Birthday Party in a Box

My youngest brother Jesse is serving and LDS mission in Louisville, Kentucky. He has already been out for over 6 months, which is just crazy to me! Time has flown by :) His 20th birthday was last Monday, so Evan (the middle brother) and myself put together this "birthday party in a box"!

Guys. A MINI PINATA. OK? OK.

We threw in a 'Happy Birthday' banner, candles, candy, party hats, tabletop tennis, a piñata, candy and some letters from us and a few of his friends. 

Obviously needed some Monster to get through the day haha

Evs had fun stuffing the mini piñata, it's so cute I'm gonna dieeeeeee.

He got his box last weekend, and he looked like he had a blast with it! Happy birthday Elder Jess :) 

Funfetti Cupcakes

I promise this will be my last post about my birthday! I don't feel too bad about the birthday overload though because it's one of my favorite times of the year. September brings a fresh start, and since my birthday is on the 28th then I get the chance to decorate for one of my favorite holidays! 

Growing up my mom would create and host these awesome themed birthday parties, then once I got into high school I started planning them on my own (with help of course) and would throw one of the biggest parties in my grade each year. It was practically the only party that my high school peers would go to with no alcohol, but was still a blast haha

My sophomore year of college I hosted a Barbie & Ken dance party for my birthday, then after that I've gone relatively low-key in the party realm. I'm now more about quality than quantity when it comes to birthday soirees. 

Everyone I know has such crazy schedules with being married or dating, school, work, and just life in general. But, I love that despite their busy lives my friends make the time to come and celebrate. That's become one of my favorite parts of my birthday, is seeing all my friends and fam come together to enjoy a fun night topped off with funfetti cupcakes :)

Anaphora Top from Anthropologie 

Cupcake tree from Home Goods 

Halloween tablecloth from Target

Happy Birthday!

Today I turn 23 years old! My dad texted me today that I'm "rich in things money doesn't buy," and I would have to wholeheartedly agree :) 

Photography by LC Photography

Dress: Anthropologie

Shoes: Lulu*s

Happy Birthday Darling

Today is my best friend's birthday, and all he wants is pineapple upside down cake. Well, and a steak dinner later this week at our favorite Texas de Brazil {but that's neither here nor there.} After 2.5 years of marriage and 3 tested cake recipes...I think I finally found the one. It's fluffy, light, and oh so delicious. Quoting Ryan: "It's probably the best cake I've had...ever."

Ryan & I are not keen on being super sappy on social media, but for his birthday I'll make an exception ;) When I look back at our time together so far, it seems likes we've always been together. We were like two peas in a pod from the moment we met, then everything after that just fell so perfectly in to place. I love how we are such a complement to one another, and working as a team towards our dreams in life. I'm so grateful to have such a sweet and thoughtful best friend to try out more pineapple upside down cake recipes on for many more years to come. Happy birthday my darling.

I'm Feelin' Twenty-TwoOooOo

This past Saturday was my 22nd birthday! I feel so young when I think about how much life I still have ahead of me, but also feel proud for what I've accomplished in my 22 years here. I conquered skin cancer, been married almost 2 and a half years, have held down 3 awesome jobs, am working on improving my musical talents, will be a college graduate in April of 2014, and have awesome relationships with friends and family. I am pretty blessed if I do say so myself.

On my birthday eve, Ryan took me out shopping and I found some amazing bargain pieces at Loft and American Eagle! {I'll share soon ;)} Then we ate at Firehouse subs before we went over to watch Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2. Ummm, cutest movie ever & definitely just as fun as the first movie. I'm so glad it came out on my birthday weekend, it just had to be fate!!!

Saturday was a busy day, I had dance practice at noon followed by a choir retreat from 1-4pm. I quickly ran some errands then went home to prepare for the small party I was having! I just wanted something low-key with cake and some of my favorite people. It was a blast catching up with old friends and having an excuse to see them all!

Allll the way back in 2009, I graduated high school and left 2 weeks later for college. Best decision ever. I met some of my now closest friends that summer, and love that I was able to share the "college experience" with them! So of course we had to take a "Freshmen summer reunion" picture to commemorate :)

Well my friends, that just about wraps up my birthday post. We all know how much I love birthdays, and I'll admit I love having the attention on me and getting fun presents....but what I love the most is having my closest friends and family nearby so I can share how grateful I am to have them in my life. 

Preparation

Guess what...my birthday is NEXT SATURDAY. I finally get to run around singing: "I don't know 'bout you...but I'm feelin' TwEnTY TWOOOOoo!" And yes, I make it a big deal every year by texting out a countdown to my family. I'm sure it's not annoying or anything ;)

Friday Ryan will take me out for food and to scour the outlet mall for any fun goodies, then after a choir retreat on Saturday I want to have a 'lil get together with some of my favorite people for a night full of cake & games. I'm so stoked!

You know what this time of the year also means? HALLOWEEN. I've already taken out the decorations and started dusting them off to prepare for some Hocus Pocus-watching and Halloween decorating this next week. Hmmm, ya. You could say I'm pretty happy right now.

Happy weekend!

Bri

Missionary Picture Book

As a belated birthday/mission present, I'm making Evan a little picture book to take with him for his 2-year mission in Mexico.

This way he has pictures to show the people he is teaching who his family is and where he is from.

It's also to make sure that he remembers what we even look like when he is out there!

These are only some of the collages and pictures I pulled together of friends/family & of Evan's projects or adventures. Can't wait to see what he thinks of it all :)

Evan goes into the Provo MTC two weeks from tomorrow, so excited for him!

He'll be there learning the language for 6 weeks then he is off to Villahermosa, Mexico {down south, near the Guatemala border}.

So be expecting some creative missionary packages to be featured here on the blog :)

{I've already pinned a truckload of ideas to my 'Missionaries' board}

Any good ideas of what to send to missionaries living in another country?

An Ice Skating B-Day Bash

{Blaine, Alayna, myself & Ryan being the bomb dot com on the ice}

This past Friday we went out ice skating for our friend Alayna's birthday!

This was Ryan's FIRST TIME EVER ice skating...ohhhh boy.

We went to the 7 Peaks Ice Arena in Provo, when Ryan and I finally showed up {fashionably late}, the Zamboni was out on the ice doing his work for almost a half hour.

{What the deuce!!}

When it was finally done, we see this couple skate onto the fresh ice...

then he proceeds to get down on one knee.

Do you know what our 'lil group paid attention to when this guy was proposing?

The back of his shirt, which said "Sex Wax" on it.

Referring to a surfboard wax...but still.

That's what you chose to wear when proposing to the love of your life?!

Ummmmm, ya.

 I'd tell that guy to try re-proposing.

The newly engaged couple finally got their bums off the ice so the rest of us could skate!

Ryan refused to hold my hand for fear that if he biffed it that I would be pulled down to my almost certain death, so romantic :)

We skated the night away until we went back to Blaine & Alayna's for some delicious Mississippi Mud Pie Brownies & Funfetti with Strawberry frosting cupcakes {made by Erin}.

YUMMMMMMMMM.

Then the group spent the rest of the night watching Pitch Perfect....HILARIOUS.
Anyone who doesn't think Pitch Perfect is funny, definitely has a problem.
We didn't get home from partying up a storm
and actually go to sleep till 1 am {which is late for us old married folk}.
Oh I know, we are living the life ;)

You guys do anything fun this weekend??

when i'm left to my own devices

One of Ryan's friends went down to UNLV {Las Vegas} to check out the dental school and he asked Ryan to accompany him. 

I, of course, being the amazing wife I am, gave the stamp of approval for him to have a fun couple of days so I could have the house to myself :)

The picture above is a birthday package I got in the mail from my best friend Sam.

She modge podged glitter onto a Martinelli's bottle for my 21st b-day!

A good start to my weekend :D

Last night I had time to decorate the front of the house with spider webs and glittery spiders! 

Then I ran into a real spider and it's real web and almost fell off the chair I was standing on.

I met up with some of my favorite peeps after work today.

Kyla, baby Hunter and I hit up Ross in search for shoes andddd we came out with sweaters & pants.

Funny how that works out.

Then we talked each others ears off at In-N-Out which wrapped up an awesome afternoon!

After such a busy day I went home and lounged around, talked to the husband, and fell asleep.

Then I woke up and realized that I would be late to a blogger meet-up that I had been invited to.

I was him hawwwing, thinking that it would be over or that I would be too late, then the husband texted me and said:

"Honey it will be fine. Come on, you look hot and need to strut your stuff."

I read this text and my heart melted {mostly because he is such a dweeb}, so I decided to get my buns out of bed, get ready and go.

Which I'm so happy I did!

I was a little quieter than usual, but it was because I wanted to get to know everyone by asking them questions. I had a super fun time and was glad that I was encouraged to go :)

Then I grabbed a CPK pizza from Smiths, ate the whole thing and now I'm catchin' up on some Modern Family...

and it's just hitting me how much I miss the husband.

Good thing he is back tomorrow and then it will be time for the PUMPKIN PATCH.

STOKED.