Birthday Cake & Presents

My mom & my little brother came over to celebrate my birthday with me last week, and they, along with my husband, spoiled me like a little girl. I mean look at this super cute cake!

I was so tired, when I finally got home from teaching school & then dance that, even though they offered to go out somewhere, I really just wanted to eat pizza with my family at home, so that's what we did! Look at the beautiful wrapping!

I am definitely bragging right now, but look at the nice gifts that they gave me!

Joel surprised me with a Betsy Johnson purse I've had my eye on, and a Seahawks sweatshirt.

My mom gave me cute storage boxes, an awesome monkey bank, and a teaching plaque and mug.

My Grandma gave me the beautiful necklace and earrings.

Any my youngest brother gave me a beautiful leather bound copy of the Wizard of Oz.

These boxes are so me. My mom gets me. I already have stuff I need to sort through in them haha.

The pages of the Wizard of Oz book are soo pretty! If you look closely, they are not only foiled, but sparkly as well. Also, Emerald is my birthstone!

I decorated my bar cart in festive pink for my birthday month :)

The pennant banner was an impulse by from Target.

My new monkey is perfect for the bar cart! I love it!

I love my family! It was so refreshing to visit with them. I've been feeling stressed and down on myself lately about some things that are beyond my control and it was so nice to be reminded on my birthday that I have a lot of family and friends who love and support me.

My birthday week may be over...
but why not celebrate it all month right?
Happy Monday!

Birthday Getaway: Lincoln City

 Joel and I took at little one day mini-vaca mid week to celebrate my birthday a day early.

We stayed a night in poor man's Las Vegas at the Chinook Winds Casino in Lincoln City.

    

Unfortunately, the room we booked was having some work done on it, so we had to stay in a smoking room :( 

But the manager gave us a discount and free buffet for two. 

So even though we had planned to eat dinner elsewhere, we couldn't pass up a free buffet ;)

P.S. I could probably start a blog dedicated solely to pictures of my husband
 giving me a weird look because I'm trying to take a picture of our food. 

After dinner we went for a walk on the beach at sunset.  

 I wanted a nice picture of myself on my 28th birthday...but every selfie I took, I looked soo tired, because guess what? I was!! So here's some goofy pics and a pic of how I felt about my selfies. 

The next morning we had breakfast at the Seafood Grill at the casino.

We had a great view of the ocean from our seats.

 I really liked the dining ware they served our food on.

Joel had a seafood omelette, and I had monkey style pancakes.

Usually I enjoy a savory breakfast, but I couldn't pass up salted caramel sauce with pecans and cinnamon sugar cream.

After checking out, we did some damage at the outlet mall, and then headed to beach to walk around some more, and try to burn off some of the calories we had consumed!

I finally wore the sequinned pineapple shirt I got at the H&M in the Forum Shops in Las Vegas.

Joel & I were both pretty tired, and as much as we love exploring, we also love our home.

So we came home early to enjoy the nice weather in our own backyard.

Joel made a delicious dinner, we played cribbage, and I actually painted my nails!

The Everett Oasis is coming together nicely.

I am very blessed to have such a wonderful husband.

It was so nice time to spend with him and to have a day off in the middle of a busy week!

I have a couple of more birthday posts to come, because I like to celebrate birthday week :)

Birthday: 28, 28 is great

Today I turn 28.
Let's see where I am at in life right now:
I am married.
I have a full time job as a teacher + some part time dance jobs.
I bought a house.
I am blessed.

What's next?
Hopefully some travelling.
Maybe a new car.
More dancing.
More creating.
Possibly babies.

The last one absolutely terrifies me.
Everyone always jokes around about how guys are reluctant to have children.
Am I odd because I'm a woman and I'm not just dying to have a baby?
I still have so many things I want to do in life, and the thought of being absolutely responsible for another human being, in a world that is becoming increasingly more complicated and at odds with what I believe in is not something I am taking lightly.

Who knows?
Next year at this time Joel and I could have a baby.
Maybe we'll have a new car.
Maybe we'll go to Mexico.
We'll see.
Year 28?
Challenge Accepted.

A Few of my Favorite Things

Hi all! I was looking through some of my old posts the other day, and I realized that I have gotten a lot less colorful of late and I've really just been chronicling the fun events that I have gotten to do. I want to get to back to a more variety of different posts. For the last 2 years I have done a compilations of things I like for my birthday, so I thought I would do it again this year.

As you can see from my list, I have summer on the brain!!

1. Fabric // 2. Lantern // 3. Anthropologie Plate // 4. Star Lantern // 5. Pottery Barn Drink Dispenser 

6. Anthropolgie Candle // 7. Flamingo Light // 8. Pineapple Serving Bowl // 9. Swizzle Sticks

As much as I love the "fixer upper" Joanna Gaines style... I will never have it.

As you can tell by this post, I love COLOR, I am super eclectic, and I may still have teenage girl tendencies when it comes to decorating :) 

Stay tuned for more birthday week!

Happy Tuesday!

Dad's 60th Birthday Hawaiian Luau

My Dad turned 60 the week after July 4th, we celebrated his birthday around the 4th this year.

I've been wanting to throw a Hawaiian Luau for my Dad's bday for a while now. First of all, it's summer, why not?! Second of all, I remember when we went to Disneyland growing up, my Dad and my younger brother's favorite treat was the Pineapple Dole whips, so I wanted to make those part of the theme. Third, its an excuse to dress up for fun!

 

While not everyone in the family was inclined to dress up in theme, my Dad indulged for me :)

I bought these cute pineapple cups for our dole whips, as well as some pineapple paper lanterns. I had originally planned on hanging the lanterns up, but when I got them I found they only came in packs of 2, (for some reason I thought there were going to be 7? I guess I didn't read the description well!) so I didn't hang them up, I just set them out. I used this recipe for the Dole whip, and they turned out really good! I've never had one in Disneyland so I'm not sure if they tasted the same but I thought they were delicious :) 

My brother and his family. My nephew is so cute!

Being so close to the 4th of July we decided to take some patriotic pictures.

I made my mom hold a pineapple lantern with me for the picture they mad it in!

Parentals.

Me & the Hubby.

What I wore: Pineapple Tank: Old Navy (old, similar) // Shorts: Target (old) // Sandals: Target (girls)

Floral Headband: Forever21 (similar)

Sixty Candles! (not really though!)

Anyone have any fun parties this summer?
Happy Monday!

Birthday Celebration 4

We have finally reached the end of my birthday celebrations...

We ended with a celebratory brunch for the May birthdays on my husband's side of the family over Memorial Day Weekend.

We celebrated at my brother-in-law's & sister-in-law's home. They just expanded this room and received this beautiful handmade table made by my sister-in-law's father, and added a beautiful light fixture. Swoon. It has become a family favorite for get togethers.

Family get togethers with my husbands family are always filled with tons of cute children eager to help open presents and blow out candles ;) We are officially the last of the sibling to have children!!

Oh, and did I mention we have 2 sets of twin nephews??

I am definitely in a pink stage of life. Our family spoiled me with so many lovely things!! I was so surprised!

Another funny gift story, my sister-in-law's know me so well, they both got me the same thing!

Cutest iron man I've ever seen.

One of my sister-in-laws makes and sells her own jewelry and she gifted me some of her bracelets! She is so stylish. Check out thewayweare.co to see more!

Finished off the birthday celebration basking in the sun with mimosas. Perfect end to a wonderful week of glorious birthday!

Happy Tuesday :)