My 30th Birthday - again!

Yay! I've made it through another birthday (you should be reading that with the same sarcasm that I'm intending) and getting older (now I'm feeling a little grumpy and less sarcastic). The BEST part (here's where I stop being sarcastic and grumpy and instead be completely sincere) about having my birthday (especially if it's during the week so I can spread out the celebration over 9 days --- p.s. What's with all my parenthasis obsession?) is making an excuse to see my friends and get in some extra squeezies!

I LOVE squeezies!

Especially the little bit longer than you think a squeeze should be kind ;) They are even better when you wag your tail (trust me, try it)!

So this birthday week (my bday was yesterday, Thursday the 28th, mark that on your calendar for NEXT year) started last Saturday with a BBQ at our place with some photographer friend families (no pictures... ironic, no?) Monday we had some area friends (mostly friends from church, but not all) here for a BBQ (mmm... Cowboy Salsa and Elisa's homemade Oreo's were a hit), Tuesday we had family over for a BBQ and Wednesday Amanda had me and some girlfriends over for Ponderosa Banana Cake (hot out of the oven, very impressive). Thursday, yesterday, my actual birthDAY, I awoke to a freshly made omelet, hugs n' kisses from my kidlets (Piper's peepers were barely opened as she layed in bed and said, "Happy Birthday, mommy." -- ugh, die) and a Harley Davidson gift bag! The gift was a surprise because we combined my Mother's Day gift with birthday (so I thought), but I was HAPPILY surprised with plug-in heated riding gloves :) Even though the weather is nice right now, it's not always (welcome to the NW) and my hands are the first to get chilly. Eventually I'll get the rest of the plug-in warming gear (jacket, pants and, I hope, socks) and extend my riding season. I had several good choices for the day: Taco Thursday Ride at 3, photography meeting at 6:30 or Quilting Group at 7. Ben came home early and I went R I D I N G and it was JUST RIGHT :) I left at 3, met up with 2 bikers in Redmond (Tad and Dan), met up with 6 more in West Seattle at Endolyne Joe's (Tim, Pat, Big K, DeAnn, Mark, Beth), 2 more at a park (Matt & Sheena, with Tiger Lucy with her pink thong on back) then 10 more in Tacoma for $1 Tacos at The Cliffhouse. We rode along the coast, went around a couple round-abouts 2 or 3 times while cars waited (only one car got a little ticked) with the last stop at DQ for some birthday dessert (substituting pecans for peanuts), thanks Mark, and joyous singing of the traditional birthday song! Wanna know something weird and kinda disturbing? If you don't, then don't continue reading this paragraph and move on to the next instead. When you ride, you should stay hydrated so I kept guzzling water with my tacos. I pottied at the restaurant before we left. About 30 minutes later when we stopped in Point Defiance Park along the 5 Mile Drive I went into the forest for another potty break (no bathrooms, great, I hope I didn't get a tick, ESPECIALLY down THERE; thanks, K, for keeping guard). Then at the golf course on the ocean where we stopped for a group photo, I had to go AGAIN and the public bathrooms were locked (so I went over a berm out of eyesight)! Mind you, stripping down with leather chaps, jeans and a hefty belt ain't so graceful). Even went again after dessert (but at least there was indoor plumbing that time). What the HECK?!? Typing the story makes me need to go again... Alright, I'm back. So I left home at 3pm and rolled back in at 11pm. A full day of romping across the coastline with other biker enthusiasts in the PERFECT weather (not too hot, not too cold). The views were magnificent... Mt. Rainier, the Puget Sound, downtown Seattle, the ocean, quaint neighborhoods with meticulously trimmed hedges and blooming foliage of all shapes, colors and smells (oh! the smells while riding --- except when we dropped into Tacoma, then there were patches of STINKY STANK). The NW on a beautiful day is a treat! Here are some pics of birthday friends at Amanda's and some of our ride yesterday (I've noted the one's that I borrowed from Pat's camera).

The following image needs an explanation. Lisa gave me a bag of her old jewelry to tear apart and remake into something fun, so Amanda thought it'd be hilarious to put them all on me at once and take a picture of me looking like Mr. T. Not the most flattering, sure, but my waist looks good (I promise, no photoshop) so I couldn't resist :)

From Pat's camera of us picking up Matt & Sheena. I'm kinda in the middle by myself (4th person from right). From Pat's camera of Mt. Rainier. From Pat's camera riding through Point Defiance Park. From Pat's camera when we were stuck in traffic. From Pat's camera (is that Tacoma Narrows Bridge?)

I'm sure I was saying something funny and that's why some heads are aimed my direction ;p

Tana's hubby, Scott, my riding buddy :) I'm showing you how helmet hair and riding does NOT make me look very attractive, and I'm happy with that because riding with cool, down to earth people ROCKS!