reaping what i sow.

if there's one thing you should take away from me, it's that advertising your birthday for 364 days TOTALLY PAYS OFF... making for a very worthwhile 365th {birth}day.

most of my waking hours were spent at the udot engineer's conference.  i mean, f-u-u-u-n!

1,500 engineers with plaid shirts and scales

and all sorts of threats of engineers popping out of cakes

or an engineer choir rendition of the happy birthday song.

but the real celebrations kicked off when my tentacles gathered at the copper onion and fulfilled all of my wishes for a happy birthday {good food, lots of talk, and forever laughter}.  then onto gourmandise for 17 desserts.

holly, ashlee, brooke j

jen, me, and brooke e.

as for the trauma of opening birthday presents,

i managed to supress the problem for another year.

and i don't know why... because this year they were alllll the same:

checking the mail on monday night - anthro gift card

fedex overnight, hand delivered to me at the conference - anthro gift card

late night private, fearful present opening session - anthro gift card

predictable, eh?

{but totally awesome}

aside from being completely occupied with the conference {like, assembling basketball hoops and eating mass-catered banquet food}, i made it a rule to never answer my phone on my birthday.  unless you're my mom or dad.  i always answer for the people who made my birthday such a thing. voicemails collect and i laugh in bed at the end of the day and listen to all the sing-song messages and well wishes on speakerphone.

so much love came my way.

THANK YOU:

jen, brooke, brooke, ashlee, holly, robin, jacque, meleea, trevor, oksana, bristyl, bennett, tazia, catherine, the shaum's, april, andi, mom, dave, monique, beth, greg, ryan, cindy, darin, dad, alex, danielle + her art students, lara + her 7th graders, bryan, sandy, lisa, gabe, lynn, melissa, donna, erin, chelsea, matt, judy, heidi, nina, traci, bessie, anna, kelly, kristina, kinsey, mandy, ali, jenna, amanda, jeff, jan, lindsey, michelle, becky, andrea, erin, hanna, tim, heidi, tana, shelly, lauren, anne, maddy, emily, annie, rhiannon, sheena, rosalyn, tiffany, christian, robin, matt, jillian, hillary, craig, bill, erin, hali, sierra, joy, andrea, andy, katrina, dave, cathy, kim, jenny, heather, carrie, ruthie, janet, and greg.