35.

The day before my 35th birthday I didn't want to get up and go to school.  It didn't help that Ian told me I was 5 years from 40 and my dad told me that I was halfway to 70.  Ugh.  I don't feel 35, and like I said on Instagram - I actually feel 26.  It's funny though, I think that we have aged well and that I am actually WAY cuter than I was at 26!  Hahahaha (see for yourself)!

then

now

This year has been REALLY hard - leaving my big girl babe every day, teaching an extra class (for a teacher that doesn't show up), dealing with my horrible 8th hour (full of 8 repeat seniors) - I am just exhausted.  I didn't want to get out of bed and go to school the day before my birthday because it was my birthday and I just didn't feel like it.  But, I went - being a good mom and saving my sick days just in case my babe gets sick this winter.  My 6th hour, my extra class, sang Happy Birthday to me, a student in my 8th hour that drives me crazy didn't show up and we had a pep assembly where I got to wear a jersey that was given to me by a football player told to give it to his favorite teacher (Dre, I love you!).  I came home to my mom watching the baby (Ashley had to leave early to coach), flowers and a big balloon and then rushed off with my mom and bestie, Christine, to get our toes and nails done.  When I got home we went on a family walk, ate hamburgers and just took it easy.  It turned out to be a really good day. 

 

My friend, Jules (on IG) makes the most incredible beaded bracelets and she made matching ones for Lemon and I - and they came the day before my birthday all the way from Canada!  Check out her shop, latzigane.com.

On Saturday, my actual birthday, we laid around in the morning while Ian worked on my birthday present.  I have these really horrible Ikea dressers, in our room, and over the years they have just started to fall apart.  The drawers sunk in, my stuff falls out and we have "quick fixed" them many times but all I wanted was for them to be reinforced and fixed, once and for all (and since we don't have money to replace them).  So Ian got to work while we relaxed, it was awesome (and he even had a little helper)!  It took him Saturday and Sunday but he finished and our room looks like a real room again!

  

 

 

 
We ate lunch at one of my favorite restaurants, Picazzo's, and this super old mall that used to be "my mall" but is now just old and kind of questionable - Paradise Valley Mall (because they are only one of two malls by us with a Stride Rite and our other choice was definitely questionable).  (Interpret questionable as "ghetto.")  Lunch was fun but I swear for an all gluten free place I always feel bad after eating at Picazzo's (weird) and the mall turned out to be REALLY fun because there was some sort of kid thing going on where this funny man was singing and teaching the kids how to dance.  Lemon loved it and I wish we had more time to spend there but had to get home and put her down for her 2nd nap.  (But of course we had time for a quick birthday photo booth session!)

Saturday night my mom came and got the baby so that Ian and I could go out to dinner.  We hadn't been out to eat together in maybe 6 months and it was so nice even though we had to wait an hour for our food at a super crowded restaurant (I just couldn't get any restaurant love that day!) that cleared out as soon as we got our food (ha).  Then, our friends met us afterwards and we hung out until about 12am and then came home, vegged on the couch and went to bed - together.  (We don't always sleep together, Lemon tends to sleep better when Ian is on the couch, and I do too because he snores!)

Ian wore a shirt with a picture of me on it, that my dad had made after my first birthday back in 1979!  And these ladies - I love them!

The next morning I tried to make myself go back to sleep but I'm pretty sure both of us were up by 7:30am - ugh.  We got to lay around, clean up a bit and then met my mom and dad at The Old Spaghetti Factory.  Little did I know but my mom had arranged for my 3 best girlfriends, Jenny's husband and Espen (my fav little man) to meet us for lunch too.  Thank goodness I put makeup on!  It was so much fun to see the girls again and spend some time with my mom and dad.

I had the best birthday weekend ever and I'm sad it's over.  I have an amazing family and owe my mom everything for watching Lemon and getting me so many gifts that weekend including a NutriBullet (which we love!).  She arranged so much, surprised me in so many ways and just has the best heart, I am so lucky to have a mom like her.  I also am so thankful for my friends who came out to celebrate with us and for my husband who fixed my dressers and hated every minute of it, but did it because he loves me.  Ian is the most amazing man and I am also lucky to have him.  And celebrating with my little Lemon?  There's nothing better!

So, I may be 5 years from 40 and half way to 70 but I've had a really blessed 35 years.  Thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday, I read every single one of your comments.  I love you all!  Here's to the next 35!