Birthday weekend

My birthday is tomorrow! I always get super excited about my birthday, and this year I'm trowing a little shindig with some gal and guy friends. There will be lots of treats (I've been baking cookies for a few days) and a couple tasty beverages. I am a bit bummed, as I ordered some stripy straws and they didn't arrive, but the rest of my plans are coming together.

Today, I made lip balm for party favors. I have wanted to do this for a while, and I figured my friends are pretty good guinea pigs and they will be honest about texture and usefulness. It was super fun and easy.

If you are interested, it went like this:
4 Tablespoons organic beeswax, shaved for easy melting
2 Tablespoons Coconut oil
1 teaspoon honey
5-8 drops of your favorite essential oil

I also want to share a present my sister gave me:

She had a stamp made with my name from the Etsy shop Primele.
I love it! Happy birthday to me!

Ben's 3rd birthday party!

Dan and I drove up to Champaign to celebrate my nephew's 3rd birthday. There were so many kids! The pool was set up outside, with sidewalk chalk and bubbles. The parents were filling in the gaps, making sure plastic bats weren't being swung too close to other children and towels were at the ready when it was time to go in for cake and presents.


Ben had an Airplane theme - as that is his passion at the moment. The cake (a few pictures down) was made by Nanny Rebekah and Jessie, and it had a runway and airplane, and all of the kids got to take their own airplane home in the grab bags Ben was happy to give out when they arrived. The big hit seemed to be the blow toy - the kind that unrolls when you blow into it, making it look like a big, long, tongue.




Look at all these kids!





Here's the birthday boy in the captain's hat I was lucky to find. Such a fun birthday!

Recap

Dan and I went to Bloomington this past weekend so I could 1) support Kristy in her journey to compete in the national competition for Male Impersonators, and 2) celebrate my birthday with some friends.

Friday night Kristy had a benefit show at the Bistro, with all proceeds going towards paying for her competition in March down in Oklahoma. Like most shows at the Bistro, this was awesome. There were some great drag queens there, each with some sort of national title (now or in the past), and Kristy's performances were also amazing to watch. The crowd was huge, and with the cover charge and the performer's tips, she made $300 over her goal. Yay Devin!

Saturday I met up with Kristy, her sister Keri, Val, and Trish, to go bowling. Some may scoff at the idea of bowling, but it is so much fun. My first three throws were all strikes, which prompted Dan to threaten to take me around in C-dale as his ringer to make some extra cash. We all had a great time, even with the legion of small children that were running and screaming about. Lots of cakes and party hats. Multiple birthday celebrations were happening at once. It was a bit overwhelming, all those kids being around so many loose projectiles.

Dan got me a pair of head phones for a present, which I got to pick out, and I pretty much wear them all the time now. The car ride home I was in my own head phone world, and last night, sewing was a dream. No more ear buds to hurt me! Thanks Dan!

My friends also made me feel super special, what with all of them having ridiculous schedules and they each carved out a bit of time. Alex had dinner with me on Friday and gave me a bunch of wine, and Kristy pulled some heart strings with a mess of photos of the two of us along with the sweetest little wooden box with a carved tree in the front. Inside was a compass ring. A compass ring! How great is that?!

This week will fly by, and next weekend I'm going to babysit my niece and nephew so the Parents can celebrate their many years together. It isn't their wedding anniversary, but their dating anniversary. 11 years my brother and his wife have been together. Whew!

I spoiled the kitties with tuna before posting, and they are now happily taking a full-belly nap on the living room chairs. Dan is cleaning up the dinner dishes, and in a bit we'll watch an episode of Band of Brothers. The little house here on Friedline is cozy and happy.