The Epic Birthday

This year, my birthday was nothing short of epic amazingness. Let's start with the fact that my birthday landed on a fricken Saturday this year. This never happens. I actually got to enjoy and spend my day however the hell I wanted. Although birthday happenings started with the bestie on Friday night. I've missed her terribly since she was on a medical mission in the Philippines as part of her nursing school program. (Yes she's kind of a big deal and I admire her so much for going through SO much while she was there). I was in awe hearing about all of the people she helped and the stories. Also, the second I walked in the door, I was greeted with a birthday card and a heart-shaped brownie. I was already in heaven and I figured that was more than enough. I was so happy to see her back....and then...she whipped out my birthday gift. One word....BURBERRY. I gasped, I screamed...I may have even peed in my pants a little.

 So let's recap. I got chocolate and a Burberry handbag and clutch. Apparently I won an express ticket to birthday heaven. I was speechless and that never happens. What can I say? This girl loves her labels. She also brought back a couple of souvenirs from the Philippines including two seashell bracelets from this village she visited.We caught up for hours and laughed ourselves to tears as usual.

I went to bed ready to wake up in amazing spirits. I got up bright and early to hit the gym. I like to start my days kicking ass. As a birthday present, my gym let me pick out new boxing wraps and at the end of the workout, the trainer had us all do leg lifts and spell out each letter in "happy birthday Emily" in my honor. I felt so special and the class hated me haha...oooh I can still feel the burn in my abs...

After a great workout, I showered up and met up with my older sis at Starbucks where she greeted me with my signature drink and more gifts. I am loved. Seriously, I must be the luckiest girl in the world to have such amazing people in my life. She got me the biggest, most amazing mug ever. I was born in the year of the dragon and I just loved everything about this gift. My sis also spoiled me with a Snoopy sweater (I'm obsessed with Peanuts) and a lefty-friendly calendar (fricken hilarious). I'm telling you, the important people in my life have my personality and likes nailed.

At this point, I'm happier than Kim Kardashian after she peed on a stick and found out that she locked in Kanye for 18 years. I mean come on, I couldn't ask for more. What's next? Is Justin Timberlake going to pop out of a birthday cake in a tie? He can forget the suit. Okay maybe that's a stretch. After we had some quality sister time and sucked down our lattes, we departed so I could pick up my lovely Josh and head out to Mago for my birthday dinner. This place is my absolute favorite. Mago has THE BEST margaritas and what is a birthday without margaritas? Now I had everything. My family and awesome food.

After we stuffed our faces with amazing food and a couple of margaritas later, I was surrounded by the good people of Mago and was crowned with a sombrero as they sang happy birthday to me. Floored.

It's official, this has been the best birthday ever. The sombrero topped it off. Not going to lie, I rock the hell out of that thing too. My parents were beyond generous with their gifts as well. My favorite was the beautiful, Swarovski charm bracelet...and what? What is this??? A fricken PANDA charm to go with it??? This is all too much guys, really. For those of you who don't know, I'm obsessed with pandas. They're the shit. They're the cutest creatures on this earth. I DID have a red panda on my birthday wish list, but since it would most likely upset Apollo and Luigi....this is the next best thing. ;-)

I really don't know what I'd do without my family and friends. They complete my epic birthday. Josh also surprised me with a weekend getaway that will happen in mid-April which is PERFECT since I will most likely be ripping my hair out with final wedding details by then and will need a nice break. How perfect is he? Pretty perfect.

After indulging in some dessert, we headed home in yet another snowstorm. (I don't believe I ordered snow for my birthday.) When I got home I was finally starting to wind down from this fabulous day and watched other 20-somethings in the Olympics win medals in their sport...and there I was...just stuffing my face some more with a birthday cupcake. Can that be an Olympic sport? It should be.

Cheers all!

Taking On 2014

2013 brought on a lot of many strange happenings and that's not even counting the many celebrity breakdown and the birth of the twerk nation we're living in right now. This year is going to be the best - not only because I get married this year - but because it just has to be. However, so many things are wrong right now including the fact that it's -10 degrees right now in Chicagoland....and I had to leave my warm bed to chisel the ice off of my car and not suffer from a bout of hypothermia all at once. I'm one of those that like to curse the fact that I have to suffer through this each year knowing full well that it's eventually going to happen since I, duh, live in the Midwest. I don't even know why meteorologists need to say the exact temperature once we're in the negative degrees zone. There's cold (slightly above freezing), fucking cold (below freezing), and really fucking cold (anywhere less than 0 degrees).

Coldness and winter storm weather aside, there are many things on the horizon that I look forward to including:

1. My wedding and honeymoon in Rihanna's homeland (can I get a hell yes?)
2. Maintaining my fitness routine and trying out some new health tips and tricks
3. Ditching carbs (I can pretend like this is going to happen)
4. Being less judgmental (lol I know that was funny too)
5. Saving more money and not succumb to every Nordstrom sale (okay seriously stop laughing)

The new year also started off with a bang, considering my boss got fired - I mean...quit or else be fired...for telling the president of the company to go fuck himself. If there was a list of things not to say within the workplace...I'd imagine that would be on the list....sober or shitfaced status aside (thank you Christmas holiday party). Considering we're only a few days into the new year, I don't have any doubt that 2014 will bring a year full of crazy news and events...hopefully more good than bad. It started off with a kiss from my hubby-to-be so I think the odds are in my favor. (Please ignore the Bears jammy pants and dragon T-shirt...)

 

 Next month is also my birthday...which means one year closer to 30...I'll try not to have a panic attack at the thought. I'll also try to ignore all of the pregnancy notifications on my Facebook feed as I'm now officially at the age where it's pretty much acceptable to have kids... unless all of the other areas in your life are messed up and unstable. However, that doesn't seem to be stopping anyone these days. Anyway you look at it though, I'll take each day going forward with my head high and great ambition....while holding a glass of wine of course.

Keep Calm and Family On

This weekend definitely did not start out too swimmingly. I've been battling some kind of sickness so my mornings haven't been that great to deal with let alone finding enough energy to get up and get my workout on. However, when I woke up this morning...I woke up only to realize I was lying in what could be a Law & Order SVU crime scene, had a huge migraine, back cramps, stomach convulsions and stumbled into the bathroom to ever-so-politely toss up my romantic dinner I had with Josh last night. Pardon me while I enter the seventh circle of hell. After I cleaned everything up (all hunched over) I crawled back into bed giving the finger to my motivational workout Pinterest board.

Three hours later, I decided I need to get out of bed to run an errand that didn't require me to get out of my car...SO yes, I snagged my running pants, hoodie sans bra, put my hair up, put on my shades and I actually walked out of the house just like that. I ran my errand, got my sugar-free/skinny vanilla chai latte and booked it back home to watch episodes of The Mindy Project on On Demand.Thank goodness, I started to nurse my way back to health as I laughed myself senseless to Mindy's antics and my Starbucks yummies (good thing too since we'd be having a family event in just a few hours).

Since I haven't seen my cousin in YEARS! I was ecstatic to see him and was so happy that by the time everyone arrived, I was feeling almost 100%. We celebrated my cousin Forrest's 21st birthday (I can't believe he's fricken 21 now) and had loads of fun catching up. Everyone tells me how tall I am, yeah I have nothing on this kid. He makes me feel like a shorty. (He's the one on the far left and my Uncle is on the far right)

He's doing so well in school, has a great girlfriend, and has so many goals he's ready to achieve. He's come so far and I'm SO proud of him. We even shared our first beer together as he rings in his 21st and I don't even drink beer haha.

We also ordered Lou Malnati's and chowed down on that and some delicious cupcakes from a local bakery shop. Skipping my intense workout will NOT be an option tomorrow. If anything cures the sickness out of you, it's the love and laughter that is shared amongst family. Forrest and I walked along the lake to help settle the pizza in our stomachs and soaked up some sun on the dock while we caught up some more. Quite insane how my hellish morning turned into sunshine and awesomeness. Winning.