Yesterday was my 38th birthday. I have always enjoyed my birthday. I like celebrating it. I like when other people celebrate it. I have no problems reminding people it is time to celebrate it. This year was no exception. My friend Julie is here visiting from Switzerland. She is actually staying in my friend Angela's house which is just across the street from me. She mentioned wanting to get a game night/girl's night out together sometime this week and I suggested Thursday night would be perfect since it was my birthday! I sent out an email to some folks, she called a few others and come Thursday we had quite a crowd gathered.
As usual, I was late. :( Couldn't quite get all the kids to bed on time, but I was able to sneak away without Baby. She fell asleep early and stayed asleep! Must have been my birthday present. When I walked in the door, they greeted me by all breaking out in a beautiful rendition of "Happy Birthday" and there was a cake (really delicious candy bar brownies) decorated with slightly stale Peeps. My favorite! It was very sweet, and I totally loved it. As if that was enough, I also got presents! Scrapbook paper and a yummy smelling candle.
We spent a few minutes just chatting with each other and snacking on all the delicious treats people brought. I was going to make chocolate rice krispie treats, but decided that since it was my birthday I didn't have to bring anything. :) I love being able to just talk to people outside of church, and catch up on their lives. I could call them during the week, I suppose. But that sucks up a lot of their day, and mine as well. So events like these where I don't feel guilty talking their ear off, are perfect.
I was trying to be really good, and just have little tastes of everything. But there were so many delicious things to try, that eventually I just had to stop. My stomach didn't feel so good. That could have had something to do with the fact that I also ate birthday cake before I came over with my family! Anyway, then it was time to play! We started off with a hilarious game called "Mad Gab". The trick, we learned, is to have one person read out the words, while the rest of the team closes their eyes and just listens to what they are saying. Makes the correct phrases really easy to hear that way.
At about 10:30 I called Chris to see how the kids were, and he told me that Alexandra had just woken up. So I walked over to get her, and he went to bed. That was perfect, because now I could stay playing for a lot longer without a guilty conscious. Angela has American Idol for the Wii, so we all took a turn trying for a chance at fame. I thought I knew the song I had chosen, but when it came time to sing, I only knew the chorus. Simon was obviously very impressed regardless, because I made it through to Hollywood. haha There were tons of people wanting to play so a few of us drifted over to the kitchen table and played a few rounds of Rummykube. Like most games I play, I very rarely win at this one, but I still enjoy the competition.
I made it home just at midnight, so I didn't turn into a pumpkin. It was a great birthday, and I am so blessed to have great friends to celebrate it with.