Birthday #23

Well, last weekend was my 23rd birthday and I got pretty spoiled! Jordan, Katie and I went up to visit my McGregor grandparents in Salt Lake on Friday night to celebrate our birthdays-- my grandpa was the previous Monday, mine was the next day, and my grandma's is next week.  That night my grandma took my sister and I shopping, and Jord hung out with my grandpa and watched "The Terminator" on TV, lol! He's a champ. My grandpa just had surgery the day before so it was nice for them to hang out and relax. While we were out my grandma treated me to some pretty adorable vintage lookin' red heels, and some little wedge shoes that I can wear for work this summer! Also, a delicate/lacy scarf that looks like it belongs in an Anthropologie catalog (my dream style) and a stylish work jacket. I felt like Stacy and Clinton would have approved, it cinched in at the waist and everything ;). When we got back we all watched Secretariat for the first time.

Everyone told me I would love it, and you know what? It just wasn't my favorite. I mean sure, I'm all about empowering women and who doesn't love a beautiful horse... but I was kind of stuck on the fact that she more or less abandoned her husband and kids for years in order to make a winning horse and save the ranch. There's probably things I would concede could possibly be worthy of missing out on your children growing up... but not many. And for me, I don't think a horse is one of them. But besides that, I did like the movie :). I talked to my friend Steph and she explained that one of the reasons she really enjoyed it was because it emphasized that when you know something is right, and you have a dream, you take risks and you go for it. And just the whole woman rocking it in a man's world thing. That improved my perspective a bit, so I guess on the scale of liking I liked it. Good characters, beautiful horse... nice message overall.


Sooooo after that we hit the sack, and the next morning I woke up to a delicious birthday breakfast by Jord. The boy's a keeper! After that we said goodbye to my grandparents and headed back home. Jord and I hung out all afternoon, and I didn't do ANY homework. It was a birthday miracle!!! No but seriously, I haven't had a day (except Sundays) without homework in literally.... I can't even remember. Even over Christmas break I was doing hw and writing fellowship applications etc., so it was nice to just take the day and enjoy it. Jordan made me a really wonderful dinner that night:

We had salmon, homemade mashed potatoes, fresh steamed broccoli, and yummy grape juice!

After dinner he took me to a local production of Broadway songs! There were... varying levels of talents, but the we really enjoyed ourselves! Afterwords we ducked into Gloria's Little Italy for some scrumptious dessert. We were surprised and delighted to find that as we were paying for them, they were half off! Turns out all of the desserts (and there are a lot of de-LISH-ous ones) are half off after 7pm on Saturday nights. New favorite date activity? Yea, I think so.

The next night the Perrys had us over for Sunday dinner as usual, but Jolynn made me a special birthday dinner that was to die for! Pasta primavera--my favorite-- with delicious fresh fruit. Jordan made fresh, homemade rolls that were also amazing. It was seriously all my favorite foods. For dessert Jolynn made this amazing Italian torte that has some name I can't recall... but it's a concoction of delicious cake, almondy-flavored cream with almonds and chocolate cream. Basically, it was goooood.

Can you blame me for lookin happy? Like I said, spoiled.

To top it off, the following Monday at school my MPH cohort had red velvet  cake for me at lunch, with a gift of hair things and headbands from a local boutique, The Help, and a few bottles of Life Water (I love that flavored water stuff).

I love this cute one with the bow! :) And note the curled hair (a rarity) compliments of the new curling iron Jordan got me for a birthday.

Spoiled, spoiled.