27th and Weekend Wrapup

Since my birthday this year was on a Thursday, 

we drug it out to last through Memorial Day.

Ok, fine, I do this every year. Shush

I did come home to a big stack of packages on the front stoop. 

One of those was this NC necklace my parents got for me. <3 

Then, I made myself a birthday-rita. Complete with floaty sea animals.  

Mike popped a bottle of champagne after dinner,  

and we spent the night watching Pop-up Video and old boyband videos. 

Mmmmmbop!

Friday night, we opened a bottle of Chateau Montelena,

and watched Bottle Shock. 

On Saturday, Mike had sat up a hydrotherapy session & couples massage

that really melted any residual 26 stress right off. 

Then we headed out for great steak. 

Great steak and great desert. 

Sunday morning was the perfect time for us to finally check out Psycho donuts. 

Fan.Tas.Tic.

AND THEN. 

THEN!

We went to Winchester House. 

Y'all. 

I've wanted to go here since like 1993.

Full post to come.  

We wrapped up the night at Tied House,

for $0.50 beer and Sharks Hockey. 

Monday was Memorial Day. 

We spent it together, as a family, with our psycho pup.

We went to the park, played with bubbles outside, 

grilled dinner, and I even made a cobbler out of amazingly fresh berries.  

I'd say 27 got off to a great start. 

:)

via

to me!

26.

So, yeah. 

TODAY is my very last day of 26. 

True fact, I just typed 25. Alas, NOT 25. 

I can't figure out a way to round myself down to 20 or even MID20s anymore. 

About this time last year, I created a list of 26 things I wanted to do while I was 26. Then we went and decided to move to California and a LOT changed. I remade the 26 in 26 list to accompany the new change.  Below is the final list, that I worked on. So, let's see. 

1:   Order a boat of sushi
2:   Go to a beer dinner 

Before we left NC, we made it to a New Belgium dinner at the NC Nat Sci Museum. 

I wish we would have been able to attend a more complete one, 

but it was a great experience that we'll definitely do again. 

3:   get a California license and license plate

Done and Done. 

4:   Be in a wedding 

Yessssssssss. 

5:   Attend something out of my ordinary. 

So, maybe I didnt attend a roller derby or zombie festival, 

but, I made this goal to get me to do something that made me uncomfortable. 

I moved 3000 miles away from home with no job and no permanent place to land. 

I think I did something that made me uncomfortable. 

So, I'm calling it complete. 

   6:   Host a cocktail/dinner party 
7:   Climb Cape Hatteras 

Fin. I took my broken little knee all the way up. 

8:   Reunite with the fourple

This could have been one of my favorite moments. 

It really proves that REAL friends are not affected by time or distance. 

9:   Add a stamp to my passport

Quite a few actually. 

10:   Learn basics of a new language
11:   spend a weekend in wine country

a weekend. two weekends. I quite counting

12: deck the halls for christmas, and the 2013 holidays

I must say it made the holidays a bit more enjoyable. 

13: Visit Biltmore during the Festival of Flowers 

I don't think I accurately describe how much I adore Biltmore. 

14:  Get a puppy!

I think you know Shiva

15:   introduce my parents & Mike's parents. 

Success

16:   Do 12 DIY projects.

Between baby shower art, cards, decor, bridesmaids gifts and more, I crossed em off. 

17:   Make a 27 in 27 list. 

Stay Tuned.
18:   Learn a new hobby.

I'm counting a new love of baseball and hockey. 

I care more about players and stats and schedules than I ever did. 

Mike also says my new hobby is wedding planning. 

19:  Visit 3 tourist attractions in San Fran &/or San Jose.

I think we have this one covered. Between tons of wineries, fishermans wharf, 

pier 39, ghiaradelli, all over the bay, sports stadiums and famous restaurants, 

c.h.e.c.k.20:   Learn to unwind and relax

I'm able to stop, turn off, and not feel so guilty or bad that I'm not doing SOMETHING or ANYTHING right that second. I credit Mike, Shiva, the kittens, and ok, maybe some champagne. 

21:  Reduce my diet coke consumption 

And by reduce, I mean, none. I dont even like how it tastes anymore. 

It's ok. I'm a little disappointed in myself  too. 22:   Buy something from a home shopping channel and something from etsy.

The first thing I bought of etsy (which started a bigggg love affair) were koozies for the fourple trip. I also bought some kitchen gadgets from HSN back in December.

 I kinda enjoyed calling in. I'm so strange. 

 23:    Lose 26 lbs (total)
24:    get a hot stone massage &/or reiki
25:   Add to my tattoo collection
26:    Find the PERFECT red lipstick. 

Nars Misbehave or Bee Sting.

Now I just need to get brave enough to wear it more than once a month.

So, I got 77% finished. 

I didnt order a boat of sushi, 

learn a new language (though sometimes I think Californian counts), 

or lose the pounds. But, I'm ok. 

Like I already said (and you know), I moved to California from North Carolina. I got a job that I love, which makes me feel challenged and respected and even occasionally refers to me as an expert, and has yet to make me cry. My bad days at my new company are better than good days at my old. Last year I saw Asheville, the Outer Banks, California, drove through 5 states, London, Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris and Florida. I got engaged to my best friend. I continue to be shocked at how disgustingly happy we are and how Mike is just..it. I got a puppy, a new extended family and overall happy. 

26, I liked you. 

---

still wanna get a dang boat of sushi though. 

Friday Mismatch

I  kinda of miss my "let's just wrap everything up" Friday posts.

So here ya go.

I always love whenever I find myself using this mug.
It's homey, reminds me of being a lowly undergrad,
and I can always play ISpy with myself. 

Mike's Birthday dinner was a little less fancy this year, 

us being one income and all, 

but I think I still did a kickarse cake :)

So, after my Wednesday interview,
I came home and consoled myself with these.

The only other thing I acheived this week was a brand new sparkly manicure. 

I haven't used this "Mad as a Hatter" glitter in a very VERY long time, 

but I'm pretty much in love with it, and over Foie Gras it's fantastic. 

This week's Friday Fancies was all about Black and White.

black and white by teeller 

(and a pop of the awesome 2013 color of the year)



linking up everywhere today:

    

(ps, come back later this afternoon for a post of LAST week's weekend ;)

Happy Birthday

This guy:

is smarter than anyone I've ever met.

is kinder than anyone I've ever met.
makes every day better than the last one.
laughs, cries, and dreams with me.
is *the* sexiest human alive. 

treats me like a princess, even when I'm a brat. 

is never scared, or nervous, or afraid of anything.
is my best friend. 

follows his dreams with reckless abandon, and it works.
granted my biggest wish when he asked me to marry him.
is definitely my better half. 

turns 29 today!

Happy Birthday Babes!

I love you.

My birthday - 2012!

This year,  Mike and I headed to see the show 

Wicked 

at DPAC

.

 

 

 

 It was fantastic, as always, and the tobacco road cafe afterwards was just as spectacular
 

 We're talking buffalo chicken egg rolls. Delish.

Ahem...

OOOOH!! Today, is kind of a big deal. 

It's my Birthday. 

HORRAY FOR BIRTHDAYS! 

26. 

 So, I gathered up my favorite birthday things from the internet to make you smile. And me. I also want to smile. 

Cause it's my birthday :)

via

via

via

via

 

via

via

via

via