Three - Oh

Well folks, I hit a milestone.

Thirty years old.  

No big deal.  

It just feels weird to be growing up and all. 

When do we start to feel as old as our age? 

I hope not too soon.

Being young at heart feels pretty good to me.
Maybe it catches up at forty?

I'll let you know.

I got to celebrate all week long.  

We kicked things off birthday shopping on Saturday at Park City.  I love the outlets.  Cord took Gage to browse and the girls and I picked out some cute stuff together.  The best part of shopping was the following interaction with my Natalie girl:  

We walked into Claire's, the jewelry and accessory store, and both girls eyes doubled in size.  All that pink and sparkle was breathtaking!  I told them they could each pick out something to take home.  Natalie walked over to a rack of bracelets and necklaces, and ran her fingertips across them.  She looked up and in the cutest most excited voice said, "Mom! Which one should we get for you?!"  

That cute little girl wasn't thinking about what she wanted, she was thinking about my upcoming birthday!  It made me feel so happy inside.  I let Natty pick me out a bracelet and necklace.  She couldn't wait to give it to me on Thursday.  She is such a treasure.  I collected several other things that day from various stores.  It was some good shopping.

Sunday, we had a combo party for Cindee, Allison, and me at my parent's house.  Food, conversation, pie.  You know.  My cute mom cut flowers for the tables and made things really special.  She made the most delicious raspberry cream pie.  Like really, each bite was mouth watering delich.  Mom slipped a piece into the fridge so I could take some home for breakfast.  I felt pretty lucky.  I love my cute fam.

Tuesday we had a big barbeque at Cord's parent's house.  Brent's birthday is two days before mine.  So we shared a party.  He turned 70 years old.  That is a milestone birthday too!  We got to spend the whole evening out on their huge new deck.  It was so nice enjoy the beautiful summer night talking and enjoying being together.

I sneaked in all sorts of fun stuff with the kids.  We got free slurpees at 7-11, played on the slip and slide in the back yard, cute Gabby gave me a pedicure and glitter toes, I rented a random Red Box movie and was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it!  Good stuff.

On Wednesday night, I was feeling overwhelmed.  Gage had been sick all day and Cord was gone at work, and then he had to leave right when he got home to do some church stuff.  Plus, I had just found out that he was scheduled to leave on a work trip.  That always makes me nervous, because I hate hate hate being home alone.  So, there I was feeling a bit sad, when Lorna calls and says, "Are you home?"  I was.  She said, "I will be right over!"  She arrived shortly after that with a selection of cute birthday dresses for me to try on.  She had remembered a conversation that we had had weeks before about me wanting some cute casual dresses to wear during the summertime because dresses are so cool and comfortable.  I got to try them on and then model them for her.  I don't think she knows how much that cheered me up!  What a cute mother in law I have...

On my actual birthday, I was craving banana cake with cream cheese frosting.  Luckily, this heat is killing the life out of the bananas we buy.  So, I had a good selection on ripe ones to use.  Cord and I went out to dinner and Monica watched our kiddos.  Afterwards, we all had cake together.  I think it turned out quite tasty.  Cord gave me the best gift of all.  Massage oil.  My back was in birthday heaven.

Birthdays are so much more about love than gifts.  I so enjoy getting random phone calls and text messages.  Feeling the love that is put into meals and desserts and someone taking time to pick out the perfect gift.  It is the feeling of being important and special and appreciated that really makes a birthday great.  

And so far, thirty is proving to be quite lovely.