A Birthday for Momma!

So my birthday has come and gone and I am finally writing about it!  It fell on Mother's day this year which made it a double whammy in my book. John and my amazing family did such a great job of making me feel loved.

I got to sleep in and the kids woke me up dragging flowers and cards into my bed. We walked down the street to the local breakfast place and enjoyed a quiet breakfast just the 5 of us (well, as quiet as a breakfast with the 5 of us can be).  We spent the rest of the day hanging out by the kiddie pool and enjoying the sunshine.  There were naps for all.

In the evening, a few of us got together for dinner. Since it was Mother's day, I wanted to be sure to keep it low key and not take Mother's day away from anyone. We had a great time. My mom was there, John's mom and Dave, Justin, Audrey and Lauren and Chris and Kayla. It was the perfect amount of celebration after a crazy year.

And, people even took pictures with me in them!!!!

These girls mean so much to me!

 Can you see Andy's face squished in the middle!?!?

 Happy Birthday to me!!!!!  Toffee Crunch Cake from Madonna Inn. There is none better.

 The whole restaurant sang. It was great.

 My candle helpers.

I love this picture of Jus and I. I am so fortunate to have a sibling who is always there for me and makes sure to sit next to me on my birthday.

 After dinner, we played frisbee in the park. It was great fun and wore us out!

I have to admit that this year, the gifts were amazing. I know the gifts are always just an added bonus, but this year they were so thoughtful and over the top.  John and the kids showered me with flowers and cards and homemade jewels. John got me a BEAUTIFUL watch that I have worn every day, and a watch for running that I adore.

Christina brought me my gift a little early, before I ran my 10k. It was full of energy gel, running socks, power bars, everything I could possibly need for a race. It was so sweet and encouraging.

Justin and Audrey gave me a set of juice glasses, just like our Grammie used to have. They are perfect. They also gave me an adorable owl vase. The best of old and new likes.

I admit as well that "birthday money" (thanks to my self proclaimed Evil Mother in Law) is always a favorite. I know most moms can relate that having money to guilt-free on yourself feels pretty wonderful.  The biggest thing on my wishlist was a beautiful watch, since John took care of that one, I will have to refer back to my wishlist!! :)

The biggest surprise was from my mom. Julie and Andy convinced her I needed my own special blanket. She took them to get fabric, which they did an amazing job picking out, and she made the perfect quilt for me.

The picture does it no justice. It is full of owls, hearts, stars and flowers. All of my favorite types of prints. I have no idea how she got it done in time, where she found the time or how she hid it from me. I love that my children are thoughtful enough to think of it and that my mom bend over backwards to make it happen. I love it so much but my favorite part is on the back.

My munchkins little hand prints. Andy keeps reminding me, "Mine are the medium size ones."

My 30th birthday has come and gone, but I still feel the love from it. I feel like I have earned turning 30 and that this year and the rest to come, will be wonderful, busy, chaotic and memorable, all thanks to the people around me.