Happy Thursday

So as it turns out, this week has been quite good.

First off, I managed to track down this month’s issue of Creating Keepsakes and was psyched to see what was inside:

EEEEEEEEE!!! You would not believe how excited I was! And still am! I submitted it, along with a few other layouts, back in November, not anticipating it would ever be chosen. But when it was, I was blissfully surprised! Waiting to see it actually come to fruition has been the hardest part! I have a few more layouts that will be published in the coming months and I’m feeling super grateful for this funny little hobby called scrapbooking…

This past Saturday was my mom’s birthday, so the two of us spent some time in one of our favorite cities: Pasadena. I would pack up and move there in an INSTANT! Something about it really resonates with me. Maybe it’s because of the proximity to Dots Cupcakes. Quite possibly it’s because of the cupcakes:)

Then on Sunday, John and I woke up early so we could get breakfast at Disneyland! It turned out to be a gorgeous spring-y day and I got to wear my new giant hat!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week!

Janelle’s Tea Party

This past weekend, my dear friend Janelle had the best little tea party birthday. It was a feast for the senses! The tablescape was so beautiful and charming, the tiny food was delectable, and the company was wildly entertaining – such a wonderful afternoon spent with excellent people.

How cute is this table???

The beautifully handcrafted menus, designed by Janelle.

Enjoying each other’s company, as always. Something tells me this shot had something to do with Heather’s bar endorsement (ha!).

What is it about little food that is so appealing? These tea sandwiches were AMAZING!

The lovely Angie.

I was especially taken with this fabulous tea set. I love the leaf motif!

Janelle, thank you again for such a wonderful time!

Big Weekend

Five crazy years of togetherness…

This past weekend turned out to be quite epic! On Friday, John and I celebrated FIVE years together! Holy moly! I can’t believe it’s been that long! We started dating when we were 17 and here we are now…

Catching up on our holiday reads.

We celebrated with dinner at BJ’s and then strolled Barnes and Noble for a little while. The perfect evening for both of us.

Is he not the cutest little pup you ever did see?

Saturday was filled with time spent with Murphy, the adorable little puppy shown above. He is John’s family’s newest dog and he is an absolute LOVE! We also enjoyed  fabulous wining and dining at Macaroni Grill with John’s whole family – good company, good food, good conversation, great time!

The most beautiful birthday card I ever received! Thank you, Gen!

And of course, yesterday was my 23rd birthday! First, John took me to Disneyland for a few hours so that I could get my 72 dollar D-Land gift card. Since this is Disney’s year of get-in-free-on-your-birthday, annual passholders like ourselves have the option of either a super fast-pass or a gift card worth one day’s admission to a single park. That took me 0.2 seconds to decide which option I would choose -  money please! The best part of all is that they already have the park bedecked for the holidays and I am telling you – if you ever get a chance, go to Disneyland during the holiday season. It is an absolute wonder to the senses – just magical!

Even the vehicles get in the spirit of things!

Then we went back to my house, where my parents made me an excellent dinner followed by fabulous cake and gifts! I am so grateful to be able to spend time with my family, especially on my birthday. I have a feeling this is going to be a great year!

I went to bed a very happy 23 year old last night…

Early Birthday Present

A very nice birthday gift, indeed.

The other day as I was shuffling through the mail (hoping a holiday-themed magazine had arrived), I noticed a package from Anthro, addressed to me! So obviously I ripped that baby open and to my happy surprise – it was a birthday card to be used as a 15% off coupon in the month of November! Wow, Anthro, nice move. Very nice move. Although for a paper lover like me, I’m not so sure I want to surrender the card over – it’s too beautiful! Haha! Beggars can’t be choosers, I guess:)