Middle Aged!

This is kind of a mixed up post about my birthday.  Sorry I don't have more pictures of what REALLY went down.  First off...let me start by saying my actual celebration was more on Monday.  So let's begin there.  Jacob (my Jake...I call him Jacob when I am loving on him....) Well, Jacob wanted to make me FISH TACOS for by birthday dinner and have some friends over to celebrate.  So we got all the supplies and prepared half the day.  Jacob said I could invite over TONS of people, but we had just had a girls night a few days before and I didn't want to be stressed about cleaning and stuff.  So we just invited over two friends...the Allens and the Smiths.  I texted the ladies of the family and asked if they liked fish tacos and BOTH said NO!  haha  It made me laugh.  We decided to do Cafe Rio chicken burritos for our guests...but still attempt the tacos.  I really wanted the fish tacos!!!
We rented a Karaoke system that you get online and borrowed the speaker and microphones for Grandma and Grandpa Watkins.  We had so much fun cooking and prepping.  Jake and I are kind of silly when it comes to getting ready for guests.  We LOVE it!!!  Anyway, the families came over and we ate the AMAZING food.  The ladies even LOVED the fish tacos!!!  Then we sang karaoke to our hearts content.  Then we ATE some more amazing food...homemade sweet cream ice cream and brownie sundaes.  It was a wonderful day and evening.  My kids are sooo funny singing too.  They love to sing.  I wish I would have recorded some of the performances. 
So now onto my REAL birthday.  The day started out kind of annoying (lady stuff...) so I was feeling quite lousy most of the day actually.  Kids were in school and I just hung out with my buddy Spencer.  We had a family party that night for my niece Cicily who has some health issues.  Make a Wish is sending their family to Walt Disney World to celebrate her life.  Anyway, they also planned a little BBQ/party for the extended family that night.  So we went to the park to have a family party.  I didn't know quite what to expect but they had a lady there...named Jungle Jill and she did a wonderful job showing our kids LOTS of cool animals.  I kept thinking what a great way to spend my birthday...seriously!  When you are mother there isn't anything you want more than to see your kids happy, engaged and NOT fighting.  The night was great.  My kids are still talking about THAT HUGE TURKEY!  Weston was super interested and wants to have all of the animals when "he grows up."  Anyway, we ate dinner and everyone there was nice and remembered it was my birthday too. 

Aubrey holding a guinea pig

Spencer holding "Tiny"

Weston holding some rabbit...that looked kind of like a lion.

So onto the night. After trying to get the kids to bed...in what seemed like FOREVER...Jacob and I could finally do what we REALLY had been looking forward to all day!!! And what do you think it was????

KARAOKE! (You thought it was something else huh!)

  In honor of me and my love of singing. Jake said we could sing ALL night long....and we did. For about 3 1/2 hours we sang. We sang duets, pop songs, country, rock, oldies but goodies and I even ended the night singing sappy ol' Broadway show tunes. We kept looking at each other like...."we are such nerds aren't we?" But we didn't care! We would just bust out laughing...then sing some more.  It was soooo much fun. I kept saying..."I should take a picture....or record this. I want to remember this night forever!!!" I didn't though....we weren't dressed properly. My favorite part was when Jacob...(my sweet) dedicated a song to me and sang it...I actually cried the whole time. Sorry if anyone is still reading this LONG post...but these are the words and I loved it! I was imagining he wrote it just for my birthday. 

Making Memories of Us by Keith Urban.

I'm gonna be here for you baby
I'll be a man of my word
Speak the language in a voice
That you have never heard

I wanna sleep with you forever
And I wanna die in your arms
In a cabin by a meadow
Where the wild bees swarm

And I'm gonna love you
Like nobody loves you
And I'll earn your trust
Makin' memories of us

I wanna honor your mother ( this is when I started to cry)
And I wanna learn from your pa
I wanna steal your attention
Like a bad outlaw

And I wanna stand out in a crowd for you
A man among men
I wanna make your world better
Than it's ever been

And I'm gonna love you
Like nobody loves you

And I'll earn your trust
Makin' memories of us

We'll follow the rainbow
Wherever the four winds blow
And there'll be a new day
Comin' your way

I'm gonna be here for you from now on
This you know somehow
You've been stretched to the limits
But it's alright now

And I'm gonna make you a promise
If there's life after this
I'm gonna be there to meet you
With a warm, wet kiss

And I'm gonna love you
Like nobody loves you
And I'll earn your trust
Makin' memories of us. 

I went to bed that night feeling peace and happy.  I am a "middle aged" woman.  I am dealing with crazy hormones, growing children and all that comes with being a mother, and wife in her THIRTIES...but I have SO much to be grateful for.  Especially my wonderful man.  I love you Jake!!!

So the NEXT day my birthday continued.  Some of my dear friends in our church had a luncheon for me and for 2 other ladies that had a birthday this week.  We ate CAFE RIO and chit chatted.  I really am so lucky to feel so loved and at home here in Mesa.  Love you girls!  I was itching to buy myself something for my birthday...the vacuum although much needed...just wasn't enough for this selfish lady....so I took my birthday money that Norm and Sue gave me and headed to the mall.  I might even post me in my outfit at another date.  I got some cute jeans and a few tops!!  I love to shop!!!!! 

Crystal, Alice, Beth, Jeanne, Tina, Me, Ashlea  (b-day girl), Sabina,Amber, and Corissa!

Me, Tina and Beth

 So that is the end of my birthday post.  I forgot to mention going to my free lunch at Liberty Market too!  When I write it all down...I feel super blessed.  Yeah for being middle aged and happy!!!