Happy Birthday to Meeee!

It's no secret, I love birthdays. I am game to celebrate anyone's birthday, any day ... and most especially, my own, when it rolls around on the calendar. I'm 32 years old today and the happiest I've ever been. Life is GOOD!

Andi and I's Mexico trip this month is sort of my birthday / our Valentine's Day present, although I fully expect a real birthday present, too. My husband would never make a colossal mistake such as this, ha! So, I'm planning to have a fairly low-key day today. Tory and I will hang out this morning, play, do laundry and make a few freezer meals - the usual. My friend Val and her little kiddos, Kasen and Linden, are stopping by for lunch. Then, I'm planning a special birthday dinner of grilled steak and steamed artichokes for Andi and I tonight, with strawberry cheesecake for dessert. Andi will cook it all for me, of course, and I'll sit back and enjoy a glass of my favorite wine.

My in-laws know just how special birthdays are, so they surprised me with a wonderful pre-birthday celebration last night. Andi had to work late, so I planning on a regular evening of dinner, bath and bedtime for Tory and probably an episode of Downton Abbey or Revenge for me after she was sound to sleep. Instead, when I arrived home from my weekly babysitter time Tuesday afternoon, my house was filled with a Happy Birthday banner and balloons. My in-laws made one of my favorite meals for dinner, Shepherd's Pie, and DQ ice cream cake for dessert. Janie's Shepherd's Pie recipe rivaled my mom's famous recipe (sorry, Mom!). It was delicious! We sang Happy Birthday and I was so happy, I forgot to make a wish when I blew out the candles!

Photo 1: Blowing out my birthday candles with my favorite girl
Photo 2: Homemade Shepherd's Pie for dinner (my favorite!)
Photo 3: Happy birthday decorations
Photo 4: Ice cream cake for dessert

Tory insisted on licking ice cream cake off each of the birthday candles

Here's to a happy, healthy 32nd year!