'tis the season ...

... for birthdays!

This week, four people in my life are celebrating birthdays ... my roomie, two friends from church AND my big sister. I was looking over my calendar and realized that my weekend is total birthday overload: pick up cupcakes, buy balloons for Sheena's surprise party, call my sister to finalize my plans to head up to Whistler at the end of the month for a belated celebration, pick up Katie's gift, buy a cupcake for Katie, have dinner with friends and *somewhere in the midst of all this birthday-pa-looza* get some much needed rest!

All this birthday chatter has me thinking about that list I made on my birthday of 24 things to accomplish before I turn 25. I'm definitely trailing on that list but I have managed to check off a few things. I've gone camping, gone hiking, made more than 4 new friends, joined a book club, scrapbooked the majority of my Olympic photos, read about 6 books and have definitely begun taking the Great Commission more seriously. Still lots to accomplish but, luckily, I've still got time! :)

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend. I'll be busy celebrating.
xox

I'm a Birthday Girl

It's hard to believe that this is my last night as a twenty-three year old. Tomorrow morning when I wake up, I'll wake up to a whole new year of life that's like a blank canvas just waiting to be painted. Year 23 was such a roller coaster year with incredible up's and down's and too many twists and turns. It was a year of illness and a year of goodbyes and a year of drastic changes. I've grown up a lot over the past twelve months and even though I'm proud of the woman I've become, I'm looking forward to turning the page and starting fresh.

My birthday is so bittersweet for me this year. For starters, it's the first birthday EVER that I am spending away from home. Luckily, my amazing church friends are planning a birthday surprise so the day won't be uneventful ... but it's still difficult to be celebrating without the family I love so much. On a happier note, I've got a feeling that 24 might just be my best year yet. I am in such a happy place emotionally, spiritually and physically ... some mornings I wake up and literally pinch myself because I just can't believe how lovely my life is. What does year 24 have in store for me? I'm not sure, but hopefully I'll be able to check some of these goals off my birthday list --

1. Attend a yoga class.

2. Go to Alberta (specifically Lake Louise and Calgary).

3. Go hiking.

4. Try my hand at camping.

5. Journal a little every day.

6. Go to Salt Lake City.

7. Join the Vancouver Public Library.

8. Join (or start) a book club.

9. Read at least 24 books this year.

10. Take The Great Commission a little more seriously.

11. Walk across the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge.

12. Go to Seattle again, and this time spend less time shopping & more time exploring the city.

13. Take a class (or two) at Regeant College.

14. Make mix tapes for fun.

15. Randomly surprise my sister with a spa getaway!

16. Get my tattoo.

17. Love people more, judge people less.

18. Bake a dessert from scratch (not including cupcakes or cookies)

19. Finish scrapbooking my Olympic photos.

20. Make four new friends. :)

21. Save up enough money to buy myself a Digital SLR camera

22. Budget better

23. Buy pretty stationary and write (and mail!) at least 2 handwritten letters a month

24. Begin each day with the expectation that something delightful is going to happen.

Happy birthday to me & happy Sunday to you!

xox

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROLAND!

On Friday night, I went to my very first Vancouver party - a 30th celebration for my dear friend Roland. Roland and his wife Jen are probably my closest friends here in Vancouver. We met at church and they are such warm, welcoming, loving and supportive people. I don't think I've ever met a couple as wonderful as Jen & Ro!

To help Roland ring in the big 3-0, a group of us went out to Joey's on Broadway Street which is a very hip and happening resto here in Vancouver. The food was delicious, the bellinis were to die for and the company was stellar! A great night. Annnnnd I get to do it all over again tomorrow for my birthday! :)

Birthday Card

Here is a birthday card I made recently. The stamps are by Hero Arts and were colored in using Touch markers. The paper is by ScrapMode. I also used my new Fiskars border punch and my Cuttlebug swiss dot folder, as well as red Stickles and some Diamond Glaze on the heart.

Expect to see some more birthday cards in the near future as both my sister and my brother-in-law have birthdays coming up. :o)

Catherine and I had a wonderful evening of scrapbooking last night ... we ordered pizza, watched a chick flick, ate lots of candy corn, chatted about her wedding plans and listened to some great songs. I didn't get as much done as I hoped, but it was such fun to have a carefree girls' night in!

xox