Happy Birthday to Collette!

What a fun day I've had! I really lucked out this year with Kevin having his Spring Break the same week as my birthday. It's been so nice having him around all day, especially on my big day! I woke up this morning to Alexa saying "Happy Birday you, mom"! Soooo cute!! Then Kevin made us pancakes for breakfast. After that, we took a drive out to the Louisville Temple as Alexa has been asking for weeks to "go see temple". The weather was beautiful and we had such a nice time just wandering around the grounds and talking to her about the importance of families and temples.

After that, we came home so Alexa and Kevin could give me my presents. Alexa isn't very good at keeping secrets so she'd been telling me for a few days that "mommy present you - movie". When in fact, Kevin had her pick out a soundtrack to a movie for me that I've been wanting forever, but told her it was a movie to throw me off!! Very tricky!! And Alexa was so excited to give me my card...she even opened it for me...as it played music! Kevin also gave me some really nice cookie sheets that I've been wanting forever!

For dinner tonight, Kevin sent Alexa and I out so he could prepare it as a surprise. So we headed to the park to enjoy more of the beautiful weather and we came home to this...

I have been thoroughly enjoying a good Philly cheesesteak lately and had been craving one for quite some time. So Kevin surprised me and decided to make his own version at home. He did a fantastic job...they were so yummy. And he got me two of my favorite flavors of chips to go with it...salt & vinegar and dill pickle. What a great husband, especially seeing as he doesn't care for either flavor!

After dinner, we had cheesecake with fresh strawberries...again, I have the most wonderful husband who made me my most favorite dessert! He's earned some serious brownie points today!! :-)

(after seeing the above picture...I can't wait to be done being pregnant as I'm really starting to look bloated these days...yikes!!)

Anyways, it's been a wonderful day. I've had numerous phone calls, many emails and a fun visit from my fabulous friend Amanda! Not to mention spending all day with my two most favorite people in the world...Alexa & Kevin. I'm a pretty lucky birthday girl!

Birthday Week - Day 2

Kevin surprised me with a package of my favorite candy this morning - Smarties (or for my Canadian peeps - Rockets). Then we decided that since the weather was supposed to be really nice today, we'd take Alexa to the zoo. And we had a great time. We took the stroller but Alexa wanted to "walk myself" the entire time. She's so independent these days...not to mention pretty well potty-trained. She took to it like a duck to water! I don't remember the last day we had an accident and since we started just over 2 weeks ago, she's only had a couple of accidents! I rarely even have to ask her if she needs to go anymore, she just always tells me!! Yay for her!

This was the first time we took her to the petting zoo within the zoo and she loved it. They let her use a brush to give the goats a rubdown and she thought that was pretty fun!

Then my day ended with dessert at The Cheesecake Factory with 3 of my fabulous friends, Rachael, Waveney and Taffney. Thanks ladies for a fun evening out!

Birthday Week

Day 1 of my Birthday Week has been fun. Despite the cold I'm getting over, it's been a nice day. Kevin told me this morning that I needed to be ready for a hot date tonight, that he had reservations for dinner but wouldn't tell me where...I just had to be in dressy casual attire. Fun...I love surprises!! I admit that I'm a bit spoiled with my Birthday Week...but I don't feel bad about it. :-) The way I see it, since I love birthdays, why not stretch out the celebrating???!!!

Me and my man just before heading to dinner.

Since moving to Louisville, and especially since moving to the neighborhood we live in now, Kevin and I have enjoyed trying out the new and different restaurants near our home. Tonight, he took me to a place called Varanese on Frankfort Avenue and OH MY...I will be dreaming about my meal for a very long time!!!

Here it is...

(sorry, I didn't think to take the picture until I'd already made a dent in it!!)

It was a prosciutto wrapped chicken breast, stuffed with mozzarella cheese with creamy risotto and grilled vegies! The risotto was to die for! We love LOVE the Food Network and they are always talking about, making, etc. risotto but we had yet had the opportunity to try it. Our first taste did not disappoint in the least. It was so creamy and so yummy! And for a little more upscale place with a live jazz band, a tiled waterfall wall AND amazing food, the prices were very reasonable. We definitely recommend it to anyone!

Happy Birthday to me...I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!! :-)

Thanks babe for a fun evening!