So, the birthday was good. Really good.
I took the day off work and slept in, continuing my long-standing tradition of never working or going to school on my birthday. When I woke up, hubs had already made a trip to Publix for some groceries (I love when I don’t have to grocery shop) and then he brought me breakfast.
Hubs never calls me Paula, so it’s weird to see my name on the cake. That’s a chocolate chip cookie cake with a layer of frosting in the middle. If you think there’s too much frosting, then we just can’t be friends anymore. Or, we can be friends and you can give me all your extra frosting. Yes. That sounds like the right thing to do.
Speaking of that cake, I’m not proud of what I did.
I am not exaggerating – I ate that all in one day. Hubs had two small bites. When he saw the cake later that night (because apparently he has self control and wasn’t hovering over it all day), he said, “this is why we can’t have sweets in the house.”
After I had my way with the cookie cake, the presents started rolling in. I’m going to assume there was no hidden meaning when the cake was immediately followed by a new pair of Crossfit shoes and running shoes with a note that said, “Use these, fatty.” < — part of that sentence may be false
I got pink New Balance Vibrams for Crossfit. Super cute.
And Brooks Glycerin 10’s for running.
I can’t believe hubs bought me something that has to do with running. Ahhh. #love
I tried on the 11s and they felt super weird compared to the 10s. I didn’t like the look of the 10s on the shelf but loved them on my feet. Since they didn’t feel any different than the Ghost 5s (which I currently wear), I decided to take a chance on a new style (a.k.a, there could still be a bitchy post about them later on, but I’m pretty sure I’ll like them). I’ve been eyeing new running shoes for awhile now, so I’m excited to try these out.
Ok, slight detour there. Let’s get back to birthday stuff. After gifts, the foodapalooza of things I don’t normally eat started and went on all weekend. Like, this Reuben from 903 Mills Market. (That place is amazing if you live in Orlando.)
See how I got the thousand island on the side? That makes it healthy.
There was also pizza from Ale House which is mostly a seafood restaurant, but we went there specifically for pizza. That’s when you’ve hit rock bottom, my friends. When you just pick the closest restaurant you know of with pizza.
It was still delicious. There were also steak quesadillas, a bacon cheeseburger, fried cheesy jalapenos, tater tots, and nachos that all went unpictured because they were covered in my shame.
Ok, so the birthday festivities started at Mucho. Mucho is a Mexican restaurant/bar that I frequent because they have my favorite drink in the land. If you come to visit me, I will take you there, but you will probably have to drive me home.
Lisa (the BFF), moi, and Janice while I was still coherent.
There were so many friends I didn’t get a picture of that came out to help celebrate, but I guess not thinking about pictures is a sign that I had a good time. I did manage to get one of Michelle who decided that I was more important than her baby and made her first sans-baby appearance.
After Mucho closed, I really wanted to go next door to The Abbey, but they were booked for a special event. The Abbey usually hosts small concerts, plays, and private parties, but late at night on the weekends, they open the bar to the public. The place has good music and really cheap drinks, especially for being downtown, so I was bummed we couldn’t get in. Little did I know my friend, Greg, went next door, noticed the party was dead, and talked the host into letting 15 of us in. So, we ended up crashing someone else’s private party.
Sweeet.
That’s Greg, charmer extraordinaire. I swear he can talk people into anything. He is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Teri (on the left) is lucky to have snatched him up. (Ok, she’s not bad herself.)
Did I mention it was a masquerade party? We were slightly under-dressed.
The girl in the costume was celebrating her and her fiance’s mutual June birthdays and their engagement. I can’t even tell you how many times I thanked her for letting us join the party. I even donated money to her face-painting friend that was raising money for some important charity that I can’t remember, like Lonely Kittens Against being Lonely.
The next day, when I looked at the pictures on my camera, I was a little bummed that hubs and I didn’t have any together. At least, I thought we didn’t until I found our only commemorative birthday picture posted by our friend on Facebook.
Yep. That’s about right.
So basically, I had a fabulous birthday hanging out with good friends and strangers dressed like Downton Abbey. Then it took me two full days to recover which has never happened before.
I am officially old.
Glad we got to join in the evening fun! 🙂 You looked absolutely lovely on Friday night! And, yes, thanks so much to Greg for getting us all in The Abbey!
Thanks for coming out! I wish we had gotten a picture together!
Wooiee! Looks like you had a great birthday. My husband always gets me something exercise related for my birthday because that’s usually what I want and what I’ll use the most. What does your husband call you if not Paula? Paulie? Paulastic? Just coming up with some creative options…go with it 🙂
Haha! He calls me things that are too adorable to go on my blog. I wouldn’t want everyone throwing up around here.
Ahem, it’s DownTON Abbey (yes, I am that guy). Downtown Abbey sounds like methadone clinic. Though judging from that last photo perhaps that was on purpose.
Not on purpose, that got autocorrected. I just realized we were at the Abbey downtown with people dressed like Downton Abbey. OMG. That’s fate.
Better to hear it from me than from some snooty Brit. Oh wow, that is fate. I read it and didn’t make that connection.
Ooooh, I can’t wait for the post where you go all psycho-ninja on your new running shoes! It’s been a long while since we have been treated to a post about how much you hate your new running shoes :). We love those!! On the upside, it looks like you had a super fun birthday!! Happy, happy birthday!! 🙂
Happy birthday! You had a much wilder time than I did 🙂
But we both had pizza and that’s what counts.
Your birthday sounds like my idea of a good time! Food, friends and alcohol–that’s the life.
OMG Michelle’s giant glass of wine is PRICELESS! Love.
Good job on the cookie cake. I notice my gifts did not make the blog post. That’s ok. I know they were weird (to other people, not us, of course). Glad you had a great birthday!
Oh, that is not wine. That is an Eola 101 (champagne, tequila, agave, lime), the drink that I go to Mucho so often for. She had one too. 🙂
Only the running related gifts made the blog, but I will include yours on my “PB Bender” post.
Very well. I can accept that.
That last pic is hilarious……….leave me alone to die.
Yeahhh Mucho! Good times there. Where is the rooster? And, more importantly, WHERE ARE THE GLASSES?!
I love your birthday dress you sassy minx!
I KNOW! The glasses are in my car and we took a cab. So mad I forgot!
HAAA that is totally why I can’t have a wonderful treat like that in the house either! Once I start eating it I cannot stop!! Happy birthday!!
“Ok, she’s not bad herself.” – Thanks for the heartfelt shout-out. 😉
It was really great to see you and the fabman, and to finally get a chance to party with you again! It had been WAY too long since we last got a chance to hang out with the two of you. It made me happy to see you so happy when Greg told you he got us into the Abbey. I was really proud of him for working his magic to get us in there. Now you know why I call him my MEB!
It took me the rest of the weekend to recover from that night too, but it was totally worth it! Love you guys!!! 😀
I was so surprised! Best present ever. Definitely a MEB. Let’s get together again soon!
YOU are the nicest gal ever! Thanks for the blogpreciation. It was no prob, and a total joy to see you smile and enjoy yourself. You deserve a birthday everyday! (Though the foodapalooza should probably be an annual event.)
That is some impression destruction going on with that cake (cookie? cookie cake?). Well done.
Thanks for having a birthday so I could celebrate with you 🙂
Solid birthday celebration! 🙂
Can’t wait to hear what you think of the shoes!!
I am the same way with sweets, especially anything of the cookie or cake variety, at our house. I think the hub and I take turns though. I won’t really eat much of a dessert, and the next day he’s eaten half of it. Or I will mow through a bag of skittles, and he’s like, “Hey…what happened to the skittles?”. Looks like you had a pretty epic birthday!
Sounds like an awesome birthday 🙂
Loving that cookie cake I would have eaten the whole thing on the day. Calories don’t count on your birthday it’s the law 😉
I don’t think calories count in other zip codes either. At least, that’s what I heard.
If you eat lots of calories when overseas you actually lose weight, something to do with the time difference and the flight, it is all very scientific 😉
Happy Birthday! If I lived near you, I would come over and help you eat that cookie cake and then you could blame it on me.
Hmm. I do like blaming missing food on other people. You have a deal!
Great post! I look forward to the shoe anger post in a week or two; we haven’t had one in a while and are in withdrawal.
Where did FF get that cookie cake? I’m, um, asking for a friend. And you can’t drop the “he never calls me Paula” and not give us at least ONE example. Consider it your birthday gift to us.
That cake looks absolutely delicious and worth every bite. Besides, I decided a long time ago that calories don’t count during my birthday week.
Cookie Cake! Oh, and happy birthday. 😉