It's hard to express how much my dear friends mean to me. Nine of them threw me the sweetest surprise friend dinner the week before my big 40th birthday. One of the best birthdays I've ever had! I don't think I've had something that felt like a birthday party since I turned 19 or 20 in college.
This girl here Angie Papa is the best. She is so great at making you feel special even though she is in such a busy stage of life herself. She texted me and asked me if I'd be available for dinner before my birthday then didn't tell me anything else except, "dress fancy" and "come hungry."
She even had me come over in the afternoon and did my hair and make-up- better than I've had it done for my wedding I'm sure.
I was worried the new Ivy City Co dress I bought for Christmas would be too fancy but Angie convinced me to go for it.
Waiting for my ride...
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| Abby thought I looked so cute waiting so she took some pictures! |
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| Reading an Emma M Lion book for sure- my current obsession. |
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| They went all out! Birthday crown & sash- they took a whole photo shoot of me! Ha! A little awkward but so sweet. As an adult/mom no one does this to you anymore! |
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| Emily Grover drove and they decorated the car! Sunny Hyatt and Kelli Millett came too!! These four ladies are seriously the first three friends I think of when I need something. I loved when we all lived in the same neighborhood but luckily they're all still pretty close in Mesa so I still get to see them pretty often! |
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| Sparkling cider in our "limo"! |
I didn't know where we were going- It was a cute restaurant I've done for lunch a few times with my friend Cortney several years ago in Downtown Scottsdale called Olive and Ivy. When we walked in with my balloons in tow there was a whole table of sweet friends waiting for me! I really thought it was just the four of us.
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| Erin Engler, me, Mica McKee- love them both in my neighborhood/ward currently. Such great friends who help mother my kids. Lots of memories doing yoga, joy school/summer book club and chatting while we declutter. |
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Angie Papa (the instigator), me, Emily Grover (the get-away driver)
We are all so different but we just work. Mostly because when you find ladies as fun and kind and thoughtful as these two you hang on to them with both hands for the rest of your life! |
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| If you're my friend for any length of time you will also be Marti's friend. Little sisters are the best! So glad she could meet us after work and join the party! |
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| Angie is a pro at all the details- including the birthday rocket! |
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We figured out Kelli Millett had been my friend the longest after Marti. We met fall of 2005 when we were both living in our apartments in Evergreen Ward, then I followed her to Three Fountains ward where she was the best visiting teacher, friend, and mom in the stage before me to ask advice. I love doing book club, lunch, hikes- really anything with Kelli. She suggested we do her family tradition where everyone shares a favorite memory. It was so so sweet to hear what everyone remembered about me.
I'm so grateful my friends put this together for me! |
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| Emily brought her daughter Emma's instax camera. We had so much fun seeing how bad we were at taking photos. |
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| L to R Emily Grover, Angie Papa, Kisha Gardner, Kelli Millett, me, Marti, Sunny Hyatt, and Breanne Johnson (Erin Engler and Mica McKee left before the picture). It was so fun to see all these friends that helped me so much through the young mom phase. I love each of them. They shared the sweetest memories with me, I wrote them all down in my journal. It felt like getting to go to your own funeral. They made me sound way better than I am- bless them and their rose-colored glasses! |
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Earlier in the day I complimented Angie's orange picture so of course she got me one! I felt so loved and spoiled. It was seriously the best birthday of my adult life and I hadn't even done my sisters trip yet!
These are the picture/text Angie sent to everyone! Hahaha! I guess this is payback for getting them to dress up and do a Downton Abbey photoshoot before the movie! I especially love the book title I'm holding! |
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