Happy Birthday To ME!

36.

It's kind of hard to believe. My whole life, though, I was excited to be 30. I thought that 30 was the age when I would finally have things "figured out." It actually turned out to be largely true, although instead of 30 being the age at which I begin to apply my accrued wisdom, it was more like the age when I finally pulled my head out of my a**. Seriously. I have to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed my 30's thus far. I feel like I just keep getting better (which isn't to insinuate that I don't have improvements to make).

I got to celebrate all weekend long.

Friday night Bruce and I went to dinner with our friends Chris and Anne.

Here's Anne and I prior to gorging ourselves at Koi. We are looking a little squinty, but that has to do with the sun and not our age at all. Anne is a woman who is accomplished in every single way- at times I find myself wondering what she gets out of the friendship at all! Nevertheless, I was so happy to kick off the birthday weekend with her and her fun husband. We ate dessert at Thanksgiving Point and since I was the "birthday girl" I indulged in some delicious chocolate cake.

Saturday morning I decided to test my speed at a local 5k. I haven't run a 5k in a year, but Bruce agreed to pace me because I was really wanting to get under the 24 minute mark. Well, it wasn't pretty, but I DID IT. 23:40. Seventh among the ladies and 26th overall, and just slightly over 7 1/2 minute miles. Bruce was an excellent wing man, and I managed not to vomit at the finish line.

Saturday afternoon I went with my girls Steph, Janet, and Jo to lunch and shopping. Everyone was kind enough to order a unique dessert, so I got to try the peanut butter brownie, the cupcake, and the pumpkin bar at Flour Girls and Dough Boys. I could say so much about my incredibly lunch companions, but suffice it to say, I am seriously blessed in my friendships, and I am seriously grateful.

Sunday we breakfasted with George, Merrilee, Dan, and Porter. (I gained 3 pounds in a single weekend. It was horrifying.) Again, I just thoroughly enjoyed my company! We talked gardens (my brother is a hard-core gardener now, and not just marijuana like in high school), cows, and whether you should be straight up with your small children about where steaks come from. Oddly, Dan, my "tough" brother, is the one who has stricken the word "slaughtered" from his personal dictionary.

Monday was my actual birthday. And, yes, I wore the orange sweater all weekend. Sue me.

Bruce took the girls to my favorite store in town and the owner helped them pick out some really fun gifts. It was the first year that Kate used her own money to buy my present- an awesome bracelet. She has great taste.

Kiki picked out a ring. It is very sparkly. I call it "The Bling-a-ring."

Again, I'm choosing to believe that my haggard looks have zippo to do with my age and mucho to do with the fact that I had just returned from the gym.

I received so many birthday wishes on Monday- my sister-in-law Angie came bearing gifts (and yet another evil dessert, which I managed to prolong eating until Tuesday), my dad came with 4 pound of Colosimo's sausage (I'm sorry. If you think that is a weird gift, then you have never had Colosimo's sausage.), and tons of phone calls and Facebook messages.

We spend Monday with Kurt and Julie Church. Julie and I have been friends since 1992. Utah State, freshman year. Thankfully, our husbands like each other so we hang out. We saw Pirates of Penzance at Hale Theater. I'll be blunt- Bruce was in hell. Musicals at all are a cultural stretch for him, so a comic opera was more than he could take. He's a good husband, that Bruce.

Julie and I.

This was a birthday where I felt so loved by those around me. It left me with a full realization about the quality of relationships that I am blessed to have in my life- there are just so many amazing people in my inner circle, and I feel grateful for every single one of them.