Birthday Girl.

Because you know me, you also know I love my birthday. Really. I always have, and I always will. I have a child-like excitement for my birthday; the kind of excitement where I can't sleep the night before my the big day. Having a July birthday meant when I was in elementary school, I never got to bring birthday treats on my actual birthday. I did however bring brownies at the end of the year to celebrate my upcoming birthday. Since then, I've brought treats to work (or school) on my birthday to relive those elementary school days. Also, my mom used to make me a Birthday Poster every year. The poster had pictures of all the activities I was into (gymnastics, riding my bike, etc.) and it appeared bright and early the morning of my birthday and I always looked forward to seeing it. I know, it's juvenile, but my birthday is my own personal holiday symbolizing another year I've traveled around the Sun. And I love it!

26th Birthday Celebration- BBQ at Home
(Krystal made that awesome cake and the yummy cupcakes)

27th Birthday Celebration- Drinks Downtown

28th Birthday Celebration- Pedal Hopper

29th Birthday Celebration- 1920's Theme

This year, just a couple of days ago in fact, I turned 30. And before my birthday I wasn't sure I wanted a party. As you can see from the last couple of years, birthday parties are my modus operandi. At one point this year, I didn't even feel like planning a party. This is the first year I can ever remember feeling "blah" about my birthday. But, thankfully, with the help of one of my closest friends, Sarah, I snapped out of my Birthday Ennui (that's what I chose to call it). I have to say, it was her excitement for my birthday that changed my attitude. Sarah wanted to make the trip from California to Colorado just to be here to celebrate with me and she was completely in when I finally came up with a theme.  Her enthusiasm was the best peer pressure to get me out of my Birthday Ennui. Knowing one of my besties wanted to celebrate with me meant I needed (wanted) to show her a good time. And I think the "Dirrrty XXX" Birthday party did just that.

In the end, my Birthday Ennui dissolved and I was able to revel in my juvenile tendencies on my 30th Birthday. I absolutely could not sleep the night before my birthday, due to all of the excitement of turning another year older (which made working the next day a little on the difficult side). I brought in Voodoo Donuts to my coworkers at the hospital in celebration of my birthday. And my sweet friend, Sam, made me a Birthday Poster (like the ones my mom used to make) that I opened on my birthday.

30th Birthday Celebration- Dirrrty XXX
Me (as Xtina) and Sarah (as the Orbit gum lady... "Dirty mouth, clean it up!")

So, I just want to thank you Sarah! And all of my wonderful friends who helped with planning this event, dressed up in a "Dirrrty XXX" costume, and made my last trip around the Sun so spectacular. Without you, this birthday celebration would not have been as amazing as it was. In fact, it wouldn't have happened without you. 

And here's to another trip around the Sun! I'm so excited to see what my 31st Trip Around the Sun brings!

Xoxo!

Two Truths and a Lie. ::: Bachelorette Party and Labor Day in New Orleans. :::

In an earlier post, I formatted my ramblings in the form of the game "Two Truths and a Lie." I decided it would be a great way to tell you all about my (not so recent) trip to New Orleans. Decide for yourself which of these three things did not happen on my first trip to NOLA.

1) Our trip coincided with "Southern Decadence." Unfamiliar with Southern Decadence? I was too, prior to our trip. Read more here. In the most basic terms, it is the largest gay celebration in New Orleans. As if New Orleans wasn't crazy enough, we were there during a very popular weekend. It was a given that we were going to run into some unique characters, but we ran into even more due to Southern Decadence. I think we ran into at least a dozen men in angel wings and another dozen in women's dresses.

2) I had some of the most unique, delectable food I have ever had in my life. I ate (in no particular order): fried alligator, beignets, turtle soup, gumbo, pecan-crusted gulf fish, and a fried soft-shell crab po-boy. We ate at one of the restaurants where Emeril Lagasse got his start. Not only that, we sat in a private room where several celebrities had recently been. Later in the night, our waiter told me that I sat in the same chair as one, Justin Timberlake. My butt on the same chair as JT's? I can only hope our waiter wasn't just telling me what I wanted to hear.

3) I held an alligator! And my friend Lindsay kissed an alligator! We headed to an alligator tour by Airboat Adventures in Lafitte, LA (which is about a thirty minute drive from the French Quarter).  While waiting for our tour to begin, we saw a white alligator. Once on our tour, our guide jumped into the swamp, played with two of the alligators we saw, threw one of the alligators in the swamp, and fed one from his mouth. Who is crazy enough to swim and play with alligators? This guy. I found that article featured on Yahoo! not even a week after our tour with him. Holding the alligator seems pretty tame after you see a man in the water next to one, but I was still shaking when I held the little gator.

Lindsay and me in our wigs from CoCo Coquette. 

Commander's Palace. Where Emeril got his start.

Holding an alligator. When in New Orleans...

Truth is, Lindsay's Bachellorette Party went off without a hitch. (Well, minus the fact that I got pulled over on the way out of Texas and into Louisiana....) We had a phenomenal time together and now I want to go back for every Bachelorette Party I attend.

I've kept you on the edge of your seat long enough, number 1 was the lie. Not because our trip didn't coincide with Southern Decadence, mostly because we didn't see any guys in angel wings.

Two Truths and a Lie. ::: Fourth of July. :::

I'm not one to lie to you, Reader. And I don't intend to start now. With that said, I would love to say that July 4th went off without a hitch, but that would not be the truth. There were a couple several many "hitches". So, I'll let you decide which of these three things did not happen.

1) I was tripped up by a small dog, that was off leash, fell in the park, and skinned my knees.

2) A husky that had just been taking a dip in the lake, approached me and shook lake water all over me.

3) Upon meeting my friend Natalie's dog, Geo, for the first time, he peed on me. Twice.

Happy Birthday, America. From me and SRV.

In truth, there were far more "hitches" and some that did not include dogs. So I'll continue the list:

4) I went to Molly's house with all of the ingredients to make brownies, only Molly didn't have a pan. And thus, we were not able to make brownies. Oh, and I forgot some of the food I had intended to bring with me.

5) Molly's Mama (who tried on three or four outfits before picking the perfect one) sat in a large amount of melted chocolate. The perfect outfit she had decided on included none other than White Shorts! (Insert another wardrobe change) We continued to find melted chocolate for the next couple of hours.

6) A dog peed on our cooler of food. And it's owner did nothing about it, except for telling us that the dog is "rough around the edges."

Even with all that went wrong, we made the best out of it. And I think that says a lot about all of us. We triumphed (after many "umphs"). We made the best of a bad situation (or situations). And we were rewarded. We were able to meet up with our friend Natalie, which is not always easy in huge crowds and we had amazing seats for the fireworks show. So, I'll put July 4th, 2013 in the win column.

And for those of you who are wondering, number 1 is the lie.