Birthday!!!

Today is my birthday!! Growing up I used to pretend that birthdays were nothing special, no big deal. But to be honest: I love them!! I don't necessarily mind getting older, though it is strange to think I have been an adult for 10 years!! It seriously feels like just a few years ago I turned "double-digits" and my aunt Colleen gave me my first YM magazine!! (Loved that magazine and had a subscription for years!!!)

I had a relatively low-key birthday. I got up early and ran some errands. Then my Mom, Aunt and Brother stopped by the house. My mom and aunt planted some pots for us (I will take a picture and add them to this post; they are beautiful!!). My mom assembles the most wonderful potted arrangements, so when we bought our house I specifically requested she make me some for a birthday gift.

While they were working, we gave my brother a tour of our new house.
*Eric was in Poland when we moved in. During his visit he proposed to his girlfriend, Dominika! Soooo... pretty soon I will have a sister-in-law!!! Yea!! So excited for the two of them!!!

Rich had told me Friday night that my gifts were hidden in the house somewhere, but I wanted to wait until my birthday to start hunting. So Saturday on the tour I was on the lookout. However, as I breezed by the storage under the stairs, my brother opened the door to check it out. I caught a glimpse of my gift: a new bike!! I took it for a spin around the block, but haven't really biked much since. I don't have a helmet and think I kind of need one.
On the back of the bike was a wrapped gift that included: an apron!!! I have wanted an apron for a while now. And look how cute it is!! Great work, babe!!
After the tour and planting, everyone came inside. We had cake (yummy brownie cake w/ peanut butter cream filling) and I opened presents from my family. Eric and Dominika gave me a beautiful wooden box and amber bracelet. (I'm wearing the bracelet in the pictures, but you can't see it...) In addition to the potted plants, I got a Splenda cookbook, Budweiser BBQ sauce and yummy dips. Colleen gave me a marinade+rub cookbook and even brought a gift for Rich a cookbook all about Bacon. (Perfect!) My Dad even sent gifts: two rolls of duct tape and a saw (we used the duct tape pretty soon after). I wanted to make cupcakes, so we chatted for a while as I mixed up some batter. I had decided to try two variations: Cherry Coke Float & Margarita cupcakes. I had stumbled across recipes a long time ago and had been itching to try them out. They turned out well, though the margarita cupcakes were my favorite (recipes to follow in a later post)!
After a while my mom and aunt got bored (Eric had taken off earlier) and they headed out to run errands nearby. I finished making the cupcake batter and then went to Caribou to get my free bday coffee!! (Yay!!)

I came back home and started assembling some stuff for tailgating. Our afternoon/evening plans included tailgating and then watching a Saint's game with a few friends. We had turkey burgers, beef burgers, turkey dogs, veggies w/ hummus, fresh fruit, cupcakes and drinks. It was a great test-run for Gopher tailgates. (Only 2 more months until the first home game!!) I forgot quite a bit of stuff, so the boys were keeping a list for next time. I've got to say, it was a very fun birthday!!

{our group at the Saints game}