The Dirty 30

This last week, I turned 30. Not that I think people who are 30 are old, but being 30 seems... old. I still feel like I'm in my very early 20s, and sometimes, my very early teens. I was talking to my visiting teacher about this, and she agreed that, at 40, she feels the same way, so at least this isn't unique. When one enters a new decade, it feels kind of... defining, I guess. You get to put away what you were and enter what you will be in a very definable way. So, here's to my thirties!

In celebration of the big event, the weekend before was filled with a road trip to Provo. Danny is in BYU Men's Chorus and had a big solo in a concert that happened to be that weekend, and all I wanted for my birthday was to have a meal with all my siblings, so these two things combined to equal a rockin' party. Ryan was excused because he's sort of in the middle of med school and the 6 hour drive turned out to be not very feasible, but we missed him and his cute family.

On Friday, we got into Provo with enough time to check into our hotel, bathe up the Deej, let him run around the hotel room for a bit, and then go over to Amber's house. My mom had called and ordered an ice cream cake, so me, Deg, DJ, Amber, her boyfriend, Lindsey, her boyfriend, Danny, Amber's roommate, her date, my cousin Desi and her husband all enjoyed her generosity. True to form, Deej entertained us all by table dancing (I should have taken a pic of this, but... it's becoming passe at our house) and impersonating cows, pigs, and sharks. We hung out until DJ crashed, drove Danny back to his place, and went back to our hotel.

The prettiest, best, most shareable ice cream cake ever!

Auntie Amber taught DJ how to play the piano.

The next day, we got up and got ready and took DJ to Amber's house to play with his aunts. That kid did some more dancing, showed off his newly acquired beat boxing skills (yes, my child can beat box), and loved all over Amber and Lindsey. Then we ran off to lunch at Goodwood, where we met my parents. And as I had wished, my whole family was there. Except Ryan. You're dead to me! (Just kidding, love you!) DJ fell asleep, so Deg took him back to the hotel for a nap and I went shopping with my mom and dad. After I got back, Deg and DJ went swimming at the hotel, we cleaned up, met my parents and Amber at the mall for some more shopping, and then Amber graciously took DJ for the evening so we could go to Danny's concert.

Grandpa loves having grandbabies to play with. For reals, though. He loves being a grandpa.

Swimming at the hotel pool.

Can I just say that BYU needs to plan their events better? You really shouldn't hold 4 large events on campus at the same time. Between the basketball game, a ballet showcase, a play, and a combined men's and women's chorus choir concert, there was NOWHERE to park, and I may have spread a few four letter words across my beloved alma mater. Oops! But other than that, it was lovely. We went with my parents and got to see my aunt Lori, her husband Marv, and my cousins John and Josh, as well as Josh's wife Berlin. John is in Men's Chorus with Danny, so it was fun to see him (he had a killer cello solo) and his family. And Danny - that kid can SING! Seriously, I wish I could find a video of it. He puts my good friend Josh Groban to shame. The whole concert was awesome, but that kid. I mean, come on!

Date night at Danny's concert.

This kid! And his parents! I'm related to them!

DJ spent the evening at a BYU basketball game with Amber and her roommate. The report was that he danced every time they put music on (and at basketball games, that tends to be like 3/4 of the time), said "ball!" every time he saw the ball (one of his maybe 15 words) and growled at Cosmo every time he saw that big cat. I wish I could have seen it, but I'm super glad he had a fun time. He loves his aunt Amber. I mean, come on, who wouldn't?

DJ and his beautiful date for the evening.

Oh, you know, just dancing to the music at the game.

So we drove back the next day, which was super fun, but at least DJ got to get a kiss from a cow at a rest stop! No but seriously, there was a cattle ranch right next to the rest stop, DJ needed to get out and stretch his legs, and he loves to say moo, so win-win.

DJ kept the drive interesting, to say the least. (Don't worry, he's in the back with me, buckled into his seat. But like I wasn't going to take a picture of THIS.)

Moooo! He got some cow kisses on his hand, which he loved, and which made me glad I had hand sanitizer with me!

On my actual birthday, things were pretty low-key. I went to lunch with my friend Chelsea and her cute baby, Easton. Despite what the picture portrays, DJ actually really likes Easton and gave him a big kiss. That night, Deg took me to dinner at The Cheesecake Factory, and a few days later, he bought me the best set of pots and pans ever. My old set was worn out (thanks, Teflon lining, for flaking off) and Kohls has screaming deals if you hit the store at the right time, which we did, so I got my nearly $300 set for $65.

DJ and Easton at lunch

My boyfriends at dinner

This is the best way to celebrate a birthday - with the people I love.

So... I guess now I'm 30? Does that mean the shenanigans have to stop. Eh, like I'd stop them anyway! Here's to a new decade of "saying well!"