So, I turned 35 today- the 15th. THIRTY FIVE! and so far its been great...last year, I didn't really have a great birthday - it sort of unfolded as if it were straight from - Alexander and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. I left my phone, lost my wallet (but found it), got separated from my husband and one of my kids, and then when we did find each other and thought, phew ok..let's get home and maybe go out to eat dinner. We were met with a very very flat tire. Womp womp. We waited for an hour for a tow guy (we had a spare but we didn't have a jack!), but all in all, it was fine, afer the ordeal.....it puts things in perspective. it could have been worse, I know.

Anyway, I digress...so on Sunday this is how things unfolded: I did not want to get up. It felt as if it was sooo early still but it was already 9 am (my hubby let me sleep in, YAY!). He had gone to pick up some produce earlier but we were still out of milk so he said he would need to go out again and would bring Jax with him while Raima would stay with me. An hour goes by and I'm starting to get hangry...another 15 minutes go by and now I'm starting to get annoyed. Raima isn't willing to stay in her pack n play or play by herself while I make myself something or start getting breakfast ready for all of us. I text my friend who was going to take me out for a birthday brunch and a mani-pedi later in the day, how pissed off I am that Charlie isn't back yet - like, doesn't he know its my freakin bday weekend!? ugh..typical, I thought. She responded with a simple :D..I told her I couldn't wait for our girl time..

By the time Charlie got back, I needed to get ready to go. I made breakfast for them and coffee for me. In hindsight, I was acting like a temperamental toddler. Stomping about, talking under my breath, slamming refrigerator doors, until I realized, doing so would probably ruin our new fridge and flashes of our old fridge came to mind, so I quickly stopped that. I was pissing and moaning at all these groceries he just picked up and was annoyed, since it didn't seem necessary to have bought all these things. We only needed milk and bread. That was all that I was anticipating he was going to buy. So it should have been a quick trip to the groceries. AND he forgot the bread! I asked him if he got bread and he said no, which then Jax came out and said - yeah, daddy, we got bread. He tells Jax, no we didn't..they go back and forth on this issue but I didn't see any bread so I'm still my pissy pissy self. Oh expectations! Grrr...

Anyway, I get ready, actually put make up on (red lips!), jewelry (this lovely necklace) and do my hair (had to dust off the ol hair dryer of mine)! My friend picks me up and she's lookin like a hot mama too! All is good..I hug my kids, kiss and apologize to my husband...and off we go!

I was having a lovely time with the ladies..I started to feel bad that I didn't include some other girlfriends of mine but hey, this wasn't my planning so.... Got our nails did and headed to a place I had wanted to try for awhile to grab some lunch. Good food, great company and strong drinks! We had to walk around a little bit before we could drive back...(or wait, was that part of the stalling?)
           

We got back to my house around 3 since my friend said she needed to get back to her family and I all of a sudden realized I hadn't texted to see if the kiddos were still napping. Charlie was outside and met us, grabbed my hand and walked us thru the house, he was speaking in a whisper so I thought uh-oh, maybe the kids were still sleeping, I didn't see them while we walked thru the house though...and as I reached the top of our stairs that lead to our backyard...SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was in tears in like 3 seconds. My backyard was filled with friends I hadn't seen in a long while. Some friends who are expecting and made it out to the east bay instead of staying in on a their lazy Sunday. Suddenly all that time at the grocery store made sense..and I felt like a complete asshole.
           

It was one of the best birthdays EVER. Thank you Charlie, I love you (and I'm sorry I was a jackass). Thank you to all my friends who made it out and kept me in the dark (you bastards!). Thank you to Mathilde & Mihaela for treating me to a mani-pedi, some food & strong drinks (and kept quiet when I said I was pissed off with Charlie this morning). 35, you're not so bad after all.


Music Mondays will be back next week :)

LOOK! Our old refrigerator!

Received this lil package at work yesterday! Wha??! For me?

*My mother in law sent me a gift for my birthday!! THANK YOU!

*not a sponsored post...sometimes it just helps to have a blog and be able to post up what you are coveting :) ahem, husbands, significant others...are you listening? well, you should be reading...wink wink. (Find your mate's pinterest page (try a search for their name), it will definitely give you some ideas- I'm just sayin-ha as if your SOs will be reading this! but hubby, if you are reading this - don't get me anything, seriously..just let me sleep in this weekend! hmm, so much for Wordless Wednesdays.)

The creative juices that is...I just made a big purchase online on some fabric (!!) and I'm feeling really good about it (and guilty since it was like $75 - that could have been for a bill or groceries instead - but hey, my birthday is coming up this month and well - I'm turning the big 3-5 (8-X..i just learned of this emoticon - see I'm not that old! It's supposed to be a skull & crossbones, you see it?) so I deserve it, right?).

I got some prints and some faux leather and suede. I'm thinking of making some clutches or tote bags with them and if it's successful, maybe I could give them as gifts for Christmas or birthdays, or that little special pay it forward gift (that sadly, only one person commented on - which was me..for a friend..sigh..).

Here is a sneak peek at some of the fabrics I ordered:


CRAP! I just realized I didn't get one of the fabrics I wanted (a soft, with an almost golden toned leather!) :(. bummed...but I shouldn't get ahead of myself. I still have to create the patterns and then actually sew them! I'll keep you guys posted (and if you still want to get in on the pay it forward action - you can comment on the finished clutch - if it's a success.)


Happy Monday! And sticking with my theme - here's some music to start your week - but I took it from  here, I'm not genius enough to compile half as good of a "mix tape" these days, nor do I have the hours that go into making a good one.  Anyway, check that site out. It's a great music blog. Click the arrow --> above to listen, or go to that site and download some other ones too. There is this music blog too.  Enjoy!


And Congratulations to our friends, who welcomed their new baby boy. Happy Birthday Jack, born on the 7th at 7:07! hmmm...

WOW! I have a 3 year old (gasp!) and a 1 year old (OY!). My how time does really fly by sometimes. Last year we were unable to have a birthday party for Jax's 2nd birthday - it was celebrated with an ordinary family dinner and a cupcake because I was pregnant at the time and was over due by 2 days at that point, so I didn't get around to planning anything. Sorry Jax, but I hope I made it up to you on your 3rd birthday - because we had  TWO parties! One in Oakland, so we could celebrate with our friends and one in LA (as in el lay- not Louisiana) we could celebrate with family (and also have Raima's baptism)

In Oakland - we celebrated with a BBQ in our newly finished backyard (It's amazing - it was completed just in time - THANK YOU PAUL (and your crew) for getting it done!). We invited our friends and Jax's friends from his daycare. From the looks of it and the aftermath, I'm going to assume that everyone had a good time. Jax LOVED having all his friends over and no one wanted to leave (and go to bed)!

In LA we had a nice pool party at my uncle's house in Porter Ranch (thank goodness for the pool - it was 102 degrees!). I got to see my family and friends (from high school!) and reconnect with everyone. the best part was watching my kids play with my cousins' kids. It definitely tugged at my heart strings and of course I thought of my mom. I cried a little bit after everyone had left that night. The planning (catering, logistics etc) and all the mess involved with that (the baptism, coordinating with the church but thankfully I got a lot of help from my mom's side of the family. I'm not even a very religious person but I know it's a tradition that my mom would have wanted me to continue with) was really tough for me - because I know it would have gone much easier (or maybe not) if my mom was around to help. In any case, it was a really special time.

*It turns out, I didn't have that many photos after all! :( That's what happens when you try and enjoy yourself at your own party, you forget to document all the fun. (and yes, that is my birth pool being used as a kiddie pool. don't worry it was cleaned before ever becoming a kiddie pool. besides, raima wasn't actually born it, I just labored in it ;) )

Anyhoot..Happy Friday! So, what are you all up to this weekend?