Birthday Celebrations

We celebrated my birthday a few weeks ago and had a lot of fun.  My birthday fell on a Monday this year, so the celebration started over the weekend.  It was fun to spread it out! 

We hadn't been to the beach yet this summer, and I'd been wanting to, so on Saturday JW took me.  We got up and headed out fairly early and spent the morning on the beach in Galveston.  I set up camp with my towel and a book in the sand while JW took off to explore.  It wasn't long before he was out of sight.  There is just something about the smell of the ocean and the sound of the waves that just feels like summer fun.  It was great.  We enjoyed jumping over waves and walking on the shore together.  Then, we packed up and headed to lunch.  JW surprised me and we went to the Rain Forest Cafe on the seawall.  We went there on prom weekend when we were dating in high school one year, so it was a fun memory to re-live.

 

Then, on Sunday after church, we headed over to my parents house for a yummy lunch and afternoon by the pool.  My dad made his famous steaks with beans and baked potatoes and I got to open presents... a new stud earing for my cartilage and Marshall's gift cards (which you know I spent in no time)!  It was delicious and we had a blast together as a whole family. 

 

 



Let me paint the picture for you: Girls- at one end of the pool laying out on floats in the water but trying not to get splashed, girl talk, reading, you get the picture. Boys- in the shallow end playing basketball, making lots of noise, competing against one another in game after game of h-o-r-s-e.  So, at one point a creative basketball shot becomes making a basket with me on Hunter's back.  He makes it.  So, Taylor and JW have to follow.  Taylor ups the ante by suggesting Hunter get on my back.  Taylor made it.  So, then it was JW's turn.  I don't remember if he made it or not, but it was an adventure.  Needless to say, there is never a dull moment when we are all together, and I love it.  JW and I would love to have a house like this one day... full of lots of love and memories and never quiet.

 

Are you laughing?  How can you not?

 

Monday was my actual birthday and in true birthday tradition, JW woke me up with breakfast and presents in bed.  He gave me tickets to four different musicals that we can go see together throughout the next year.  I am very excited!

 

 



My co-workers and friends made me feel special at the office too.  Sweet notes, a sign on my door, candy, a cookie delivery from Shay Bear, and mom and Claire to take me to lunch and for a quick Marshall's run of course.  JW picked up take-out for dinner, Momma Hance came over to give me her gift... tickets to see Michael Buble in concert in October (eek!!!) and my mom came over to watch The Bachelorette with me.  It was a good day and a great birthday!  Thanks to all the friends and family who made it special!  Love you!

Happy Birthday to JW!

Last Sunday, JW turned 27 years old and we spent the weekend celebrating.  Friday night we went out to eat at Outback, just the two of us.  It was nice to sit there and talk.  Work has been crazy lately, so it was good for us to get out and spend uninterrupted time together.

Saturday, we celebrated with friends and family and went bowling and then have everyone over to our house for dinner and cake.

Sunday was JW's actual birthday, and as a gift last year, my parent's had given JW Texans tickets to a game of his choice for this season.  He had chosen the Texans vs. Packers game this weekend, so we took an attorney JW works with and his wife.  Neither of them had ever been to a Texans game before, and even though the Texans lost, it was a lot of fun!

Happy Birthday, Joey!  We love you!

Dakota's Puppy Party

After work on Dakota's birthday, I went to watch Claire cheer at a middle school football game.  She is in eighth grade and did a great job!  It brought back Viking cheer memories for me.  So fun!

After the game we headed back to our house for dinner and cake (both for the humans and pups).  We love to celebrate around here, so even a doggie birthday is a good excuse to all get together.  Momma Hance was so sweet to make lasagna for dinner and bring it over since I was working all day.  My mom brought a bundt cake for the humans, and I made cake for the dogs.  I made the same peanut butter dog cake that I made Harley for her first birthday.

 JW and me with the birthday girl

 Family that came over to celebrate with us

The dogs were more challenging to get photos of, but the dogs in attendance were Maximus and Calamity Jane (with Momma Hance) and Noel (with my family).

 We ate in peace with the dogs all in the backyard.  It was pure puppy chaos when we let them all in.

Yes, we even sang "Happy Birthday" to Koda, and then moved the party back outside for the dogs to enjoy their cake.

 

Happy Birthday, Koda monkey!  We love you.

Celebrating a Quarter of a Century

Last weekend I celebrated my 25th birthday, and as my dad put it, I am now a quarter of a century old.  Wow, that sounds old!  On Friday, JW told me he wanted to take me out to dinner to celebrate.  We had things planned with family on Saturday and Sunday, so we were going to go out to dinner just the two of us... or so I thought!  Just before we were about to leave, there was a knock at our door.  JW looked at me and said, "Who's that?"  I didn't know, so we went to the door and when we opened it, look who I found...  Shay Bear flew in from Dallas to surprise me for my birthday!

Turns out, he and Shay had been scheming for a month.  I was so surprised!  I had really been missing my girl friends (who for the most part live in Dallas except for Emily who was out of town this weekend), and started crying after I squealed and tackled her.  My mom had picked Shay up from the airport, so she brought her over and got this picture with Shay's camera when I opened the door.  Love it.  Now all the nagging that JW did to pick up the house all week made sense.  He even made sure the guest room was clean and had fresh sheets and towels.  He's a good husband.

Needless to say, I was happy to share my birthday dinner on Friday with Shay too! :)  We tried to go to Chuy's, but it was packed, so we went to another Mexian resaurant down the street from us called Molinas.  Then, we went to the City Center and walked around for awhile and finished off the evening with Marble Slab... yum rainbow morsels. :)

Saturday morning Shay and I had some good girl time and headed to TJ Maxx/Homegoods while JW worked on bar prep, and then had my favorite for lunch- Cafe Express.  My parents had invited us over to swim in the afternoon, and then my dad grilled us yummy steaks for dinner.  His steaks and baked beans are the best!  Mom got this amazing cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes.  It is now one of my favorites.  It was delicious!

After dinner I got to open presents, and then we played Apples to Apples.  It was a really great day.

Sunday was my actual birthday, and JW and Shay sang to me and I got donuts in bed.  Shay did a great job documenting the morning before they woke me up. :)

Lovely morning pictures...

I got to open my gift from JW, a beautiful gold and pearl bracelet he found pinned on one of my Pinterest boards. He is so resourceful. :)

Everyone came to tell me good morning.

Apparently the girls were tired since JW woke them up to be part of the birthday festivities, so they went back to bed. 

We got ready for church and went to BCF again.  We were slightly late because I was having a wardrobe melt-down and couldn't decide what to wear.  It was fun to have a girl friend there though to give opinions on the 50 different things I tried on. :)  After church we went to Cafe Express again for lunch.  Not very creative, I know, but I did order something different.  I just love that place and have been making up for lost time now that we're in Houston.

After lunch we took Shay back to the airport and ran some errands in the afternoon before Jenn and Momma Hance came over and took us out to dinner to celebrate that night.  It was a great birthday weekend, and I sure felt loved!  Thank you friends and family for making it special!

Birthday Weekend in Sugar Land

Last weekend JW and I headed to the Land of Sugar to celebrate a couple of Mullings' birthdays.  My dad and little sister both have birthdays in February and this year happens to mark big ones for both of them!  Claire turned 13 on February 9th.  The rule mom and dad had for Claire was that she had to be 13 before she could wear makeup, so I went shopping and got her everything she needed to get started as a gift from JW, me, and Taylor.  I had a lot of fun!  So, Claire's party was Friday night.  We got there in time to help mom put the finishing touches on the party, and I got to give Claire a make over with all of her new makeup.  She looked beautiful.

Claire's party was a dance party in the foyer of my parents' house.  Those that know my mom won't be surprised at how amazing everything looked.  Obviously, the theme was a black, white, and red club-like vibe.  Check it out.

One of mom's friends who has a daughter Claire's age made the cake.  Wow, right?  It nearly killed my mom to cut into it.

Look at all the vignettes mom had around the dance floor.  Another one of our family friends who also has a daughter Claire's age happened to have a lot of black and white sassy zebra decorations that fit perfectly with Claire's theme.  The mannequin is wearing the dance-off competition awards that mom made.  At the party, Joey and I judged a dance-off and gave out the best Boy/Girl Dancer awards and the Wish You Could Dance award.  It was a tough decision.  These kids had moves. 

Yummy food table.  We had fajitas for dinner, and along with cake, chocolate covered strawberries and red velvet cupcakes for dessert.  Notice all the red and black... my mom is a detail girl for sure!

Claire and her friends tearing up the dance floor.  At one point I joined them and learned how to Wobble.  It was fun!

JW sporting some of the cool party glasses and enjoying a red strawberry slushy

We were deemed the "cool chaperones"... don't we look cool? :)

Dad and Mom with the birthday girl

Me and Claire Bear

So, in addition to celebrating Claire's 13th, dad turns the big 5-0 at the end of this month.  Hunter had a baseball tournament on Saturday, and we enjoyed getting to watch him play.  It was freezing and of course I forgot my camera... bummer.   :(  We hadn't seen him play baseball this year, and JW was pretty impressed with how athletic Hunt is.  Then, Saturday night we had a birthday dinner to celebrate dad and his upcoming birthday.  My dad is a pretty awesome guy who is very fun and young at heart.  We are pretty lucky to have him.

Chocolate and peanut butter are two of my dad's favorites, so we made a Chocolate-Peanut Butter pie to sink his big candles into. 

When we came out singing, he said we had the wrong numbers on his cake.  Silly dad!  You may not seem 50, but that is how many years you have been a blessing on this earth. :)

We had a great weekend in Sugar Land celebrating dad and Claire.  It was fun to be a part of their weekend, and we look forward to living closer so we can see them more often.

Happy Birthday, Dad and Claire!  You are both loved very much.