The Big 2-1

today is my birthday! (okay...it's a flat-out lie. i totally post-dated this one).

i didn't have my usual crazy party or anything...i was too busy. but there were lots of little (and some bigger) things that helped me celebrate! i'd like to share 21 of them (appropriate for the occasion)


1* 2 birthday texts to wake up to (i love the feeling of waking up and having texts already there)
2* a wonderful birthday morning, including a cute surprise from mom, new storybooks, refreshing snow and dancing to Coldplay (the weather remained awesome throughout the day...with lots of sun and wind later, with pretty bright colors!
3* fabulous lecture in illustration history, my first class of the day: i took notes like an artist :)


4* tons of texted, facebooked, and gmailed birthday wishes through the day, reminding me that people are the most important things and i am so blessed to have such wonderful friends.
5* productive and unorthodox work...i drew a bridge and water on a huge piece of butcher paper
6* calls and voicemails (my niece gracie left a voicemail that i wish i could keep forever!)
7* an impromptu photoshoot with a friend who was in need of awesome pictures. we succeeded :)


8* surprise visit from one of my favorite people ever
9*relaxing night skipping part of class (shh!) and going out to ice cream, then shopping and shoe browsing with another favorite person (i'm so lucky to have such awesome favorite people)
10* extended birthday: dad was in town and took me to birthday lunch on friday at one of the best restaurants ever (Pizzaria 712) with dessert (Sub Zero) where I ran into another of my favorite people (oooh twicia...)


11* jess, zach, and twicia visiting and laughing til our sides hurt (good pain)
12* the surprise visit from friends the next morning (saturday) at 6 am, politely kidnapping me and taking me to IHOP


13* my niece's baptism.

she was baptized by my big brother (her dad), kevin. the last person he baptized was me. words can't adequately describe how i felt witnessing that. this was by far the best birthday gift.

14* family. everyone was there except my brother in california, whom i missed, but am excited to see sometime. i was thinking about going to the festival of colors, but didn't go due to a headache and pure exhaustion. instead i got to have fun with my nieces and nephews and helped my mom cook
15* birthday haircut...i got bangs :)
16* mom the amazing prepared a family dinner (chicken/rice/gooood topping) and birthday DESSERT (i requested birthday brownies. i never liked cake anyway)
17* my 12-yr old nephew joshua's gift: he looked up and selected a recipe online, then made me doughnut holes. all by himself. i'm not sure if i could do that all by myself now.
18*21 birthday paddles on the bum (this has NEVER happened to me before) ...from all my nieces and nephews, as headed up by my most innocent and oldest sister! (not a super attractive picture...but it had to be shown)
19* singing and playing piano with my sisters, and some guests :) . 10-yr old niece jessica commented, "see? we spent the night doing something even better than watching a movie!")
20* candidly letting people know it was my birthday, so they'd have an excuse to celebrate. i really enjoyed this one. i truly wanted everyone to be happy, just because i was. i had a reason, it being my birthday and all, but it was so fun to see my excitement transfer to others when they didn't have a reason. really, do we need a reason to be happy? nope.

21* looking forward to the best year so far!

thanks to all of you who read my blog and are my friends. thanks for forgiving my follies and having faith that i can be better. 21 years and counting...eternity to go. i'm working on it!