Let the celebration begin...OMG!!!

Growing up there was a group of us that had our birthdays around the same time. I always new when it was Amy's birthday at the end of September it was the beginning of birthday season! I loved birthdays then, and I still love them today...even if it is my big 3-0!! In my family you basically got to celebrate your birthday for an entire week...it was and still is perfectly acceptable to use the excuse "but it's my birthday..." We would wake up on our birthday and my mom would make us breakfast which usually consisted of pancakes with strawberry's and whip cream on an awesome plate that said "happy birthday" around the edge. Needless to say you always felt special on your birthday in my family. And I am happy to report that every year, no matter where we are, my parents will call us on our birthday morning and sing (usually happily off key) the entire birthday song...its sort of become our family thing cause usually my brother and sister and I now all call home to sing it to our parents too on their birthday.

Birthdays are special to me because who can deny how nice it is for everyone to come together on your day and remind you that they like you and are genuinely happy you were born in the first place! And i like birthdays because i really enjoy reminding my friends and family that i like them and am happy they were born too:) Which brings me back to one of my favorite times of year...birthday season. As i said, my friend Amy was usually the kick off birthday, followed by many others and its nice to report that even after all of these years of being friends we have still managed to get together during birthday season to celebrate all of our big 3-0's.

(i feel it is necessary to include in this that i have other great friends who don't live close to us or who have birthdays not during my "birthday season". I love all of them equally and if i could i would travel to celebrate with all of them..possibly even bring a house candle for them to blow out too. unfortunately its really hard to make it to all the parties due to location but i really needed to acknowledge the rest of my friends because i love them and thier birthdays too!)

Here is the first of the season..a group of us at Genji to celebrate Amy's 30th.

And here is David blowing out his house candle (I made the cake but forgot the real birthday candles) to celebrate his big 30th!
And although it seemed like the day would never come (or the week, cause that's how i celebrate it)...it is upon us...the first in several birthday celebrations for my big 30th! It was a fun occasion had by all...Natalie made her famous white trash casserole...and even made me a small personal portion with no meat, YUM!
This was followed by a delicious and very fall festive dirt pie made by Kelly. Since Kelly forgot the same birthday candles i had forgotten for Davids party, we were forced to use another house candle..which turns out is alot funnier and alot harder to blow out then the small birthday candles. But i managed to make a wish and blow the candle out...
We ate that deleeecious dessert and posed for a horribly cheesy picture taken by Ben Snyder...he has recently added photographer to his new list of talents :)

I have to say, I have been a little nervous about turning 30 but now that the birthday season is officially in full effect I'm kind of getting excited. I think if i didn't love birthdays so much it may be a different story, but thanks to my family and friends i am ready to face this Friday October 22 with a brave and surprisingly happy face. I am ready for this new year and all that is has to offer...