Suzapalooza 2011

There is something totally awesome about having your birthday feel like a national holiday- at least among your very tight-knit circle of friends and family.

We woke up in a cloud at the lake on my birthday, content to know the sun would burn it off and expecting a full day of fun ahead.

I barely had time to peel my eye lids apart before the girls were shoving presents my way.  Ella braided me a friendship anklet (all by herself) and Maya made me a lovely beaded necklace.  Sandi bought me a pair of Nike Free sneaks to help me transition to "barefoot" running and the Vibram 5 Fingers that are coming in the mail (a story for another time). I love that my three girls know me so well.

I welcomed 35 with an enthusiasm that surprised me.  I love my thirties and why should 35 be any different?  My life seriously gets better with each passing year and I am holding fast to that plan I can tell you.

One of the things I love so much about having my birthday party be an annual event is that, while it is fun to be celebrated, this party is as much for everyone else as it is for me.  I guess you can't help it when you're talking about a gorgeous August day on the beach with the world's best people.  And I can't help but love knowing that Anna says to her mom in exasperation, "Can we PLEASE leave for Suzapalooza now?" 

(Thanks again Matt for coining such an awesome name! I seriously think t-shirts are in order for next year!)

Ella and her posse:

This picture could have a thousand stories to go along with:

Sandi had a red velvet (YUM) cake made with a picture of me and my two thumbs up pose.  It was hilarious and delicious. (And, yes, that is apparently the french spelling of Suzapalooza.)

I LOVE this picture of this unknown little thumb:

I got cards full of love and appreciation, biking and running clothes, gifts of well- being, a gorgeous piece of handmade jewelry, and some really cool headbands.  I just felt so loved and so very, very grateful for my life and the people in it. Instead of a card, Patti made me two blueberry glaze pies.   Save a tree, eat a pie.  Now, that's my kind of eco-friendly motto.

The crew:

Oh, my do I ever love my big sister...

Four lucky, lucky friends:

This cake eating, present opening, love fest was followed by a rousing game of dock Frisbee (pictures courtesy of Emilie).  We were trying to establish what it is that makes jumping off a dock after a flying Frisbee so frigging appealing and all we could come up with was that it is just inherently exciting. 

Case in point:
(poor guy didn't stand a chance on this one but that didn't stop him from trying over and over and over again.  I'm pretty sure he can swim better than me.)

A little healthy competition never hurts either.

(Neither of us managed to catch it but boy did we have fun trying.)

After about 150 attempts, I did finally manage a catch.  The triumph was embarrassingly sublime.  As a former couch potato, these small athletic feats are to be noted, bragged about and documented.  What can I say?

Here's to an awesome year of being 35!