My Birthday [Weekend]

People use their blogs for documenting their story, or for fundraising, or maybe because it's their job.  I use my blog to tell people what I love about life, what I love about my life.  And since most people probably don't really care, I use it for my own pleasure. That way others can chose to read or not. I have come to realize that I love to use my blog as a diary/journal.  I like it because I can look back and remember what I did on this day or that weekend.  Most likely I posted about it because I loved it in some way and wanted to share it (and remember it of course!).  I am excited one day to make one of those blog books where you can turn your blog in to an actual book.  I think this will come in handy when we one day have children.  Then I won't have to actually scrapbook.  I can scrapbook online!

Ok, off on a tangent I just went.

So re-capping my wonderful birthday [weekend] seems like a must. Since it fell on a Monday we had festivities all weekend long!  These festivities weren't necessarily planned for my birthday, but they were all fun and worth documenting. :)

In the past couple of years I have looked at birthdays like "Oh, birthdays are just another day now..." but in all actuality, I guess I really do look forward to June 20th every year.  It's a day when you truly do realize how many people care about you and love you and want you to know they remembered you!

My birthday celebrations started out last Thursday (June 16th) when my office took me out to lunch.  We went to Clementines.  One of my co-workers, Jenn, was going to be out of town on vacation on my actual birthday so we celebrated early.  Thursday night I had a girls night out to celebrate my friend, Kim's birthday, which is a couple of days before mine.  We went to the Bistro for dinner & drinks and listened to the music coming from Shakin at the Station. 


Birthday [almost] twins

Friday night we had a couples shower for our friends, Brooke & Travis.  Ryan & I both met Brooke & Travis in high school.  Ryan & I went to Fort.  B&T went to a neighboring high school, Lee, but we all had mutual friends.  We had such a good time catching up with them, among many others.  We partied into the wee hours of the morning pretending that we could still party like rockstars!  I realized Saturday morning I wasn't the rockstar I once was when I had to nurse my headache for the first 5 hours I was awake.  Roar.


The happy couple

Some of the lovely ladies w/ handsome Cy Arey

Satur-day I spent at the country club pool with the ladies while the husby played golf on the country club course.  It was such a great day of sun, lovely ladies, and conversation.  Then in the evening Ryan and I went to O'Charleys for a little birthday dinner and then to see Hangover II w/ our friends, Autumn and Mason.  It was another perfect evening. And on a side note, I thought Hangover II was just as good, if not better than the first Hangover.   But I won't spoil too much for those that haven't seen it yet. ;)

Every year it seems as though I celebrate my birthday with all the fathers in the world...a little holiday we like to call Father's Day.  Last year they were on the same day and therefore this year, were a day apart. So on Sunday Ryan and I split the day with both of our Dads.  We did church and lunch at Ham's with my Dad and then dinner with Ryan's Dad.  They had steak, shrimp, scallops, corn on the cob, macaroni salad and baked potatoes.  Yes, it was awesome! Makes my mouth water just thinking about it again to be honest.  I always feel honored to share my day with our two great fathers.

Hokie showing Granddad Harper her love on Father's Day

Then came Monday! June 20, 2011. My official 28th birthday. I woke up to a card that read this on the front:

This is why I love my husband. He's too cute for words sometimes.  Monday night my parents brought over strawberry shortcake to Ben & Priscilla's house and we enjoyed that with them and my brother, Abe.  It was deeee-lish and some quality family time that I always cherish. 

And all throughout the day I would check my email at work and see this:

If you don't think anyone cares about you, join Facebook and enter your birthdate.  I ended up getting 175 wall posts on my birthday.  Is that not insane?!  That doesn't include the text messages, phone calls, tweets, cards and presents.  That is JUST Facebook.  FB surely knows how to make you feel fabulous.  I once thought that it was easy to write on someone's wall on their birthday since it is posted so nicely for you over on the right hand side when you open the site.  Until you actually start doing it, everyday, for your own friends.  It can be tedious.  So now I genuinely appreciate every single FB wall post I get on my birthday (and every other day, too!).  So thank you...for all of you that said something to me.  I appreciate you taking the time to remember me.  No really.  I honestly do.  SO much.

The birthday fun continues as tonight I am going to dinner with a group of my girlfriends at Jaliscos and there is nothing I love more than a little girly time combined with good food and drinks.  I just love girlfriends.  Thursday night Ryan's parents are taking us out at my place of choice for a birthday dinner.  His Mom told me I always have my birthday combined w/ Father's Day and this year they wanted to celebrate separately.  Awww, thanks Thelma.  I chose Boston Beanery.  Why?  Because they have a salad that I looooove.  It has french fries on top of it.  I mean COME ON...obviously I am obsessed.  And to finish off my birthday week, I will be headed to the Harmon Home on Smith Mountain Lake with good people.  Blessed.  So blessed. 

[Insert beautiful picture of Harmon's lake house here since mine won't upload right now]

I think 28 is starting off to be one HECK of a calendar year!  Can't wait to see what it continues to bring.