Happy Happy Birthday to ME!

Anyone that knows me knows that I stretch my birthday celebrations out as long as possible.  This year Gary let me get started on Saturday!  First he let me open up my birthday present from him and Lyla - a Kindle!  I was SO excited!  I have been wanting one for a long time and its just as awesome as I knew it would be!

Then Saturday afternoon he went to "run some errands" while I stayed home with Lyla.  When he got back he had some of my friends with him!  They came for a surprise get together!  It was so much fun getting to hang out!

Gary got me a birthday cake (ice cream cake from Dairy Queen)!  We were all so confused when we cut it because it was missing the crunchies and fudge!  Gary called Dairy Queen and they are refunding us for it!  hahaha  nothing better than free birthday cake!

Everyone sang Happy Birthday and then Lyla helped me blow out the candles.

We all just had a really nice time visiting!  Lyla was on entertainment committee and she did an excellent job!

On Sunday my mom and Em came up and we spent the day birthday shopping.  I love getting new clothes for my birthday and getting to have a girls shopping day is always so much fun!

On Wednesday (my actual birthday) I went to work and Maria brought me flowers.  They were so pretty and I wanted to put them in a vase on my desk.  Well we couldn't find a vase, so we had to improvise!  I work at a construction company, so an empty jug from wire connectors did the trick!  hahaha

After work Gary and Lyla took me to dinner at Longhorn, I tried to get a picture with her, but she didn't feel like cooperating!

SO that is my birthday in a nutshell!  There will be some more celebrating this weekend.  Well a shared celebration since my dad's birthday is on Sunday!

A little bit of this - A little bit of that

Its been two weeks since I posted anything - so I figured I better get on it before people start to think something happen to me!  Where to begin?

First to recap my March Resolution of not saying curse words... that was an epic fail.  haha  It will be a lifetime struggle to try to stop doing it, I think I'm addicted to it like people are addicted to smoking!  I can censor and abstain when I need to, but to give it up completely is too extreme for me.

Easter weekend was good.  Thursday Lyla and I went and spent time with my friends from high school.  Friday we dyed Easter Eggs.  Lyla had a lot of fun doing that this year!  Saturday Gary's mom came up and stayed.  Sunday morning the Easter Bunny came, Lyla found eggs and got her basket.  Then my parents and Em and Gerald came up and we had dinner.  Dad also cut a hole in my wall and caught my house on fire... so it was an exciting day!  haha  Seriously though, our bathroom had a serious leak and dad cut a hole to get to the pipes then he had to solder them back together. 

Lyla got in trouble at daycare last week for stripping off all of her clothes to get attention when she felt she wasn't getting as much as she wanted!  It was all I could do to not laugh when the teacher was explaining the story to me! 

Gary's Great Aunt Helen passed away over Easter.  This is a terrible loss for his family.  She was always a really sweet lady.  I enjoyed getting to visit with her every time I saw her at a family event.  She will really be missed.

I can't think right now of what else needs updated, so thats it for now!  :)

Girls Weekend Away

Every year around this time we take a weekend and Lyla and I go away with my mom and Em for the weekend and Gary spends it in Clarksburg visiting his family and friends.

Lyla got to spend lots of quality time with Em in the backseat of the car:

We did lots of shopping:

On Sunday when we got back to town we went to Em's house and G had a surprise for her (& Lyla) - he bought some baby bunnies!

At that point, Lyla was in desperate need of a nap because we were planning on going to an egg hunt later in the afternoon.  She wanted nothing to do with me... but cuddling and taking a nap with Grandma was just what she needed!

After her nap we went out to hunt some eggs! She loved it and one egg even had some "Ms" in it which made her a very happy little girl!

After the egg  hunt we played on the weee or a slide if you don't speak Lyla!  ;)

Today we spent some time at my friend Stef's house.  Just a perfect way to end a great weekend!  :)

Heard Around the House #8

Gary was taking dinner out of the oven last night and the smoke detector started going off.

Me:  Hey Lyla, do you know what that sound means?
Lyla:  Eat!

Super Lyla

St. Pattys Day - The 2012 Edition

March 18th, that can only mean one thing, another St.Pattys Day is over and we have to wait another year before we get to do it again! 

We had a blast yesterday!  Easily one of the best St. Pattys EVER!  :)  Here are some of the highlights:

• First of all, the weather!  We had absolutely AMAZING weather this year!  The temps were in the upper 70s and bright sunshine all day long!
• When we got down to the South Side we found an actual parking lot (not a random spot on the street).  They were charging $10 to park there for the day which was more than worth it in my opinion!  (13th to Muriel - In case I'm trying to remember where that great parking lot was next year!)
• We were ahead of the crowd getting to Fatheads so we got to have an awesome lunch without having to wait for a table.
• We were able to watch the Pens play while we were at the bar & they won & Sidney Crosby got to play! (that was for you Stef - lol)
• We saw a midget dressed like a leprechaun.. more than once...haha
• Quote of the day: "I need a VIIIZZZAAA" - thanks Ree!
• Casey snuck in to Local with the trash guy....  "Shut up Casey - you came in with the TRASH!"
• The line for pizza was too long so me, Gary and Erin ate dinner at Bob Evans on the way home.  Our waitress just loved us!  haha
• And last but not least, Lyla had a super fun day with her Auntie Em and Uncle G!  They played outside all day and were all three smiles when we got home!

Bottom line - we had a great day hanging out and just getting to visit with our best friends!  That is what St. Pattys Day is all about in my opinion!

And now for some of my pictures:

St. Pattys Week

Tomorrow is the big day... ST. PATTYS DAY!  Easily my favorite day of the year!  I like it better than my birthday because I know I will see all my friends, that doesn't always happen on my birthday.  I like it better than Christmas because its much less stressful, no presents to buy, no traveling from one family members house to the next.  I like it because you don't have to put fancy clothes on, the more green and the more silly the better!  I like it because I get to drink a lot of adult beverages.  There is just not anything bad to say about St. Pattys Day!

So since it is my favorite day of the year, I have been getting ready for it all week!  Here is a little look at how I have been preparing:

MONDAY:

TUESDAY:

WEDNESDAY:

THURSDAY:

FRIDAY (with my favorite Irish Princess):