Dearie Lovie: birthday

My Ideal Birthday Party

So, I turn 21 in roughly a week and I have been gathering lots of inspiration. I've had a long time to think about what my 21st birthday would be like (and boy, have there been many versions). Here's a brief timeline of all of those versions:

Age 16: I'm not even halfway prepared to be 16, let alone even contemplate being 21. I mean, that's so far away. I can't even fathom it. By 21, I'll have my whole life figured out and will have probably met the man of my dreams and will be engaged. Plus, I don't like alcohol all that much anyways. Who wants to rage when there's a wedding to plan and an organized, totally together life to live? Psh.

Age 18: So yeah, college happened. I can't wait to be 21, but it's SO far away. Like, I can't even. Why have I only now discovered the wonders of alcohol? Being 21 is so cool. All the 21 year -olds I know are so beautiful and put-together. That'll be me in three years, right? Right. Oh my god...three whole years left. I'm totally going to have my birthday at Powerhouse and have Kilowatt as my first legal drink (btw they cut you off after 3 or 4 of those). It'll be so fetch.

Age 19: *Discovers that 21st birthday falls on a Saturday on Spring Break* I AM GOING TO RAGE MY FACE OFF ON SPRING BREAK. GOD IS BESTOWING A GIFT TO ME TO REPAY ME FOR ALL THE CRAPPY BIRTHDAYS I'VE HAD TO ENDURE. WE ARE GOING TO RENAME "SPRING BREAK" TO "ASHLEE'S BIRTHDAY WEEK." THIS IS GOING TO BE SOOOOO AMAZING!

Age 20: I just want to be able to have a drink when I want to, like out at a restaurant. Also, so many of my friends have fled normal stomping grounds to hang out at the bars. Sigh. Plus, it would be nice not to ask people to run to the liquor store on my behalf. Oh, and I'd like to not be constantly worried about getting in trouble with the law. I just kind of want someone to give me a day of cupcakes and make me an appointment for a blowout. Yep, that'd be nice.

So, with my birthday on my brain, I decided to share some fun birthday inspiration I've gathered over the past weeks! If I were going to have a party/get-together I'd want it to look a little something like this:

I'd want to wear something figure flattering and lovely, like this Kate Spade dress in my favorite color. I'd also want to wear something sparkly in my hair or a fun headband. I'd love a room full of balloons and I thought these two toned ones were gorgeous and this one with confetti was festive as can be! Instead of cake, I'd love a batch of drunken cupcakes. To keep drinks chilled, I think this water balloon idea is SO fun. Oh, and to complete the merriment, there'd be a photobooth with some 21st birthday appropriate props.

xoxo

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, by Ashlee

birthday

Jack's Birthday Weekend!

This weekend was Jack's big birthday weekend! He turned 4 and he did it with a bang. Saturday, our day started off with a trip to The Wonder Place. The Wonder Place is seriously the coolest! It has lots of things for kids of all ages like air tubes, a sand table, a water table where you can catch 'fish', an epic set of train tables, life size play houses, an art room, a dress up area, puppet show stage, a river market set-up with every kind of play food imaginable, life size puzzles and slides. Seriously, it was a blast just exploring the place. It had something for everyone and made me long for childhood so I could participate in all the awesomeness at hand.

Sunday, was Jack's actual birthday. He woke us all up at 7:30am and we got straight to blowing up balloons for his afternoon celebration over at Splash Zone. We had a picnic outside of the water park, filled with family, presents, balloons and chocolate cream cheese race-car birthday cake (yum!). It rained for a few minutes post picnic and pre-pool, but quickly passed by. On the upside, a lot of people left the water park. I had never seen it so empty! More room for us to play and less time waiting for slides. Win-win.

After a few hours playing at the water park, we packed up and headed to a nice family lunch and then home to bust out the new toys which included lots of race cars, race car tracks, and a new big boy bike/helmet.

Jack had the most amazing birthday weekend and I was so happy to get to share in it. I loved snapping every picture and enjoyed every activity we got to do. Four years ago, my life changed for the better (even though, maybe at the time it didn't seem that way). Jack has made my life full of more love than I could ever imagine. He's the best person I know.

Before I get too sappy, for one last time, HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY JACK!

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, by Ashlee

birthday

On Turning Twenty

(I was 18 here)

"I'm going to be twenty soon and it feels surreal. I feel old and young all at once, and it's a hard feeling to process. Shouldn't have I done more by now? Shouldn't I be on the fast track (to what I'm not entirely sure)? Yet, in some ways, maybe I am. Part of me feel still feels so childish, but I have noticed within myself a great sense of growth and wisdom starting to minutely accumulate somewhere within. I am starting to feel out the curves of the world and decipher the myths of adulthood the hard way. Is there any other?"

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, by Ashlee

birthday

Birthday Want: Stacking Rings

Hey friends! How are you all doing? Our spring break starts Friday and I'm already itching to get out of here and go home. It was a sunshiney perfect 80 degree day here, somehow making this wait even more unbearable. My mind is not even remotely in school mode.

My birthday happens to be over spring break, so I've been mentally compiling a list of pretty things I may want. One item I've been coveting around the web, is a nice pair of stacking rings. I think any of these would be lovely! Which one is your favorite?!

Autumn Equinox ($28)

I love the simplicity of these rings. My favorite is the knotted ring! Also, the gold is lovely!

KathrynRiechert ($28)

I love how these are engraved and that you can select the message! Perfect!

Chloe + Isabel ($30)

I love the mixing of metals here! I also am just a little obsessed with this jewelry line! So fun!

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, by Ashlee

birthday

A Quick Hello Before Dinner;

Hey Guys! Tonight Is Callista Marie's Official Birthday Dinner!

We'll Be Themed In All Pink In Honor Of Her Favorite Color & The Whole Gang Will Be There Eating Yummy (& Probably More Expensive Than It's Worth) Asian Food! She'll Be Here Any Minute To Pick Me Up So I Just Wanted To Blog A Quick Hellow Before I Head Out (:

A Picture Post From Tonight's Events Later On If We Should Be So Lucky!

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, by Ashlee

birthday

Happy Birthday Callista Marie!;

That's Right! Callista Marie is turning the big 1-8 (: To celebrate her birthday I thought I'd do a brief post on the story of us and our friendship! Here we go folks! We have seven years to cover and only one post to do it!

Meeting:

I met Callista Marie in the summer before fifth grade. I was an akward book-reading, sweater-vest wearing, pudgy thing with beaver teeth, short boy hair, and fat puddin' cheeks. That's how I know Callista befriended me for me and not some other reason like my looks or popularity (which I definitely had both...duhhh). I came up to her one day during lunch/recess whenever she was making fun of this girl we both mutually disliked and the rest is history. Back in fifth grade, however, we both like the same guy. I was always secretly jealous of her because this crush of ours would always talk to her more than me. Once, I even called him up and pretended to be Callista! We did a lot of stupid things but we were brought together by the Moose Club, Hooker Boots, Space Camp, A Prep & A Boy.

Telephone:

Callie and I's friendship didn't quit melt into something more until the next summer rolled around. She and I talked for hours each day. I remember calling her promptly at ten, talking til noon (thats when her mom came home for lunch), calling again around two, talking til five, and then calling sometime after seven (avoiding dinner time). We talked wildly about everything. I knew instantly we were a match. We were (and remain to be) total opposites with a knack for both complaining and crazy scheme-ing.

Fights:

As perfect as our friendship sounded we got into a lifetime worth of fights during those first three or four years. We were both going through that terrible pre-teen stage, trying to find exactly who we were. Callista transferred schools after the fifth grade and we talked solely by phone (during school we talked few and far between). Whenever we did see each other at our friends little 'parties' we typically ended the night in a fight. We argued like mad and I remember even climbing to shout nasty things through an air vent at her! We were so ridiculous, our friends quit inviting us places together. I can't even imagine if we would've attended the same school! In addition to arguing in person, we argued over the phone. One time (our worst argument to date) we got into a fight over the phone, I hung up, and didn't both calling back for two and half months. Callista and I still get into the occassional tiff or disagreement but we've learned to work through these moments much better. We pick and choose our battles. We admit our faults and feelings and try to avoid all the shadiness. We know how precious friendship truly is and that it shouldn't be put on the line over a stupid argument like how to pronounce 'Trelawny.'

Here & Now:

Ninth and Tenth grade were very lax years. We were settling and weren't much bothered by one another. We were friends but we were definitely on different paths entirely. We weren't the fixtures we are today in each other's lives. In eleventh grade, we had four classes together and lunch. We really bonded and our friendship was at it's height. I love this girl so much. She isn't afraid to act goofy with me. We speak our own language and have a history with one another that is unmatched. I know her like the back of my own hand and consider her the sister I never had. We have sooo many inside jokes, it'd be impossible to list! I can't imagine life without her in it. She gives me hope. I can tell her absolutely anything and everything without feeling like I'm being judged. She cares about me, just as much as I care about her. She understands me. She's mature and I know she'll do amazing at whatever she sets her mind to. She's loyal to the core and that's all I can ask for. I envy and admire her. We are separate beings with separate looks and personalities. We are opposites but never have I met someone more like me. I never knew we'd make it this far, but I'm so happy that when the dust cleared it was her in the end.

Happy Birthday:

This is a HUGE milestone for my Callista Marie! She deserves the best birthday ever! I love her to death. 'One Eight Is Gonna Be Great!' (<---Cool, Cliched Rhyming?).

Love Always,

Addie Fletch