a great day

well, i don't feel that much older . . . yet!  BUT, that might have something to do with my continuous consumption of chocolate cake at LeAsT once a day, everyday, since my bday festivities started on friday night!!  you know what sheryl crow says, "If it makes you HaPPy!! . . . " 

i think i had the BEST bday EVER!!  friday night we went to my parents' house for homemade persian food that included my FaVoRite "rice with berries" (i really have no idea what it's "proper" persian name is b/c i always asked my mom to make it by that name, so we kind of just adopted THAT as it's name!!).  SO YUMMY!!  then, we all enjoyed some cake & ice cream, thanks to my dear hubby's baking efforts!!  he did a great job!  i mean, really, how can you go wrong with chocolate!??  (even if he DID add twice the amount of butter that the recipe called for!) . . . and i LOVE the special hannah montana candle azelin picked out!  so funny!

(sorry for the blurry pic . . . but, you know what happens when you're not the one behind the lens!  oh well!  thanks, anyway, dad!! hee hee hee!)

then, the next day started off with a HUGE, yummy homemade bfast of pancakes, sausage, and homemade blackberry sauce!  (i've created quite a little capable chef, huh!?)  once again, ian found the way to my heart!!  MORE yummy food!  which we needed because next we headed off to explore this place we've heard so much about:  Bass Pro Shop/Outdoor World.  It was a really cool super center for all things outdoors.  it was so nice to visit & think towards the spring/summer when it'll be warm enough to go camping again, etc.  we've never been fishing yet, but i've learned to never say never!!  i thought this little squirrel windchime & these bags of "fartless bean soup & chili" were just too funny! {don't worry, i skipped this purchase!! YIKES!}

I fell IN LOVE with these soy candles that looked like edible treats in really cool cast iron mini-pots!  What a cool idea for packaging of a candle!  i actually picked up 2 soy candles & let me tell you, they smell HEAVENLY.  I got "espresso" for our 1st floor & it's SO cozy smelling! 

Then, we headed upstairs & came across the shooting gallery!!  too funny!!  I had to take a shot {a picture, not an actual shot!! i probably would have set off the alarms or something if i had actually tried to play!}!

after a few other stops, lunch, and a brief catnap in the car, Ian surprised me with private tango lessons at Stirctly Ballroom here in town & Michael Buble (sp??) tickets!!!  It was TRULY a bday to remember!!  I felt like I was glowing with joy the whole day!!  Can't wait to scrap the whole day & finally see Michael in concert!!!!!!!!

you know, maybe getting older isn't so bad after all!! ;)

love, natasha