Hey fraaaands,

I turned thirty four!

I like this age.  I’m feeling motivated, creative, and due to some recent setbacks, so grateful for everyone and everything I have.  I am really, really lucky.  I had the best of fun in my twenties, but my thirties feel… calm.  And right.  Still exciting, but in a more grounded way.  I’m thrilled about the future and I feel like I’m on the right path.  Late early thirties… I think I love you.

Almost every year it’s a million degrees on my birthday, and therefore every year I torture my loved ones with a sweltering outdoor patio party.  But this year it was cold.  In June?!  The horror!

And so we celebrated my 34th atop the freezing cold roof of the Magic Stick where free hot dogs, pizza, and terrible techno music were provided.

Here are some instant film shots from the night.

Those shots were taken with a Fuji Instax Mini.  I.Love.That.Camera.  The photos are miniature, about the size of a credit card.  Find me a person who doesn’t love something miniature!

Actually don’t because they’re probably dumb.

I got some pretty rad gifts too, so I thought I’d share.

This particular gift combines two of my very favorite things – Cats and Organizing.

The pre-printed grocery checklist is extremely helpful as I often forget to buy lard and extracts when I’m at Target.

But wait!

This next gift ALSO combines two of my very favorite things – Cats and Crafts.

You see, you cut out these naked cats…

And you dress them up in these fancy little outfits.

And then you act out conversations between them about Charles Dickens over high tea and lady fingers.

And why don’t husbands understand the excitement over fancy cats in fancy outfits?

Puzzling.

Courtney Fischer necklace? Yes please!

Big, bold, black & gold earrings?  Give them to me!  Wait, they’re already mine.

This adorable print from my list of etsy favorites. LOVE!

Mike D gifted me a white Moroccan pouf which I have been coveting forever.  But in true Mike D style, he didn’t order it in time to arrive for my birthday so he gave me this instead.

What a boob.

But due to the powers of the internet, it has since arrived in the mail and I can show it to you!  hooray!

Put a dog on it is the new put a bird on it.

WHATTAMUFFIN!

On Friday, Mike D and I attended a charity event for the Detroit Opera House called Bravo! Bravo!  This was our third year in a row, and it’s So. Much. Fun.

It’s a lavish party where everyone dresses like it’s prom and overindulges in free boozes and foods.  We wear sparkles.  We eat sushi, tuna tartare, and mini trifles.  We throw back shots of tequila.  We drink every flavor of vodka.  We ogle at local celebrities.  We dance to awful Michael Jackson remixes.  We curse the invention of high heels.

Oh, and photo booth strips!

A free photo booth is provided every year, to which we always oblige.

The theme for each frame is as follows (because there should always be a theme).

1.  Angry woman with a fork
2.  I’m not here to make friends
3.  Grandma
4.  What have I done?!

Alright, enough with the partying, I have things to do. You know, refinish a dining room table, paint the dining room, teach the puppy to stop pooping in the living room, etc.

By the way. Thank you SO MUCH for the thoughtful comments on my last post.  You guys are seriously the business.

Oh, and another thing.  I changed web hosts recently and all your wonderful  comments disappeared!

I know!  I KNOW.

But.

I had already memorized every wonderful comment ever written on this here blog and have them saved in that special part of my brain that can still recite all the dairy queen frozen misty flavors in under 3 seconds and will never forget all the lyrics to every campfire song ever written.

xoxo.