Happy Birthday to me

So it was the big day yesterday, yup, that's right, I turned 26. Doesn't feel that different than 25. I appreciate all the phone calls and emails and packages. I feel like I should mention that one thing I did get in the mail ON my actually birthday. I was blown away. Seriously, out of all the things I get in the mail, and how no one really knows yet how long things take, it is hilarious that the on person who timed it correctly was the one who lives the furthest away…I got this great package from Cara yesterday, complete with a Happy Birthday sign in French, a French erasable pen and a fountain pen. It was great, it totally made me smile. So yea, Cara, all the way from France, yours made it right on time. I think this is the eighteenth year Cara and I have done birthdays. We have come a long way from the days of slumber parties and the Elephant Bar. Anyway,
thanks for the great package Cara, and nicely timed. I also got some beautiful flowers from Mom and Dad, as pictured below:

It was a little weird celebrating my birthday alone yesterday, although not entirely bad. We went out to lunch yesterday, me and all fourteen of my coworkers. We were only missing one person from the department. That was pretty impressive, apparently. They also brought me ice cream and did the usual office card. This one was actually pretty funny as far as office cards go.

So, then, last night, I got home, and the phone calls began. I was on the phone most of the night, but I did take a break to get some pizza and salad (and then really only ate the salad) and a piece of cake for my birthday (everyone should have birthday cake, right?) Now, this wasn't just any cake, the lady at Kroger totally sold me on it. It was called Chocolate Eruption. Now, for most of us, this would be enough, but see, I was trying to decide between this cake and another one that was
Chocolate Mousse cake. Some of you might remember a chocolate mousse cake years ago for a birthday party. This one was not quite as impressive, but did boast a layer of white chocolate mousses between two layers of chocolate cake, surrounded by two more laters of milk chocolate mousse. However, I didn't get this one, so no fun pictures. Basically, the Chocolate Eruption cake was a chocolate cheesecake (Joy? Kiyomi? I know you guys are into this), with chunks of white chocolate and dark chocolate, with a chocolate cake crust. Yea, I am sure the calories on that were not bad at all.



So, yea, me, my pizza, my salad, my cake (feeling great this morning, incase anyone is wondering, and planning an extra long workout tonight), it was a nice evening. I even had a birthday candle to make a wish with:


It smelled like flowers, but it worked.

Anyway, that was the birthday meal, and the birthday evening that followed was just as exciting, as I watched American Idol (awkward night for most of them) and then part of House. The rest is waiting for me to watch tonight. Yup, pretty exciting night, I know.

In other news, work is going well, we are planning our summer travel schedule. The highlights include two trips to Kentucky; one of these will include a weekend road trip down to the Smokey Mountains, and then in August, a week trip to Alaska. Yup, on the company, in a fancy hotel, in Alaska. With a weekend attached to it. Life is good.