to warm up with with hotty toddies and delicious meals! Birthday dinner #1 ended up being pizza of all things, but man please, was it de-vine!

Birthday dinner #2 was in the Inn's Restaurant where we stayed, because we were snowed in by Saturday night after 10" of snow falling all day! So it was a birthday filet for Jeff, and salmon for yours truly! (And another round of singing happy bday of course!) Sunday, sadly, the roads had been cleared enough for us to kick in 4-wheel drive and head down the mountain....back to reality..... It was a great weekend, with a great guy, old or not! ;) Happy Birthday Jeff, Mr. 40 & Sporty! Jsut wait and see, the best is yet to come!!....at least I keep telling myself that the closer I get to be shaving off another decade soon too....((sigh))