Amy's 7th birthday!

I had a real birthday this year! It was my 7th Leap Year birthday; I turned 28. The Sunday before my birthday, Rachel, Schaun, and Winnie came over and brought the yummiest dinner and scrumptious chocolate cake. All of it was divine. And Rachel gave me birthday goodies: cocoa nibs, Burt's Bees pedicure set, grapefruit seed extract, and homemade all-natural all-purpose cleaner (that you need the grapefruit seed extract for) that I've been wanting to try making myself but didn't know what I was doing or where to find grapefruit seed extract. Anyway it was so much fun. I felt so spoiled!


On my birthday I donned some new clothes that I'd treated myself to. Josh and I went to my friend Kerstin's house where she made a birthday breakfast feast for us! She made blueberry pancakes, banana walnut pancakes, sausage, homemade syrup, and fresh fruit. It was heavenly and so much fun! Josh and I spent our morning there. Josh played with Joelle and Clark and Kerstin and I got to visit. Then we came home for Josh to take a nap (which he ended up not taking but was still a happy boy the rest of the day!) Kerstin gave me flowers, an adorable handmade card, and she MADE these so-cute bracelets! I'd been wanting bracelets exactly like them so I was so excited.

During Josh's "nap" (when he just sat in his crib talking, reading, playing) I talked on the phone with family and opened a few presents and cards that came in the mail.

My brother and sisters who live out in Utah got me Just Dance 3 which was at the top of my wish list and I'm so excited about it. I've been obviously wanting it since it first came out. My parents-in-law sent me a Blendtec Wildside blender jar that I've also wanted ever since it came out a few years ago. My parents gave me a Amazon giftcard and a Cherry Moon Farms fruit basket which was such a fun treat. The fruit was the best of the best sent from all over the country and Mexico. My dad MADE me these sandals. They're Tarahumara (Indian) running huaraches or "barefoot running sandals". My dad and sister Amanda read the book Born to Run and my dad got really into barefoot running and made these sandals for Amanda. We all thought they were so cool. Little did I know that he was going to make me a pair for my birthday! I definitely plan to wear these everyday that it's warm enough. They're so comfortable, and stylish too!

 

Brandon came home from work early and we left for Short Pump. A friend posted on Facebook that this furniture store was giving $400 gift cards to people whose birthday is on Leap Day. There happened to be a location in Short Pump so we thought we might as well try and sure enough they gave me a $400 gift card there! I had to "check in" on Facebook that I was there at the furniture store (which was a bit of an ordeal since I don't have a smartphone and didn't know what they were talking about or what "checking in was" but Brandon came to the rescue with his smartphone and tech-savvy knowledge) and then I also had to show them my driver's license. Then Brandon said we were going to go get my birthday present and he pulled up to Best Buy and said "You're getting an iPod Touch." I was so excited! I never thought in a million years I'd ever get an iPod Touch! What an awesome surprise and awesome gift! Hopefully now I can start to "get" things like "checking in" :)

Then we got dinner at Olive Garden which was delicious as always. I got a piece of cake and planned on sharing with Brandon but no joke, the next thing I knew the cake was gone... woops. Then we drove home in the pouring rain and fog. On our drive home my brother who is in Vocal Point called me while they were on tour in Arizona and had Vocal Point sing Happy Birthday to me on the phone!!! That was awesome. When we got home we put Josh to bed, and watched Hugo. Josh was such an angel all day. I couldn't believe it since he didn't take a nap. But he was awesome. It was a really fun day.

 

The morning after my birthday we kept the party going and made crepes. My friend Lindsey had sent me a crepe pan and crepe recipe book for my birthday, knowing how much I love breakfast foods, especially pancakes of all kinds. So Brandon made us crepes which were so yummy and we enjoyed our morning together before Brandon had to go out of town for the rest of the week.

Later that day my friend Jenny and her adorable daughter Grace came over. Grace played with Josh while Jenny tilled my garden, got it all ready for seeds, and planted seeds for an early spring harvest. Jenny is a garden expert. I don't know what I'd do without her awesome advice on gardening among MANY other things. What an awesome birthday gift that was!

Thanks everyone for all the birthday love! It was a wonderful birthday! (I may have over-used the word "awesome" in this post but that's just how I felt about everything!)

-Amy