The Double Three...

So, this past week, I turned the big 3-3. Another year has come and gone in the blink of an eye. Since I've always had such an aversion to change, it just drives me nuts how another year has seemed to come and go so quickly. But, aren't the thirties the new twenties?? As a result, I am trying to embrace my second decade of twenties to the best of my abilities! :-)

We actually rang in my thirty-third year in two parts. The first installment was a lovely dinner at my parents' house. Since I was already going to be up there working a three-day stint in the Issy SD while my parents watched Lia, my mom decided to host a little function in my behalf. She made my favorite birthday dinner (that I have been requesting since elementary or middle school....I know, isn't she great?!) of leg of lamb, new pototoes, aparagus, and her world-reknown orange rolls! Also, par my request, she whipped up a homemade rhubard strawberry pie (with rhubard from her garden that my dad actually chopped up for her). The meal was delicious! Ron and my dear friend, Kristina, both joined us after work and we had a delightful evening of delicious food and socializing. When my father and AKW are in the same room, the conversation possiblities are endless. As if this all wasn't enough, my mom topped off the evening with giving me the ulitimate and appropriate gift: a sewing machine. Now, I can finally say that I am an adult! I can't wait to dive into some sewing projects while learning to sew at the same time. Hah! What an adventure that is going to be.


Here we are (minus my father who is taking the pic) in front of the glorious pie that we are about to devour.

The second part of the birthday week was on my actual birthday. Ron decided to spoil me and take the day off from work. This is a treat for me as I love having him home with us. We decided to brush off the dust (and fill up the tires with air) of our beloved beach cruisers that have been seriously neglected and go on a bike ride! This was a first attempt for us since we moved to WA and since we added a baby to the mix. And, I'm happy to report that it was successful! Thanks to Ron's ingenuity, he figured out how to attach the child's seat to his bike (Thanks E & R for dontating it to our cause along with a million other things) and hook the bike rack up on the car. We then did a trial run with Lia on the bike in our little cul-de-sac before venturing out and she actually did okay! She didn't love it, but she didn't hate it. She simply was so in awe of everything speeding by that she sat there soundlessly--jaw agape. Having received "permission" from the little one, we then drove down to a bike trail that is just minutes from our house and pedaled out for an hour on the path. We thoroughly enjoyed being back on our bikes again....reminding us of the glorious days we used to spend cruising up and down the Pacific Ocean in Long Beach as newlyweds. It was a great way to spend my birthday afternoon!


Here is our cute girl all strapped in and ready to go for her first ever bike ride!


Ron and Lia cruising around our cul-de-sac.


Lia and I on the bike path that actually cut through several farms and rhubard and strawberries fields. The scenery was suprisingly beautiful as we had no idea what to expect. We will definately make a habit of doing this as a family activity over the summer months.....that is as long as Ron and I don't get ticketed for not having helmets on (whoops) and Lia keeps her socks on (I guess it's time to break out the shoes).


Ron and I finished off the day with an actual date....something that we have only done a few times since Lia was born. Thanks to wonderful Jessica, who watches Lia whenever I work in P-town, we were able to leave our little one behind and go out to eat. We headed up to the Cheesecake Factory (although Ron said that I should call it the "Cheesycake Factory" due the picture I had him take of me) for dinner and dessert and a stroll around the mall along with half of the teenage population of Tukwila.