23!

Another year has come and gone! I just hit the big 2-3. Wowza. This year I was so spoiled by wonderful friends and my sweet husband. I am the luckiest girl!!

I have the best friends, and sweetest husband. Can I just say that? They went out of their way to make me feel so special on my birthday. On the Tuesday before my birthday I got home from a long day of work and just felt like getting in my sweats and binging on the Office with Tim.....but Tim bugged me to get dressed up so we could go out for a nice dinner together since he had been stuck at the house all day long. So I did.....then there was a knock at the door and I opened it and saw Kaylee and Allison with balloons and one of my fav candy bars and they told me to go get my shoes on because they were kidnapping me! I was like oh shoot....I have to tell Tim I can't go out with him-but he was in on the plan! (He just didn't want me to go out in my sweats-he's the best haha.)

I just love these girls. They have become my best friends here in Texas! So we're driving for a while....and finally pull up to Florios -a New Jersey style pizza place :) and when we walked in I was surprised to see a table full of our best friends!!!!! I couldn't stop smiling :) It was the best surprise. We ordered some (amazingly delicious) pizzas to share and had such a great time....although some of the staff there were completely horrible and rude.....like they didn't want to give us paper plates or plastic forks or water cups. Soooo that was awkward. But that's Jersey for you! I felt right at home :) Charee did manage to demand some forks out of them for the scrumptious red velvet, cream cheese frosted cake Kaylee made. (She knows me too well.)

All the girls! 

So happy!!

Check out that delicious cake Kaylee made!

Charee with her hard won forks

A selfie to rival Ellen's

On Saturday, my actual birthday, I really wanted to do an outdoor water adventure....but the place we had originally planned on going to (Hamilton Pool) was not allowing swimming that weekend....so we found a plan b with the Barton Springs Pools in Austin! We drove up with the Giffhorns and met the McLemores up there :) It was a grand time.

Oh, and before we get there....Tim made me my favorite breakfast and gave me the 2nd part to my gifts (he had given me my new camera early on Mother's Day). He is very thoughtful with his gift giving. And he even wrote me a card and I didn't even have to ask! (I think he's catching on... ;) He even quoted T. Swift in it.

Tim and I stopped at Firehouse and Jersey Mikes so I could get my free birthday subs that we packed for our picnic lunch. I love free stuff on my birthday!

Rhett's first taste of Lime potato chips- I think he liked them, haha.

Hangin' on the bank!

  The water was freeeeeezing.

The brave girls headed to take

a jump off the diving boards...

Since we were only 10 minutes away from South Congress we just had to have dinner at some of our favorite food trucks (and we tried some new ones too).....

We had such a blast. I also loved singing "Tree Hugger" with Kaylee to Rhett as we drove home way past his bedtime. Tim and Jesse probably never want to hear that song ever again.

I also got some calls from my family and Krisit Kay and emails/letters from my missionaries and grandparents  and mom and dad :) and later Gram sent me out a package with a bunch of her family history, recipe books, and new kitchen towels of course. I love birthdays!!

And then on Sunday we had a delicious Cafe Rio style dinner at our friend/neighbor's house for a combined bday party :) Having good friends that live on your same block is the best.

Twenty-three feels good on me. Like it fits. Twenty-two was pretty darn awesome- I got a full-time job in Public Health, I took my first trip out of the county, I gained a better understanding of the Lord's timing in all things and felt more confidence that I am where I am supposed to be right now, I made best friends in this new state that will last a lifetime, I wrote more letters than I ever have (thank you to my missionaries), I became a puppy mama, and I enjoyed all of the little adventures Tim and I have gone on together. Twenty-three seems so much more mature, like maybe I'm ready to be a real adult? Still can't rent a car though.....ah well. I look forward to all that this year has in store-I have a feeling it's going to be pretty great.