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30th Birthday Recap!

I am not one of those people who dread turning another year older.  In fact, I kinda love it.  I feel that every year that I get older is another year past where I earned another little stripe on this badge of life.  I like getting older.  I like being able to say, "When I was 21...."  I like the realization that I know more now as an adult than I did 10 years ago when, incidentally, I was ALSO an adult.

On December 21st, I turned 30 and I got to do so surrounded by some of my favorite people in California!  J took me on a surprise whirlwind trip to California so that I could spend my big day with my cousins.  He's a good man, that one!  

Our quick trip involved champagne by the Golden Gate


Appetizers and cocktails at Water Bar with a view of the Oakland Bridge



Dinner to celebrate J's birthday (the day before mine) at the Brixton in San Francisco


Each thing we did was a surprise...when we got up on Saturday, we left to pick up my cousin and got in the car for a few hours to my next and biggest surprise:  going to see my beautiful cousin J and her family!  I don't often get to see them and spend time with them when we visit, so it was a great surprise!  We spent my birthday night doing what I love:  eating yummy dinner, laughing, catching up and enjoying some wine.  It was perfect!



I even got a birthday tiara!!
It was awesome!  Everything was so wonderfully thought out and planned by everyone.  From places to eat, to places to stay to my favorite birthday dessert (chocolate mousse!), it really was a group effort. 

30 is looking good, y'all! 

"At age 30, one receives strength." 
--Talmud

"The only time you really live fully is from thirty to sixty. The young are slaves to dreams; the old servants of regrets. Only the middle-aged have all their five senses in the keeping of their wits."
-- Hervey Allen

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