Sushi and Crepes - The Finale.

Thursday, the day after my Birthday

So, BROTHER 1 was assigned Thursday.

Sorry to put you on blast BROTHER but I wasn't convinced you'd come through for me.

I can be pretty determined (obviously) and I IM'd my big brother a couple of times. Both times with a message about what time it was, and how many hours were left in the day for him to get it done!

And after a staff meeting, I returned to my office to find twenty Sobe Green Tea's! And well, you know how I feel about Sobe's. Inspirational!

My company had a Summer Party Lunch Luau (yes, I wore my muumuu) and I was convinced they had planned this to celebrate with me!


And though, I should have had another fabulous day, that damn niggling feeling from the day before (SOCKS !?!) was bothering me.
In the morning, it just sort of pestered me. Somehow by the end of the day, that mild annoyance turned into full blown hysteria (the power of autosuggestion).
It's a funny thing the mind. When you start to follow a train of thought, all the weird and wondrous directions it decides to go and the conclusions you so often come to. Because of my absurd imagination, I started to wonder about of a couple of my friends who, normally text to see if we should do dinner or something when it's my birthday .. and I didn't get those text messages this year. Such a girl.


I called The SAINT latter in the day TRIPPING out about doing something or getting something better than socks.
And if you know me, if I get too pissed off, I'll cut you off for a bit, and I was about ready to cut The SAINT off.


The SAINT tried to call me a few times, after I sent an email ranting .. I'm sure it was something like "If you insisted on getting me socks, you should've at least gotten me 30 pairs!" or some other nonsensical idea. But lucky for him/me, not sure, I was in a meeting and I couldn't take his call.


So, The SAINT called SISTER 1. And asked SISTER 1 to throw me a bone.
And, SISTER 1, being the savant she is, came in to see me.
And listened while I tripped out. 
Then told me, "The SAINT has something planned for tomorrow. You need to calm down, and you need to dress better than you have today, because there'll be pictures, and you'll be pissed". 
Now THAT's the way to throw me a bone SISTER!


So, I left the office on Thursday, feeling like a douche but now rather invigorated for my Friday!


Friday ...

SISTER 1 had been appointed commissioner of the Friday celebrations! I wasn't concerned at all.
We'd already planned on getting mani/pedi's after work, and well, it was Friday, who isn't stoked about that?

So, I was treated, again, to some tantalizing sugary treats ... Raspberry Sweet Rolls from Shirley's!
And also, individual serving Martinelli's and a film strip picture frame completed with interchangeable pictures!


My Uncle called to see if we wanted to go to lunch with him at ASTRO, his stomping ground, and so SISTER 1 and I met our Uncle and our cousin at ASTRO. NICE!


While at ASTRO, my favourite KEV-IN-THE-WORLD (KITW for future reference) showed up with a dozen red velvet cupcakes from The Sweet Tooth Fairy (and I didn't even ave to con him into doing it!).


I was riding a high, feeling adored, and left work a bit earlier to go down to Provo and get my nails did with my sis.
We picked up our kids from day care (I know you wonder what happens to my kids all day while I'm slaving away, fear not, they are safe and happy at daycare) and dropped them off to my brother in law and headed south.


SIDE NOTE: UDOT sucks. The I-15 southbound at some points goes from 6 lanes to 2. So frustrating when traffic is bad. I ALMOST turned around, but didn't want to miss my surprise party. HAHAHA.


So, the sister and I went and got a mani/pedi and wondered around the Riverwoods in Provo. 
The wind kept blowing my stupid dress up and since I wasn't sure where we were going, I wasn't sure that me giving everyone (or no-one) a show would be appropriate.
So, we stopped into a store and I bought some clothes, then got changed.


When my sister FINALLY said, time to go, she jumped into the drivers seat of my car and we headed to our destination.
We headed west on University Parkway, and anyone who knows Provo/Orem knows all the restaurants down that street. 
As we drove my each place, my heart was racing as I wondered "is this it" (Mimi's Cafe) or "PLEASE don't be here" (Golden Coral).
As we continued on West SISTER 1 took a left and started to head to ... Walmart. Walmart? Walmart!
We're driving I'm thinking ... What the hell? And then, she flips a U turn at the walmart lights, and we head back east. Phew.
As we started to approach Golden Coral, I'm thinking "HELL NO" and my heart starts beating faster, then we drive past it, again and I'm, again, relieved.
As we started to approach State Street, I started to get excited. 
I love crepes. LOVE them.
And as we head further South, I'm thinking "We're going to Roll Up Crepe" and when my sister flips the indicator on at the lights right beside Roll Up Crepe I raise my hands above my head, all victorious or something and yell "I LOVE CREPES!". 
Yes, this really happened.
When we pull into the parking lot its all blocked off, and I can see a few of my workmates and their significant others and I'm thinking "Is this closed?".
But no, the girl lets us into the parking lot so we jump out and walk on in.
And I stand in the door looking for The SAINT, staring at a few people before a rather delayed, but reasonably enthusiastic "SURPRISE" happens. 
And as I walked in further, I saw some AMAZING family and friends there to celebrate with me.
I swear I had perma-grin, as I walked up to The SAINT, utterly in love, to give him a kiss and say thank you.


He'd organized with the Roll Up Crepe to close their doors for 4 hours so it was just us.
He'd hired the most legit balloon artist guy ever, who arrived with a 4ft balloon imitation of me as Katniss, so the kids would be entertained.
He'd given out name tags prior to my arrival, and asked different people to put words that describe me on their name tags.
He'd also hired his sushi buddy to make sushi for everyone. 


I don't know what I THOUGHT he would do, but it was nothing like this, and, I LOVED IT!!
Good food, good people, good times!


The SAINT confessed to me later that he hadn't lied when he said "I planned something but it fell through", he'd originally planned to have the party soeme where other than The Roll Up, so that portion of the party fell through.
He told me he'd planned on this for months, and he wouldn't just give me socks, and hoped I enjoyed my week, and my party.


What a guy right? Flippin Legend.

Sushi & Crepes - Part Toru

So, if you're still with me, HOW did I celebrate in my own special way?


Why, with a BIRTHDAY (WORK) WEEK of course!


Monday, the beginning of my birthday week...


Usually's Monday's drag a bit right?
And the Monday of my birthday week, well the morning anyway, appeared to be the same type of Monday as all other Monday's. Slow. 


I asked Stephen if we'd do anything, like maybe a dinner or something with our friends on Friday, and he didn't seem interested at all. Slightly disturbed by his indifference, I decided I would do what I could to make sure I was thoroughly entertained throughout the week. 


Mid morning I received a call from the receptionist "You have a delivery here at the front desk!".
To my surprise, one of my awesome co-workers who lives out of state, sent me a delicious edible arrangement (including mangoes, kiwi fruit, chocolate covered strawberries and chocolate covered banana's) I was STOKED!
What a way to start a Birthday week!

But, it gave me an idea.
I thought to myself, to have a Birthday Week that doesn't disappoint me, I'm going to have to assign people specific day's to celebrate me. Conceited, I know. But, it was my Birthday and week and it's my blog so suck it.


To have a successful Birthday Week, which to mean would mean enjoying each day of my week, well, in my mind the best idea was to assign people day's to delight me. So I did. Using the best tool I could think to use, facebook.


I made assignments to my work besty (WB) for Tuesday, BROTHER 1 for Thursday and SISTER 1 for Friday. Pure genius.
I posted comments on their facebook pages, as well as mine, setting my expectations. I actually went so far as to tell them "Don't disappoint me" to be sure I wasn't going to be, well, disappointed. I know, my boldness know's no bounds sometimes.
Obviously The SAINT had Wednesday, my actual Birthday. Obviously.
The SAINT was also pretty damn sick Monday, so I wanted him to rest up for my Wednesday excitement.


So, with my Monday successfully completed I decided it was time to figure out what kind of Celebrations we were going to have for my actual birthday.
I went home and talked to The SAINT and he was rather nonchalant about the entire thing, telling me we could do dinner, but probably just with BROTHER 1 and family, and SISTER 1 and family. He didn't want to do a big thing and organize too many people. I wasn't phased though, I was all gung ho thinking, I'm on a roll with my celebrating!


Tuesday, the day before my ACTUAL Birthday (but also my actual birthday in New Zealand)


The SAINT and I had decided to go to dinner and a movie that night (matinee prices at Megaplex Theaters on Tuesday .. in case you didn't know) so, I knew that Tuesday, was going to be a good day.


And when the WB came upstairs and delivered a baker's dozen cupcakes from my FAVOURITE cupcake shop, The Sweet Tooth Fairy, I was thrilled! 
(Thrilled - not a word I use often, but I'm feeling it right now).

The SAINT was still feeling ill, but like the good man he is, and since we'd planned on it, we went to The District, my movie theatre of choice, and watched Snow White and the Huntsman and ate dinner at Red Robin (YUM) across the road. A good time was had by all.


Wednesday, THE BIG DAY!!!


I awoke to a still somewhat sick husband, who got up and made me a delicious smoothie, got the kids ready and sent me on my merry way.


When I got to work, I was greeted by a surprise in my office thanks to the WB. There were balloons all over the floor and attached to my computer, confetti on every ledge and in every crevice, streamers, just a complete mess. A magical mess none the less. It was AWESOME!

At my morning meeting with my Supervisors, feeling pretty good I might add, I was treated to a very cool Birthday surprise. My team had all gone in on a few things for me, and for my meeting, I got to open a bag of goodies.
There was chocolate, more chocolate, Monsters (a terrible addiction), my FIRST muumuu ever (apparently my face said it all, and I pulled the fingers when I actually opened this sensual flowery red material) and my favourite .. BUNDT CAKES (well, bundtini's from Nothing Bundt Cake). I was feeling too too spoilt, and a little guilty for forcing people to celebrate me on other days, but that feeling was fleeting.

I'd already planned to go The Chocolate for lunch, for a sugar overload with a few work mates so I knew the day was only on the up and up.
While at The Chocolate with my work mates, I received a phone call from The SAINT telling me he was going to come up and see me, since it was my Birthday and all, and I was very excited about that.


I got back to work in time to see The SAINT for just a short time before he had to go back to work, and he brought me a Bundt cake, another tray of bundtini's and .... some socks. 
Socks? 
Socks! 
5 pairs to be exact. Some hiking socks in my favourite colour combination (North Carolina blue and gray) and some socks wrapped together and made to look like cupcakes. Still socks.
I pulled all the paper out of the sock gift bag only to be told "Nope, there's nothing else. Just socks". Just socks.
The SAINT told me he'd ordered my present, but it wouldn't be here til Friday or Saturday, he wasn't sure. My brain was screaming "Why didn't you order it earlier, my Birthday is the same time, every year" BUT because I was too stoked to see The SAINT, I left that little nugget alone.

Armed with MORE cake, I sat in the magical mess, eating cake, working, and basically loving life.


The day rest of the day flew by and for dinner, The SAINT and I and our children hit my favourite restaurant Carrabba's for dinner.
All in all, a rather fabulous day.


But, all was not right in the world. You see, The SAINT, is a grand gesture kind of person to me. I got a new car this past Christmas. I get GOOD presents from him, always. I know it's terrible to expect something good, but, I kind of do. So the fact that I got socks, didn't quite sit right. 
And, after an awesome day, I should have been filled with gratitude because of how it all went. That would be too easy wouldn't it? And so unlike me. So, much like me, a seed of concern had been planted in my mind.


If you're still with me ... I'll finish the rest of this tomorrow. It's a lot, I know, but if you stay tuned, you'll see just how saintly The SAINT really is, and you'll know some people have unfathomable patience, namely, my husband.

Sushi & Crepes - Part Deaux

Alrighty reader, here we go with PART TWO.


So, i went over the fact that I expected a CELEBRATION in PART ONE.
I was pretty blunt about that fact, trying to convince Stephen that he and I should go on a cruise, or a holiday somewhere, you know, typical stuff.


So, I was convinced The SAINT was organizing a surprise party. He'd mentioned a few things here and there prior to June, that lead me to believe I was right. He made an off handed comment when I mentioned I wanted a ridiculously priced gift, something like "I'm planning something, so try not to spend too much money". This I will refer to as supporting fact 1.


So, with my vivid imagination and a dream, I imagined all manner of scenario's, dancing elephants, acrobatic monkey's, Magic Mike (kidding). No, I surmised his plan was to throw a Surprise Party.


I was so confident, I told my friend's in New Zealand, "Yeah, The SAINT is throwing me a surprise party." 


I'm going to type in GREEN, the clues, that supported my belief.


Earlier in the year


A good friend of The SAINT's, an AMAZING photographer and Sushi chef, was on this past season of Survivor. The TV Show.  We went to a Survivor viewing party to support said friend and I noticed The SAINT sneakily whispering to his buddy.


I'm not usually crazy suspicious, but in this case, my spidey senses were tingling, and they're usually pretty on point, so I'll deem this supporting fact 2.



The weekend before the week of my Birthday ...

The SAINT wanted to go to Vegas for the weekend. There was a baptism for a nephew, he had a groupon for a hotel, you know how it goes. Since I'd barely gotten back from NZ (6 days), it was an opportunity for a nice family weekend getaway.


I'd started to doubt the certainty I'd once had about my Surprise Celebration the week before my Birthday.
I sent some emails to The SAINT, fishing for information to confirm or deny a possible surprise party. 


I was shut down, pretty brutally I might add.
While in Vegas, the following happened ...


At the baptism, The SAINT was talking to his Aunty. The portion of the conversation I overheard was "just come to the party next week" which to me, is supporting fact 3. 


A little while later, while hanging out at The SAINTs cousin's house, we were talking about some AMAZING books (not really. Fifty Shades of Grey anyone?) and I think I may have mentioned I was turning 30 the following week. One of the cousins said "Oh we're sorry we can't make it to your party, we wanted to be there" .. supporting fact 4.


By this point I was pretty damn confident i was having a party, and on the drive home Sunday, was feeling rather enthusiastic about my upcoming Birthday.


Sunday Night I say to The SAINT "So, what are we doing for my Birthday?".
In a pretty serious voice he says to me "Okay, so, I originally planned something but, it fell through" and so I'm thinking ok ... supporting facts for surprise party, just blew up. 


SIDE NOTE: The SAINT, is saintly, in that he doesn't lie, ever. He doesn't over exaggerate the truth usually, so I was pretty damn sure whatever he had planned had seriously fallen through. 


So, with one statement, I was POSITIVE my surprise party was no longer. Since it was Sunday, and my ACTUAL Birthday was on Wednesday, I wasn't too worried, I figured, he can plan something last minute, get some family and friends together for dinner, it'll be a good time!


I left it to The SAINT to organize a little something but decided for myself that I was going to celebrate my Birthday in my own special way.


I'm sick of writing for now .. I'll finish the actual birthday week later today.

Sushi & Crepes - Part One.

An odd combination I’ve been told, but when I point to myself, I get a head nod and a “Yeah, that’s pretty you”.

SO, I turned 30 this month. The BIG DIRTY THIRTY. 3 weeks ago to be exact. And being the girl that I sometimes choose to be, I wanted, not just a 30th Birthday Party but a 30^th CELEBRATION ! (cue fireworks and jazz hands). But, in order to fully comprehend the entire situation, I'm going to take you back

A few years ago ...


My birthday is the first week in June. The 6th to be exact. 
When Stephen and I first met, he worked from 2pm to midnight.
At the beginning of every month, from the 6th on, he couldn't request time off or be out of town, it was a requirement of the job.
We would celebrate my birthday on the 5th "because it's the 6th in New Zealand" for the first few years. One year, Stephen wasn't even in the country for the my birthday, so we didn't even do anything. So, you can see, I'm slightly sensitive when it comes to my birthday and my husband.


Fast forward to earlier this year ...


I'm not subtle, clearly, so I made a pretty big deal about the fact that I was turning 30 this year.
All year. 
I was pretty vocal about the fact


Last month ...


In May,  I went to New Zealand for 7 days. A VERY short trip, with a specific purpose, namely, BROTHER 3's wedding.
Why only 7 days you ask? Because, I had to work, and ... I went to New Zealand in March.
"YOU WENT TO NEW ZEALAND IN MARCH AND MAY!" is the all to often incredulous question I receive.
Ah, my Grandma died in March, so yes, I definitely went back and we'd planned earlier in the year for the husband, kids and I to go back to NZ for BROTHER 3's wedding, and BROTHER 4's return from his mission.
But since BROTHER 3 and Grandma changed the plans, we cancelled the family trip.
The husband and I were sitting on the couch at the beginning of May and he randomly asked "Do you want to go back to NZ for BROTHER 3's wedding?" To which I responded "No".


Now, while you might think I'm ridiculous saying no to a trip to NZ, in March, our 3 year old and I traveled 44 hours to get from Auckland, NZ to Salt Lake City, UT, via CHINA. Five (5) planes, a crazy country and a 3 year old? 
Exactly.


The other reason, you'll see in the disclaimer below the next sentence.


So, after a very convincing conversation with my husband (You'll fly direct to NZ and it'll be on Air New Zealand, blah, blah, sweetness) I was convinced and excited.


[DISCLAIMER: I'm very particular about certain things. Food, presents I receive from my husband. I want what I want, and would rather get nothing, then get something I didn't want. I'm not like this with everyone, just with Stephen, though I LOVE homemade gifts more than anything! Especially from my babies, and definitely from my husband. It's just, in my mind, I think, if you're going to spend our money on stuff for me, just get me stuff I want. Logical right?]


All this being said, I didn't want the trip to New Zealand to be my Birthday present. I'd like to say I'm sorry, but I'm not. The above disclaimer explains why, no need to elaborate.
By now, I'm sure you're thinking, your husband must be a SAINT to be married to someone like you. I agree, therefore, we will refer to him moving forward as The SAINT.


I feel like this story is quite long. So I'm going to take a break. Be prepared for part two later.

There’s a caterpillar in my raspberry

I bought a punnet of succulent raspberries from the store

On a hot summer’s day, nothing satisfies me more!

I sat down to enjoy my mouth watering, juicy berries

The excitement, elation,  overwhelmed me, I was merry!

Enthusiastically I sucked a ripe berry through my lips

And felt something fall onto my tongue, just the tip

So I popped out my tongue just to stare for a minute

And found staring back, was a CATERPILLAR, dang it.

So I picked up the caterpillar and placed it in front of me,

And I told it “Go on, crawl away and be free

Don’t let life pass you by

And because I didn’t eat you, you’ll become a BUTTERFLY!"

{DISCLAIMER: What really happened was ... I put a raspberry in my mouth and before I bit into it I felt something on my tongue. 

I poked my tongue out, and found a dead caterpillar. Gross. Just glad I didnt chew it.

I like the version in my head better.}

Sobe of the BirthDAY Week

You flatterer you.