Conference/Birthday Weekend

Dinner out with friends.

Homemade authentic Romanian gogosi.  

Pizza at midnight. 

Sunday drives & walks.

A couple great naps. 

A couple great talks.

And some of the most amazing conference sessions. 

It was such a great weekend. 

Nothing makes me happier than growing older with Ryan.

Some of my favorite conference excerpts:

"The greatest blessings of conference comet o us after conference is over." 

- Elder Robert D. Hales

"Your only job is to be better today than you were yesterday."

- Elder Ulisses Soares

"Our Heavenly Father is generous with his power." 

- Carol M. Stephens

This Time Last Year

It's Ryan's birthday weekend. 

(We're kicking it off with a Friday night birthday dinner out with friends) 

But I keep thinking about how last year we spent his birthday in Switzerland, which was obviously insanely cool. 

This time last year we were driving the 3 hours to Bern and staying overnight in a hostel across the street from the temple. 

 reflection pictures, a couples best chance at photo's together without asking strangers to take it.

This time last year we were introduced to tuna pizza. It was terribly awful. We thought it was shredded chicken at first and were sorely disappointed to discover our mistake. I think it's the only European pizza neither of us would eat after the first bite. But the cake was insanely good and more than made up for oily tuna mouth.

This time last year I also had to get really creative about birthday stuff.

Post-it notes did double duty as a little birthday decoration and card (each note had a favorite European memory with Ryan written on it) and my wrapping paper was colored sheets of regular paper decorated using a date stamp and tied up with rubber bands. 

It was all very festive I assure you!

 

This time last year we also rode scoot-scoot downtown for some authentic Swiss fondue.

Yep, in this cute little place.

  

This time last year we also woke up Sunday to the above view from our room, snuck away for an afternoon hike and picnic before snuggling into bed and watching conference in bed at 6:00 and 10:00 pm respectively due to the time difference. It made it all very fun and exciting to stay up so late to watch conference.

Guys, parmesan and honey!! They eat it all the time over there and it's my new favorite treat. Go buys some and try it today! Oh and that hazelnut blueberry tart was one of our favorite treats we ate in Switzerland. We still maintain hopes of recreating it.

 

So basically how on earth am I ever going to top last year's birthday celebrations? Yeesh!
Living in Switzerland has practically ruined every-day life for us.
Europe or no Europe, Ryan you are my favorite companion for every stretch of our life together and I'll never love celebrating anything as much as I love celebrating it with you.
Happy Birthday my love... in 2 days!

Wish List

When Ryan asked for birthday gift ideas this year, I realized every single idea I came up with ended up being baby related. 

Which makes sense, since we are planning on having one around here sometime soon.

But because our baby-centered lives haven't begun just yet, I've been brainstorming lovely things I'd adore having around just for me, no baby required. 

The result is that I'd also be delighted with any of these. 

a.) This Williams-Sonoma apron - Perfect, right? 
I've never owned a full apron and I'm constantly 
dirtying up my shirts in the kitchen. 
That, or sometimes I wrap that 1/2 apron up really high. 
But then, of course, it looks sort of silly. 

b.) A couple of these Chalk-board pencils - Because I'm always 
writing quotes on our chalkboard and 
these would make them turn out so much prettier. 

c.) This gorgeous smelling Anthropology candle - Love the scent, love the jar.

d.) This book - it looks awesome & so relevant - It's all about 
Nia's adoption and coping with instant motherhood. 
I'm thinking it would help prepare me for what is ahead. 
Also I've heard it's really funny. 

e.) I'm always needing Refills for my polaroid camera - And black and white's are so-so pretty!

f.) One or two of these lovely blankets from target - We have two guest beds 
tucked in the corner of our nursery and a couple of these would look gorgeous in there. 
Especially because they double as a day-bed 80% of the time 
and these aren't too frilly but really warm. 

My 31st

It seems like a lifetime ago that I celebrated and turned a year older. But it wasn't and I did. Friends threw a BBQ birthday bash a couple days before. Ryan spoiled me with breakfast in bed as per usual. And the day of we were super lucky to have my baby sister and her boyfriend here.

We dined al fresco on more pasta and bruschetta than you can shake a stick at, played games, opened a few little gifts, and ate the orange chocolate cake ryan made for me but let me frost because it is my favorite part of cakes. Next to eating them of course.

It was good times all the way around. Neighboring friends (Obergs, you completely still count as neighbors) and my little sissy made the day extra memorable. But you wanna know what my very favorite birthday memory is? You are going to think I'm weird!

My favorite part of my birthday this year was hands down the night before. Ryan had  cleaned the entire house while I soaked away in the tub upstairs with the smell of my favorite bubble bath mingling with the clean fresh scent of pinesol and the aroma of the warm chocolate cake baking in the oven below. It was all so cozy and happy it felt as good as christmas. Maybe a little better.

I think these three things shall from here on out be the truest hallmarks of a perfect birthday. Clean house. Uninterupted bath. Delicious cake. All made better in the company of my sweet.

But the pretty flowers and tasty cinnamon bears and little gifties didn't hurt either!

Birthday Calendar

This last August I turned 30. 

And because that is a big number my sisters, mom, and I took a big trip. 

We went to Mexico and vacationed birthday style. 

It was heavenly, to say the least.

But that trip is not the reason for this post. 

Before that trip I made them each a birthday calendar as a pre/post 30th birthday present.

It was really just a fantastic excuse to finally make and use one myself. 

 the calendars were wrapped using kraft paper, ribbon, and tags.

yes, even mine. 

the beautiful water color art was used courtesy of this free downloadable calendar, 

and then I added the months to the image and the dates beneath.

only you must now imagine that all these months are dotted with birthdays,

because that's how it looks now that it is all filled out after last night.

here it is hanging alongside our calendar in the office.

they seem to be very happy together.

Being better at remembering and celebrating birthdays even made my resolutions 2012 list.

In our case this involves a lot of planning and forethought, because we have beautifully large families.

So I have requested dates and years for family members (friends are being added) and have finally updated this birthday calendar.

Until now it has been hanging in our office looking pretty but underused.

No longer!

Now I have every intention of being a birthday-remembering ninja.

And on the topic of birthdays, I am wishing a very happy 5th one to my darling niece Avery!