My 36th Birthday!

 

Mom made me her traditional homemade lasagna like she does every year! Every year we take a pic in front of the oven when its done cooking. We probably have near 20 years of pictures like this now. So spoiled even as an adult ;) 

We recently got a new kitten. We joke around that she is my birthday present. Arnold is not big on animals but we all bugged him for weeks to get a kitten. I don't know if its that I am sad my kids are getting older or my pets or what, but I've been online looking at cute baby animals lately and thought a kitten wouldn't be too much trouble ;) We found a really cute one through a lady I know, and we named her Ruby. We already have a cat named Max and so we thought Max and Ruby would be cute, like the kids' tv show :) I forgot how energetic kittens are! Ruby will run around the house playing with her toys and jump from couch to couch, and even try to grab Max's tail :) But she has been so much fun and we love her. 

I had such a good birthday this year! My mom jokes and says I have to celebrate all month! I got to spend time with my family, inlaws, and friends. I got some of the sweetest and most thoughtful gifts. I got to eat some of my favorite foods. and we might have gotten a new pet ;) 

On my birthday night we went out to dinner at Mellow Mushroom-- my fave place to get pizza! The waiter actually asked us if we were out celebrating anything and Arnold said YEP, it's my wife's 36th birthday! I was so embarrassed, haha. I told him you weren't supposed to reveal a woman's age! The guy played along and said Oh you mean her 26th birthday? LOL. Then he said HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAAM! And I went back to feeling old again ;) 

The morning of my birthday we went out to eat brunch at the old hickory station. My inlays surprised us and went along, too. 

I got the Belgian waffle, everyone online had recommended it. I don't know if Im crazy or what, but I actually didn't care for it! It was kind of burnt, and instead of powdered sugar the sugar was gritty and crunchy and it just didn't taste right to me. But all the other food was good! 

A few days before my actual birthday I had a party at Dos Amigos! Several of my friends came, and my parents, and Arnold and the kids, too. We all sat at a Long table, and it was so much fun. Yes I get too excited about my birthday, but what is wrong with that ?!

The highlight of the evening was that Katie got to come!!! She is the one who was in the hospital for so long earlier this year, with covid. I didn't think she'd be at my birthday this year, and to have her there was amazing. She sat right across from me at the table and we had the best time. She sat beside my mom, so I had both my moms there with me ;) 

This is my birthday cake, and yes it is pioneer woman themed! Actually the whole party was PW themed! We had the cute balloons, confetti, candles, plates, and everything. I know my dad was just rolling his eyes the whole time. But I loved it! We tried to do her colors, a turquoise and red on the cake, and it actually came out looking Christmas themed, haha! But it was still delicious! ;) 

Yes this is my sweet hubby leaving Party City after having them blow up my PW balloon and the balloons in the matching colors ;) He really is the greatest ;) 

Another thing we did during that week while Arnold was on vacation was head to Charlotte and do some shopping, and we ended up at the Cheesecake Factory. We had a late lunch and of course dessert! I got the Godiva chocolate cheesecake and it was sooo good! Rachel got a hot fudge sundae and it was so big she couldn't eat much! Poor Brooke ate so much that she actually got sick on the way home! LOL but it was a good time. I wish Arnold was on vacation all the time ;)