Sunday, November 13, 2011

My Birthday Week Celebration and SURPRISE!!

I begin the last year of my 20's this week!  I celebrated my 29th birthday on Thursday.  This one is a year for the books...

It started with dinner with our friends Ann and Steve.  We trade dinners almost monthly. It was our turn at their house. We really enjoy their company.



Next up was a very lovely dinner at my in-laws, Charles and Diane. Diane made me a delicious pound cake. They are so generous and loving.

Labor of Love Pound Cake and Birthday Wishes!

I managed to get through most of my work day without too much birthday embarrassment, thank you to all my co-workers/friends for the birthday wishes.

Josh, treated me to a delicious birthday dinner at the New Yorker.

One of our favorites from our Sonoma Trip- Petite Verdot from Imagery Winery
However, little did I know the real surprise was still to come!  I had been so consumed planning my dear friend Sara's surprise 30th birthday party that I was so distracted when I got my own surprise pulled on me...

I took Friday, Veteran's Day off. I thought it sounded like a nice b-day present to myself.  Josh and I did a good scrubbing of our house and I made Sara's birthday cake.  Josh suggested we go to lunch at Squatter's, which I thought was a little weird, but I love going out to eat and didn't question too much.  We walked in and there was my BFF since we were 10 sitting at one of the tables!!!!!!! It took me a good 90 seconds to register what was going on.  I knew I wasn't in Reno, but for a moment was questioning my sanity, I knew she and her husband, Josh, and her daughter Lily were NOT supposed to be sitting at that table in Salt Lake City!!!! I couldn't believe it and then the water works started!!  Mal and Josh had left Reno at 3am that morning to meet me for lunch and spend the weekend with us celebrating my birthday and catching up. I have been bugging Mal about coming to visit me and she got me good!

We had an absolutely fabulous time!  Mal treated me to an AMAZING pedicure/girl time, we went to Ruth's for breakfast, ran around town, made homemade pizza's, watched to Oregon DUCKS kick some Standford Tree Butt, and endlessly watched Lily, their 14month old run wild with our pups and enjoyed every moment of each others company.  I'm so grateful to have such incredible friends in my life.

Mal, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for picking up your life in Reno, (which I'm sure is not easy with a 14month old) to come visit us in Salt Lake City.  You are simply an incredible friend, mother and woman.  You got me so good, I think I'm still in shock!  I LOVE YOU SO MUCH and am so GRATEFUL for our friendship.

Enjoy the photos below....

Special Delivery from my Mom

Lazy little bones

Lily Peanut

Josh and Josh

Our lil girl

GO DUCKS!!

Lily and her furry friend Ebony

Playing

Mal and our babies

Daddy's little girl

Love this little peanut

Breakfast at Ruth's

Brewmaster

Josh learning the details of brewing

Monkey see Monkey do

Kisses


Turner's

Pizza Time
The girls!
I also share my Scorpio birthday with my very best Salt Lake friend, Sara. It is her year! She turned 30 and we were able to pull off a huge surprise!  Thank you to Keri, Ash, Beth and Matt for making it a success. Also, thanks to all of our friends that turned out to show Sara our love!  Sara, you are an amazing woman and friend and we are all so grateful for you in our lives! WE LOVE YOU!!!

The girls

Ash, Keri, Me

Make a wish

LOVE HER!

The gang

Sisters

Annual Scorpio LOVE, Sara, Collin and ME share November together


Love this guy!





Finally, tonight my birthday week was concluded by a delicious dinner cooked by my mother in law along with more pound cake (YUM, YUM, YUM) and lots of generous love!  

Make a Wish

Mimi and Me
This week has been full of so many wonderful, amazing people in my life showering me with love.  I'm so grateful for all of you and I could never fully express to all my friends and family just how much you mean to me and how much you make this life worth living.  I LOVE YOU ALL from each end of the country so MUCH!

Monday, October 24, 2011

Fall Fun!

This last weekend, Josh and I hiked The Terraces. Should be in prime shape for ski season coming up.  The leaves are amazingly colorful and breathtaking.


Millcreek Canyon Road

The Canyon View from The Terraces

My girls and Me

Family Photo

Josh and Princess Ebony



We have had an absolutely incredible fall this year. This is my FAVORITE time of year and we have taken full advantage of it. LOTS of hikes and outdoor activities.


The month started off with some sad news, one of my good friends from college passed away recently.  Nick Moore was an amazing generous, thoughtful, caring, passionate, fun loving, music loving, welcome you with open arms, politically well read person. He lived next door to my old roommate Courtney and I for two years. We had the pleasure of sharing many many many nights of long talks, walks, figuring out the meaning of life, going to football games, cooking Thanksgiving dinners and dinners in general together. Nick was someone who will always have a place in my heart. We had not been in touch since college, but he will always be remembered for all of the above and those things that have gone unspoken.  Nick, may you have inner peace and keep smiling down on us.
Nick smiling down on us in Salt Lake City
 Nicks friends, Matt and Troy arranged for a day to honor him.  We were challenged to see how miles we could all walk/run in honor of Nick.  He would set out most nights with his headphones plugged in and his hands buried deep in his pockets to do some thinking and music listening.  He had so many friends spread out all around the country. This was my hike in honor of him and I logged 4 miles for him!

Sending you love Nick 


Salt Lake City

The next weekend we went up for what would be our last Cabin outing. Charles and Diane (father and mother-in-law) were celebrating their anniversary as well. We were greeted with 8 inches of snow and some pre-winter chilly weather. Regardless it made for a very relaxing retreat full of naps, reading, hot tubing, and wine drinking = )

HELLO SNOW

Such a beautiful sight

Happy Anniversary


Sunset

Spoiled little pups by the wood pellet stove keeping warm


= )

The theme of this fall has been hike, hike, hike and hike some more.  The next pictures are all up Millcreek Canyon. One weekend I met up with my long lost friend Keri and we hiked Mt. Aire.

Pretty colors

Me and Keri

Breathtaking


Tired/weird Ebony

The light post on our street that the neighborhood kids decorate for every turning season! FUN!