Birthday!

So these will be out of order, and not close together. This is what happened on my actual birthday. Meredith’s and my birthday party at Claytopia was the day before, but I haven’t gotten all of those pictures yet.

So my birthday! January 30, 2011! It was a full day of fun and friends :)

Meredith and Bekah planned the day. This might be an excerpt of the email from Meredith detailing the plans:

Bekah and I have been doing some behind the scenes planning and might have just realized that we have not clued you in... how's this sound for Sunday (aka YOUR 25TH BIRTHDAY!)

• Lunch at Aoyama at 2 (Bekah and I reserve the right to make funny faces at the sushi... and I cannot promise that I won't be bringing my own sandwich)
• Bowling at Eastway (on Buffalo Road) after that (my only real bowling skills are associated with the Wii so this should be quite the event!)
• Pro Bowl at Meredith's apartment (At least it's some form of football...)

I was so excited after reading this email!

So, just like they had planned, we started with sushi!

….birthday sushi :)

And Meredith tried sushi for the first time!

And the waiter brought us fried ice cream!

Then we went bowling. Sadly it was not duckpin. It was big ball bowling. But I still had a great time!

 

Monica, Jen, Jaime and Amy even stopped by to meet Meredith and Bekah :)

 

After bowling, we went back to Meredith for what I thought was just hanging out and watching the ProBowl, but Meredith’s apartment was all decorated!

And then Bekah and Meredith got up to get a drink and returned with birthday strawberry cupcakes!

It was a fantastic 25th birthday :) Thank you Meredith and Bekah for spending the day with me!

I took some pictures tonight

 

And my ABSOLUTE favorite…

Birthday Weekend Overview

I’m still waiting for some pictures from Claytopia day on Saturday, so I will post a nice overview of the most amazing birthday weekend :)

Let’s start with the weather. For the past 24 years, it has snowed on my birthday. No exaggeration here, people. I was born in a snow storm. Sometimes it’s just a flurry or two, but sometimes is a full on blizzard – case in point last year. On January 30th from 1986 through 2010, there has been precipitation in Baltimore, where I have lived all my life.

Well, newsflash, I live in Erie now! With the cold temperatures and the amount of snow that Erie is known for it was a complete guarantee that the birthday snow would continue. I wasn’t even worried.

Then I woke up on January 30, 2011, to this:

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Only the most beautiful day of winter thus far.

I yelled at Meredith that it wasn’t snowing. It was her job to make sure it happened. She asked if throwing a snowball at me constituted “snowing” and would keep the tradition going. Sadly, I said no. I then apologized for yelling.

You know what else happened on my 2011 birthday weekend? CVPs burned down.

So sad.

I’m preaching to the choir to say I believe in signs, but if these events aren’t telling me to move on a start new traditions, I don’t know what is.

Clearly, Fate thinks I’m ready for a new normal.

What do you think?

One year ago today

One year ago today I jumped – well ran – into the ice waters of the Chesapeake Bay, in the name of raising money for Maryland Special Olympics.

It was cold.

Very, very cold.

  

 

Glamorous, I know. But something crossed off my bucket list!

25 things I’ve learned in 25 years

1. It’s impossible to look at a penguin and feel angry.

2. It could always be worse.

3. Mom and Dad usually do know what they are talking about.

4. The first pancake always turns out badly.

5. Christmas will never lose it’s magic.

6. My friends get me through life.

7. Moving away from home was one of the best life decisions I ever made.

8. I should wear sunscreen more.

9. Flowers instantly put me in a good mood.

10. Dogs are angels on earth.

11. Snow makes me very happy.

12. Google can answer anything.

13. Worrying is usually not worth the energy.

14. Smile through it.

15. My giggling can be annoying.

16. Sometimes life hands you lemons and expects lemonade in return, but sometimes it expects lemons to be turned into French bread. Make it work.

17. Just try. What’s the worst that can happen?

18. Positivity is an action.

19. Hearts get broken.

20. No matter how many times I try, I will never be good at throwing a frisbee.

21. Everyone needs a little wisdom.

22. Jumping into the Chesapeake Bay in January makes your legs go numb instantly.

23. I’m not good at making decisions, but I am good at committing to decisions made.

24. One can never have too many pairs of sunglasses.

25. Expecting the world to work my way is unrealistic.