A Birthday BLOWOUT!!!

Hello all! I've missed you! And while I am preparing a run down of the month of February I just had to jump on here and share with you about my 30th birthday, aka Girls Weekend, aka Weekend of Mystery, aka Birthday Blowout Mini Vacation!!!

Friday morning hubs went in to work an hour early just so he could be home earlier in the day and have more time to spend with me on my birthday. Now, for most men this would mean going to work at 8am or so, but for my man this meant going to work at 5am! He woke me before he left to kiss me goodbye and I thought I had missed my alarm to wake up at 5:40am because that is when I usually get up to tell him goodbye. When he explained that he was going in early I went back to bed feeling very loved.

I had spent all of Thursday cleaning house and doing laundry because I was under the impression that my birthday party was happening Friday night at our house. I got everything but the kitchen and dining room cleaned on Thursday. However, instead of getting up Friday morning and finishing, I got dressed and fixed my hair. I had decided I wanted to be cute all day rather than just that evening. Boy am I glad I did!

After going out for lunch at Luigi's I got to take a birthday nap. Oh, happy day! I slept from 12:40ish to 3:25ish. As I was laying in my bed talking to my Marianne on the phone my girls, Brenda and Jenni, along with my husband barged through my bedroom door, cameras rolling and told me that I have ten minutes to pack for a girls weekend in The City! Can you say 'surprised'?

Still trying to shake off my nap I hurriedly pack. Now, I'm suspicious. If we're going to The City overnight then that means no party. What else does is mean? I'm given very little info but I am thrilled to be getting away with my best friends! And hubs gives me a nice gift to shop with! ;-)

On our way to The City we stop in LaLa Land to return a piece of furniture Jenni had bought. While stopped we discussed where to eat dinner. I suggested my favorite Mexican restaurant in Chicken Town and was told it would probably be better to just get on up to The City and eat there. No biggie. However, after only a few minutes inside the store my friends start singing a different tune. How selfish of them to not let me decide where I want to eat on my birthday. We decided on Ed's in Chicken Town and I am completely clueless and obviously naive. I attribute it to my purity of heart.

Upon arriving at Ed's we enter to find my parent's waiting at a table for us! What a WONDERFUL surprise. The reason the thought had not crossed my mind was because my parent's were supposed to be on their way to Dallas to watch my littlest sister at a cheer competition. They chose to leave later than planned so they could have dinner with me on my birthday. I'm not sure I could be feeling more loved at this point.

We continued our journey to The City and stopped at the mall to check movies. Nothing really interested us so we decided on dessert instead. At Mimi's Cafe we each ordered two small versions of their desserts and realized that we were all winding down. I'm informed at dessert that our hotel is my grandmother's house. My granddad is on a golfing trip for the weekend so it's only us girls. We got in our pjs and vegged in front of the tv.

Mema made us breakfast and we all got ready for our day of shopping! Our first stop was DSW. If you are reading this blog and have no idea what DSW is then let me tell you. It is shoe heaven on earth. We scoped things out but I don't buy anything yet. Then it was off to the fabric store across the street. For those of you who know me well, you know a shopping trip without some sort of decorating store stop is just plain wrong! Jenni bought me a 1 1/2 yd remnant of a beautiful green fabric.

Next stop, the mall. Jenni wasn't feeling well so she stayed in the car to rest a bit. Mema, Brenda, and I went inside. We stopped in a few shops and finally found one that had some things I didn't want to live without. I got a super cute denim top, a red cardigan, a white short sleeved sweater, and a khaki trench.

By this time it was almost 1:15 and we were hungry. Red Lobster it was! After lunch, Mema decided she was done for the day so she headed home. We ran back to DSW so I could buy two pairs of boots and some super cute Kenneth Cole Reaction black patent flats. YUMMY! I'm then made to wear a blind fold while we drove to our next destination. Not only that, but I'm made to keep it on and be led into the building. After walking down some stairs and then up some stairs I am told to stop and they remove the blind fold.

Standing before me is my family and my friends that chose to drive to The City and surprise me with a bowling birthday party!!!! We have funfetti cake with strawberry icing baked just for my birthday by my MIL and presents and fun! This is surprise number 4! Wow!

But it doesn't end there.

After bowling, we loaded up to head home, (so I thought) but instead found ourselves at a Homewood Suites! And not only that but my girls (Brenda and Jenni) and their husbands and kids (who all came up to The City for the bowling) stayed at the hotel too!!!! Can you believe this? Seriously!?! A WHOLE weekend for birthday fun!

We relaxed at the hotel for the rest of the evening. Hubs splurged and got us a two bedroom suite. One bedroom with two double beds for the kids, one bedroom with a king sized bed for us, and a living room and kitchenette. Jenni's clan hung out with us in our room and her hubs went and got Panera for all of us for dinner. Brenda's clan went out for steaks for dinner. Side note: Jenni's kids are 7 and under; Brenda's kids are 8 and up, big difference when making dinner choices. RC thought to bring the wii so the kids hung out in their room playing and the adults got to hang out in the living room. It was nice.

Breakfast was served at the hotel and we all managed to be down there at the same time. Then we all headed in our own directions to do some shopping. RC dropped Me, Princess, and Bear off at Ross and He, Bobo, and Popeye went to Best Buy. We lasted about 15 minutes and were done. It was like we hit a wall. Me with all the not knowing, and him with all the planning. We were just pooped. We decided to eat lunch at Shorty Smalls and then head home.

Since we weren't in a hurry to get home we decided to drive through the Wildlife Refuge instead of going around it like usual. As we came upon Mt. Scott we decided to drive to the top and get out for a bit. It was so beautiful! Cold, but beautiful! And the kids ate it up. We are going back when it gets warmer.

We made it home, unpacked, and laid around watching the new movies from Best Buy. It was an absolutely unbelievable thirtieth birthday weekend!

Thank you, babe,
thank you, girls,
thank you, family,
and thank you, friends!

I am feeling very loved!!!!

Bridget