My Birthday Favorites

It seems like each year my birthday celebrations get stretched out further and further. A good 4 or 5 days before my actual birthday I started receiving cards in the mail and then I got some lovely gifts from my sisters just a few days ahead of time.

Being a card maker myself, cards mean a whole lot to me; particularly the sweet sayings inside (something I often think my homemade cards are lacking). 

My youngest sister sent me a beautiful wind chime for the garden.  

My oldest sister sent me some shower steamers. Aren't they pretty? They smell so good too. 

 Alec had brought me home a lovely shell garden hanging from Greece and he gave it to me as soon as he finished unpacking so he beat everyone to the well wishes this year. 

 

Evan picked up a few tubes of paint he knew I'd been needing while he was at work one day.  

Ian bought me an easel for my paintings, some lovely earrings, and a fun sticker by number book I can't wait to break into. 

My husband brought me the sweetest card and some of my favorite Lindt chocolates but my real gift was two part-- we went to dinner just the two of us on the Saturday after my actual birthday and, as a surprise, he bought us tickets to see Steve Martin and Martin Short this fall complete with hotel and dinner reservations for the night of. I just LOVE gifts like this and am so excited for what should be a really fun night. 

Our dinner at Via Italian Table:

This espresso brownie was incredible 

My mother in law brought me over a lovely bracelet and gave me some chocolates and some money to buy my own gift-- Hello crafting supplies! 

 

And my mom and I ended up turning our annual day of shopping into 2 days of shopping! We went to the  Clinton Outlets in Ct with lunch on the shore at Aqua then spent the next day shopping the Warwick Mall and Hobby Lobby. We just didn't find much in the way of sales or "must have" items while out shopping together and she hadn't felt like she had spent enough on the first day. I sure wasn't going to argue!

Our lunch at Aqua:

a BBQ shrimp BLT wrap

flourless chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream

 She bought me:

Some adorable capri pants with a palm tree on them at Chico's

These red linen pants from Gap

This purple halter top from White House Black Market

These adorable pink ombre shorts from Chico's

These cute capri pants from JCPenney

 

and these sandals from Nordstrom rack  

All in all it was a really, really fabulous birthday!