29 is Fine

And I don't mean {fine}, like "Hey, baby, you're fiiiine". More like, "The potatoes taste fine", kind of {fine}. 

Seeing 29 on a birthday card is weird. That's way too close to 30. And 30 is old. In all seriousness, it just is. 

I can remember my own mom at this age. I was 8 for heaven sakes! And ask any child... their parents are old. 

I may not have wrinkles, but I have gray hairs. 

My memory is not great, but my hearing is even less so.  (Thanks, Dad.)

When we eat out, we eat with the seniors, at 5pm.

I have no problems with going to bed at 9:30pm.

I just now realized that I think some clothes in the "misses" section are cute. And lots of clothes in the "juniors" section are not.

However, I still like to bust a move to some mean {rap}.

 I still prefer to listen to the "trendy" music on the radio. (When will I give that up?)

I will always scream my {dead animal} scream on roller coasters.

Hmmm, my "I'm old" section is bigger than my "I'm young" section. I need to think of some more to add to the latter.

But you know, in all honesty, getting older is not that bad.

A few months ago I walked into Ned's Crazy Sub just after Mesa High let out for lunch.

I walked into the high school "cafeteria".

And cringed.

The groups of teenagers scattered about, flirting and trying to act {so cool} was a bit nauseating. 

And made me SO grateful to be 28 and far from any high school clique. 

Being an adult brings it's own set of problems. But I'll take those any day to the ones facing a hormonal, insecure 16 year old.

(Cuz being a hormonal, insecure 29 year old is way better. :) Why? I don't know. But I think my super cute, really awesome husband has something to do with it.)

So back to the big day.

It was on a Saturday. Following a really bad week of the flu bug hitting our house. 

It's OK to cry when you're sick on your birthday, right?

So it was kinda a {crappy} day. 

Pun intended.

TMI?

We did get to go out to dinner the night before with Bron and Megan, which was really fun.

And I did get to sneak over to TJ Maxx to score a couple really cute outfits. 

And getting a sitter for 3 hours so Trav and I could go see The Dark Knight Rises, was pretty relaxing.

(Really good movie, btw.)

But the best part was.... my gift!

On the way to the movie, Trav told me he booked my tickets to go to California for a few days to be with my family on their annual summer vacation!

We had talked about this being a possibility, but then waited too long, and the airfare went way too high. The day I saw the prices, I went to bed depressed. There was no way I could go now.

When Travis told me, I didn't believe him. I had told him not to spend the money. He never spends money like that unless we have mutually agreed. But he did it anyway. And when I realized he was telling the truth, I just sat in the car and cried. I couldn't help it. It meant so much to me. I am so grateful for him!! It's so hard being away from my family and especially at times like this. I could not ask for a better husband!! He is too good to me. Have I mentioned how much I love him? More than FRIENDS, shopping, and ice cream combined. That's a dangerous kind of love. :)

That evening, our stake was having a pioneer activity at a park. We went, because what else do you do when you turn 29? Collin was so excited to get his cheek painted.

I don't know if Weston really knew what was happening to his cheek.

Well, then there was a tarp that the kids were sliding down like a slip 'n slide. 

Collin BEGGED to go on it. We didn't bring a suit, so he was fully aware he would get all wet and soapy and gross. There was no talking him out of it.

He got to the front of the line and froze. 

Now, there was no talking him down it.

Instead, he threw a royal tantrum and had to be pulled off.

Just look at that face.

Trav was pleased as punch to be the dad of this kid.

I didn't get to eat all day. OK, does a fly covered roll at the stake activity count? (Ya, I was THAT hungry by then.)

I said no cake.

But donuts had been bought that morning so I got my song and candle in one that night.

And Trav even grabbed the camera. 

(Bonus points are adding up for this guy!)

Hooray for 29!

29 is fine. :)

I have to add....

Rachel sent a package earlier in the week that included the cutest birthday gift AND a surprise for the boys.

I got it on the {crappiest} day of that week... Wednesday.... a day full of bathrooms and Weston throwing up multiple times on me. And me feeling like I had been hit by a truck. And also the day that Trav was at work the latest he's ever been. I wanted to die.

I read her card and cried. It was so sweet. And there was a cute brown bag all tied up with string... full of my "favorite things"! Adorable. Thanks, Rach, you are completely the best!

We had Skyped with them a week or two earlier, and Collin caught sight of Gavin wearing a really cool, super hero cape with matching wrist band. Collin was obsessed. And asked for one daily after that.

Well, Rachel noticed and did what any favorite aunt would do. She made Collin AND Weston their very own! I wished I had video taped their facial expressions when they opened them up. Priceless. Even Weston's face lit up and was SO excited.

I told Collin to make a super hero pose. 

Hysterical.

Thank you so much Rachel!!! They play with them every day! So cute!

My two super heroes.