The Big 3-0hhhh!

For the past few weeks I have been getting reminders from people that my 30th birthday was coming. First of all, I did know this. Second of all, I didn't want to be reminded. I had dreamed up a few alternatives such as: flying to Australia...on that flight home you actually miss a day, and if I planned it right, September 7th 2007 would never happen for me; turning 28 this year...maybe nobody would notice if I just started getting younger instead of older, maybe I could just stay 29? Nobody was letting me skip this big day, so I have succumbed to my fate, and to be honest, it's pretty great!

And so, this past weekend marks the beginning of a new decade in my life. Whew, how time flies. Didn't I just turn 20? Corey made this an extra special birthday for me by surprising me with a trip to Utah so I could spend my birthday with those who matter most...FAMILY! He did a good job of keeping his plans a secret, although he did spill the beans earlier than he had hoped. But, Corey has a tough time keeping secrets, so for him it was pretty impressive. As I thought back, I realized that I hadn't spent my birthday with my family since I turned 21! So, a million thanks to my sweet hubby for realizing a fun weekend with my family was just what I needed to usher in "the best years of my life."

In the 3 days we had, we enjoyed every second! Asher had no lack of playmates since Grandma, Grandpa, aunts and uncles all entertained him to his hearts content. We went to the Utah State Fair too (Corey and I love the fair), where Asher had his first pony ride courtesy of Grandma/pa. They just couldn't resist. We ate, talked, and laughed. We almost got to see Jen and Josh's softball game....(oops, we were really late!). We finally got to go to IKEA; there isn't one in NM, so we had really wanted to check it out after getting catalogues for the past couple years. I think Corey regretted that decision after a while though...He wanted to know if he was being punished. I guess his shopping meter had run out! We also got to see Kayla's wedding dress, which I was pretty excited about. She looks GORGEOUS!! I will not be posting the pictures I took of her, however, just in case Jake happens to see my blog. I'd hate to ruin that surprise!

This crazy cat(Ruckus) actually let Asher "pet" him

Grandma, Asher, and the sheep.

Ridin' the pony with Grandpa. Giddy-up lil' cowboy!

"Thirty and Flirty"....said the birthday cake. Corey, Jen and my Mom agreed on that one. The cake was yummy, and everyone was so sweet. What a fun party with great people and great food (I think I ate a gallon of Jen's homemade salsa). Asher got into the festivities and became entangled in a bunch of balloons. They followed him everywhere he went...Asher and his balloon entourage. That night Corey surprised me yet again and took me to a cute B&B in Provo called the Hines mansion. It was a very romantic room with a huge jacuzzi tub (my favorite). What a sweet guy! He helped make my birthday special and relaxing too. Nice job, sweety!

Future Y fan?

The Ikea survivors.

The victorious out-fielder after her
softball game.

Okay, I do have one bit of explaining to do on this next photo. I have never been a tiara girl, I've never been a princess, pink isn't my favorite color, and I don't have a little purse-dog named Tinkerbell. I never understood why people whore those crown-ish tiaras on their heads, and certainly never intended to wear one myself. Well, I changed my mind. While we were at the bridal shop waiting to see Kayla's dress, Jen and I were trying on tiaras on display for fun. Wow! You put one of those babies on your head, and suddenly you feel beautiful...those crystals sparkling and shimmering on your head make everything look better! At the party, Jen pushed a little bag towards me, insisting I open it first. The card said, "Everyone deserves to be a princess when she feels like it! We love you... Love, the other princesses in the family!" I, of course knew what was inside, and although I was a little embarrassed, I was secretly excited to stick that sparkling strand on my head. I wore it the whole night! So, thanks to "the princesses" for such a fun gift. Now I can be a princess whenever I want. Don't worry though, our dog Dion won't be wearing clothes or getting his nails painted anytime soon.

Thanks to everybody for making this such a fun and memorable birthday. I am now happy to be 30, and so excited to see what the next 10 years will bring. I guess I better start making a list
of goals to accomplish by 40, eh?