Red Pencils and Running Shoes

 

Last year I met a friend of mine for lunch on my birthday.  We hadn’t known each other very long, and I’ve never much liked being the center of attention, so I hadn’t exactly been walking around announcing “tomorrow is my birthday!” to everyone I met.  When I met my friend for lunch, I whispered to her: “I have a secret… today is my birthday!” 

This year, the same friend wouldn’t let me forget that last year I ambushed her with my little surprise.   She and another one of my best friends from work started out Birthday Week last Monday at Mexican Post.  For those of you not well acquainted with Philadelphia – this restaurant does Mexican food RIGHT.  And when a girl has a craving for chips and salsa, there’s no better place to go.  Add a mango margarita, and some silly gossip,and you’ve got yourself a fantastic girls night.  I am so grateful to have these girls in my life… I honestly don’t know how I’d get through the work day without them!

Tuesday continued the festivities with a firm-sponsored Happy Hour after training.  Can I just mention how wonderful it was to have training during birthday week?  What a nice change of pace!  It was good to know that I’d definitely get out of work before 7:30 on my birthday

Thursday, May 13, was my actual birthday.  I turned the big 2-4, and celebrated with my family and fiancée at my new favorite place – Lourdas in Bryn Mawr.  Lourdas is the smallest little hole in the wall by the Bryn Mawr train station, and their food is to die for. 

(see how tiny and cute?! source.)

My parents were so generous – they brought me flowers, paid for our delicious gyros (and Melitzanosalata, an eggplant and pepper dip.  I could have licked the bowl of this stuff… so good!  And their hummus was incredible – even Robert was eating it.  That’s a huge compliment!)

The ‘rents also contributed to the “Cassie Wants a Garmin” fund, and my brother finished it off.  That night, I went straight home and ordered my new best friend… which arrived today!  So excited to take her for a whirl   hehe

Now Friday…. Friday was amazing.  Whenever we have training, it’s more or less understood that we get a half day on Friday.  But this time was different.  On this Friday, we only stayed until 10:45.  I took the 11:15 home, and read my book the whole way.  And got home and read my book in my pj’s until I finished it.  And grabbed another book and headed to my nearest outdoor dining establishment and did this:

With this charming dining companion:

Ok so maybe I just liked to pretend I was eating with that handsome fellow.  I want a puppy so badly!  But I consoled myself by doing more of this in Suburban Square after my lunch:

Reading in the sunshine by a fountain in my favorite shopping center?  Happy Birthday to me.  I took a break from my reading to do a little bit of shopping and get a mani/pedi at my favorite salon, and then Robert and I headed out to watch the Flyers make history.  (Unfortunately.  Rangers fans, remember?)  Things might have gotten a little silly after a few Yuenglings and a rockin’ DJ…

Clearly I needed sleep after that exhausting day   But not too much sleep – there was fun to be had on Saturday too!  Robert and I had promised each other bikes as an anniversary gift, and Saturday was the first time we’d had a chance to go shopping.  We ended up at Target, and took Robert’s little civic.  We assumed (yes I know what assuming does…) that the bikes would be sold in a box to be assembled at home, and we’d have NO PROBLEMS fitting the bikes in the car.  Epic fail.  Target was oh-so-kind enough to let you wheel their bikes to the register and buy them pre-assembled.  “Sweet,” we thought, “we’ll just pop the front wheel off and fit them in the back seat.”  Epic fail v2.0.  The brakes were on too tight to release the wheel, and we didn’t have the proper tools.  Luckily I saw this in the distance: 

We rode our bikes to Lowe’s, and after buying a $2 piece of 8ft molding, loaded our bikes into the Lowes rent-a-truck, and drove home. I don’t know what we’d have done without that beast of a truck! 

(Or lovely bikes in their new home. They are Schwinn Gateway Hybrid Bikes)

We got home just in time to get dolled up and meet some friends  out for dinner and drinks in the city.  Robert was a doll and organized all of my friends to celebrate my birthday.  I missed a few good friends, but I got to see a lot of my closest friends.  It meant so much to me that they came into the city just for me!

There were many Magic Hat #9’s, a great burger, and a lot of dancing – I couldn’t have asked for more!  I truly have the best friends in the world, and they helped make this the best birthday in a long time!  I hope my 24th year is just as good as my 24th birthday!

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Ok so let me gush for a hot second.  Today marks two things:  1) this is Robert and my fifth anniversary of our first date!  Who knew that being late for econ class my freshman year would turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to me?

2)  One year until our wedding!  I was so excited to see that April 30 was a Saturday… and to see that my venues all had the date open.  I thought it was so fun (and easy to remember) that our wedding date had such significance  for us!
Anyway, I am so excited and I just wanted to share with you all!  I’ve gotta run – unfortunately I can’t celebrate our anniversary with Robert (long story – he has an alumni event at SJU tonight… usually I have one on the same night, but mine is next week!)  Since I can’t celebrate with Robert, who better to spend the day with than one of my best friends?!  My matron of honor and I have a hot date with a phenomenal greek restaurant and a bottle of wine.  I even bought her flowers – how romantic right?!  So excited <3

Happy Friday!!  One year til the wedding!!!!

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Good morning friends!

I am SO glad it’s Friday.  Between my [parked] car accident on Monday, and all the late hours we’ve been logging all week, I’m ready for a break.  Unfortunately, the weather man is predicting a “paralyzing” amount of snow for this weekend, so I might be forced into taking a break – we might be snowed in!  Maybe it will be for the best… maybe I’ll finally get to finish Breaking Dawn

Anyway, I have exciting news for you all!  Today, I’m featured as a Guest Bender on one of my favorite blogs: Eating Bender.  Jenn was so gracious to include me as a guest poster this week, and I had so much fun writing a post about my wedding.  I hope you all check it out!

Speaking of weddings, I wanted to show you guys the venue we looked at last weekend.  Robert, my mom, and I drove up to Normandy Farms to have a looksie – and we loved it.  Take a look for yourself:

I love all the little details in the ballroom, and the fact that it was converted from an actual old barn dating back to the 1800′s!  I didn’t take a good picture of the silos, but they were built right into the room and provide little spaces for your coffee bar or wedding cake.  It was so neat!

Last weekend, I also had the opportunity to ask my Matron of Honor to be in my wedding.  We were roommates in college, and so we relived some of our college days with chinese delivery, girl talk, and lifetime movies (the pregnancy pact was actually pretty good!)  Here we are on new years eve:

She’ll be standing up with me, along with my maid of honor (my best friend since 1st grade!)  and 3 of my other best girls.  I can’t wait!

Anyway, gotta get hoppin on this Friday.  Make sure you check out my guest post on Eating Bender!

xoxo,

Cassie

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