Birthday summary

Okay, my birthday, so far, has been wonderful and sad. I'll explain.


On Friday, my fabulous friend Krysta gave me a gift card to Red Robin and a box full of cookies. Not just any box -- this box!



Fun, huh? My boss gave me a gift card to Williams Sonoma. I long to own an overpriced dutch oven like the one below. I just have to decide which color.

As I mentioned earlier, my sweet sister Jenilee came up to help me frost sugar cookies for the shower favors and then we stayed up watching TV shows we love (is it sad that I'm so excited about the out of wedlock pregnancy on the Office? Yes, it is.) After Callie's bridal shower, these darling boys washed my car for me. I love a clean car when it's sunny and beautiful outside.


The weather has been perfect all weekend -- 75-80 degrees. Just lovely.


Later in the afternoon, my family and I went to Panera for lunch. I don't think any of them had been there before so it was great to see them love it as much as I do. One of my nephews got a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and he marveled how it was "mostly jelly." Apparently, that's a good thing. Here's a picture of Jen and me. We're laughing because whenever I get ready for a picture, I make a little humming noise in the back of my throat. I don't know why but I have to think about it so I don't do it.


My sister Jana drove down to surprise me (she lives an hour away.) Here she is with Makenna & Natalie.



After lunch, we drove to Mom's house to hang out for a bit (here comes the sad part.) We were sitting out on the patio, enjoying the beautiful afternoon, watching the kids play. I asked one of my sisters to take a picture of me with one of my nieces. I handed her my beautiful, four month old camera (the camera I seriously love and bought with my Christmas gift card.) I saw her hand go up to take the camera from me (or so I thought) and I stupidly let the camera go and dropped it on the cement patio.




See the dented lens? Sigh. It won't open, close, focus, nothing. I just cried and cried. My sister Jaylene was so sweet and hugged me as I cried (she's not a big hugger so that made me cry more.) My mom and sisters immediately said they'd all chip in for a new camera so we went out to Costco but they no longer have cameras like mine. We got home and I left again to pick up Lynda and we met Kim and Callie down at Sam's and guess what? Sam's had my camera. PHEW! It's exactly the same except it has a blue matte finish instead of the smooth black finish of my old one.



After Sam's, we went to California Pizza Kitchen. YUM! I stepped out of my BBQ chicken chopped salad comfort zone and Lynda and I split a BLT pizza. It was pure heaven. Seriously.


Later we went back to Lynda's for a yummy birthday cake from Cold Stone (thank you Kim!)


Kim also gave me this beautiful new purse. The color didn't come through but it's a gorgeous red leather. I love it so much!



Tomorrow night is dinner with three of my dearest, longtime girlfriends plus I have two other nights out later this week. I love a birthday that lasts and lasts.