Carly's 30th Birthday!

It's a tradition in our family to celebrate week-long birthdays.  I kicked off my birthday week on Monday, April 4th, b having lunch with Matt.  On Tuesday, I had lunch with my company.  On Friday (my actual birthday!) I had lunch with my mom, sister Amanda, Michelle, and Cassidy at Otani's in Sterling.  Eric treated me to J. Gilberts for my birthday dinner on Friday night, while Mom was so generous by watching Cassidy all night long.

Eric and Carly at dinner at J. Gilbert's



Lunch with the Ladies at Otani



 I gotta admit -- I expected to walk in to my house after dinner on Friday night, and be 'surprised' with a surprise party.  I had totally psyched myself up for it . . . but, nothing.  Oh well.

Saturday we had dinner with the Nusbaum side of the family -- just a small family cookout at Bonnie and Tom's.  It was pleasant, the kids got along great, which is always doubleplus good :-) 

Me with my niece and Cassidy

All and all it was a very happy birthday, and a great way to celebrate.  We stayed there until nearly 8, and then had to get Cassy home for bed.  She was such a trooper!

We got home and of course the house was dark.  I always forget to leave the porch light on, and I kick myself every time for doing so.  I even commented to Eric that I thought I had left it on.  I let us inside and . . .

SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

About a dozen people jumped out from the den, turning on the lights and yelling at me.  So I reacted with what I suppose is a very natural reaction -- I shrieked $#!% and bolted straight out of the house, nearly barreling Eric down off the porch.  Man -- you don't want to stand between me and my 'flight' reflex.  Thankfully Eric was standing right behind me; he managed to catch me (and Cassidy -- I was carrying her) before I darted off of the porch.  Of course everyone was laughing at me, and as soon as I realized what was going on, I laughed too.  I'm a marroon sometimes!

Me with my awesome OH NO THE BIG 3-0! balloon



Eric had apparently commissioned my sister Amanda and friend Michelle to come over and decorate while we were celebrating with the Nusbaums.  What a little sneak!  But Amanda and Michelle (who are my go-to party planning support system) of course pulled off the decorations and snacks with a flawless victory.  They had 30 helium balloons to which they attached 30 pictures of me throughout my life (such a fun idea!), streamers galore, and a fancy banquet of food. 

They considered this a karaoke birthday party, so without fail we got our collective groove on:

I don't know what I'm singing, but Manda doesn't seem to mind it.

A duet with my husband

(I do have a fancy video of 'Love Shack' that Brad sang with me.  But I think I know him well enough to know how he'd react to a public advertisement of that performance, so I'm keeping it under wraps ;-))

Of course no paty is complete without 'cake' -- and keeping my interests in mind, I was presented with an apple pie from both Bonnie at the Nusbaum celebration, and my friends at my surprise party.

AND, to top it all off, I was given a lot of gifts.  It's funny how as you get older you tend to not expect gifts from people anymore (at least not on your birthday), so it's always a pleasant surprise when it does happen.  I received a lot of flowers, a new camera, a sweet little mini projector for my mural design endeavor, ABBA karaoke (!!) and Demetri Martin:  Important Things season 2, tomato plants, Phineas and Ferb folders, a foot spa, and several other things that I can't quite remember right now.  I'm so very blessed!  Thank you to everyone who helped make this birthday . . . the good bye to my 20's and hello to my 30's . . . a very favorable transition!