I had a birthday - shout hooray!

Lot's of people sang to me yesterday.
I'm one year older and wiser too.
I had a great birthday thanks to you!

Ok, enough with my shameless adaptation of a primary song - onto the good stuff -

My birthday was yesterday. My last couple have been on the lame side, so I was trying not to get excited about this one. I mean come on - 26 - what's so great about that?

Well, on Saturday night, Mom, Dad, Gavin, Chance, Michael, and I ate some Pancho's goodness. Yes, it's a quantity over quality kind of place, but I do love me cheap Mexican food in excess! Sunday morning, I had meetings for church, so I planned to ride with Michael as usual. Michael said he had to be there early, so I got up extra early - i.e. 7 am - and hurried over to pick him up. I got there and he asked me to come in - I was already suspicious. He had a present waiting for me (that his mom helped "wrap") - dental pics that we saw at the store a while back and 26 Snickers Nut N Butter Crunch (well actually there were only 20 because he had enjoyed some). Also, there was my favorite breakfast - French Toast (that his dad had helped cook). It was yummy delicious. Once we were finished, we headed to Branch Council, which was ok and then the 3-hour block. I had offered to play the organ in sacrament meeting, so I was playing prelude and 3 different people came up and shared birthday wishes and presents. Holler! Alicia gave me some watermelon lip smackers; Staci gave me this awesome thing for my wall; and MaryAnn told me my present was in the car. What fun!

After sacrament meeting, Michael walked in with a Sunday School manual and looked a little stressed. I asked - Are you teaching? He said he had forgotten that 3 of the 4 teachers would be out of town, so he was going to teach. I offered to teach and had a good time teaching about the Stripling Warriors. Not too tricky of a lesson to teach since I feel like I live with them. It went well, then it was off to Relief Society. For music enrichment, Amy had everyone sing "Happy Birthday" and we had all of the June, July, and August birthdays come up and get a treat. It was fun! The lesson was great too!

After church, I went over to Michael's to work on this project I've been trying to finish for over a month. I didn't finish, but headed home around 4:30. Got home, cleaned up a bit, started to frost one of my cakes, and then tons of folks came over to celebrate. It was awesome! The Willardsons came from McKinney. Sister Tenney came. Diane and Jared came (all the way from Utah I might add!! :). Emilee and her brood, Mimi, Loree, Brooks, and Darbee, and Amanda and Jonathan Colegrove also came. It was tons of fun and tons of crazy. There were kids running everywhere! I had a great time.

I got some pretty cool presents - a Piano shaped jewelry music box, a Pei Wei gift card, a porcelain figurine, a quilt cover, a new church binder-notebook thingy, M&M paraphernalia, some awesome pictures (thanks Lizzie), cosmetics, this awesome hand crank lantern, these awesome cupcakes on lollipop sticks (which I haven't tried as of yet, but look forward to eating when I get home today!! thanks Kati B!!!) and lots of very sweet cards. I'm a small gifts love language girl, so I was feeling very loved!

After the excitement left, I watched some Olympic action and ate some sausage and then MaryAnn and Suzanne came over to bring me my presents - European chocolates and new swimming gear (awesome tinted goggles and a white Nike swim cap).

What a way to finish out a great day!

So, 26 is starting out magnificently. I'm excited for all of the things that are coming up - Logan going on a mission, Michael getting his mission call and going to serve, applying for a master's degree, training for the sprint tri, paying off some more debt....the list goes on.....

Thanks everyone for helping me have a great day!

Love ya!