.:my friends are better than yours:.

seriously, my friends deserved this post WAY sooner than now!

so my birthday has come and gone (approximately a month ago), but i haven't had the proper amount of time to devote to recap it-

23, no big deal, right? that's what i thought, but my friends had other ideas...

first off, i don't really believe in the whole 'birthday week' thing, but with that being said, i wish i would've spent my 'birthday week' any other way than being sick. being home from work just about all week with a double ear infection and strep throat, i was just hoping to be able to get off the couch in order to go to 'dinner' that drew had planned for us. little did i know, i was expected to do a lot more than dinner....

although still feeling a little under the weather (and not being able to hear out my left ear), i fully intended on making the best out of my birthday! one of my closest friends, lisa, took me out to breakfast at grandview (yum!). after breakfast, lizzie (drew's sister) and i hit the Mall of America! it may be possible that i probed lizzie a few times about what drew had planned for my birthday (we were celebrating it the day after, saturday), so i could get an appropriate outfit. lizzie did an extremely good job of acting very non-chalant about not knowing. anyway, when i got home from shopping drew had brought home some crab legs for dinner and we had a low key evening in.

saturday morning/afternoon, we had a blast goofing around at the science museum, watching a movie at the Omnitheater and having a wonderful lunch at cossetta's (highly recommended for all pizza/pasta lovers!).

after the science museum, lisa 'cleared' plans with drew to steal me for happy hour for a couple hours. me, being the casual, yoga pants wearing freak that i am, i went to happy hour pretty dressed down thinking i had an hour or so to finish getting ready before drew and i had dinner reservations, wrong!


on our way home from happy hour, drew had called me and told me to go in through the back door because his dad was working up front and had his tools out (this was the second reminder to go in the back, but i was oblivious because this was totally logical). when we pulled up in the back, lisa asked if she could come in and use the bathroom. lisa lives maybe a mile away from my house, but i didn't even think that this was a little weird, so i happily obliged!

well, i will let the pictures tell the rest....

lisa was always known as the mother figure throughout the college; from cooking to cleaning to making sure we were always healthy and happy! she is also the #1 planner and organizer.....i like to say that we balance each other out. a very special thank to lisa  for everything that you did to make sure my 23rd birthday was unforgettable. <3 

the ladies-thank you!

best friends since day 1 of kindergarten 

my totally awesome older brother and sister-in-law drove 2 hours to join in! not only did they  join in, but they brought our new addition, helen!

drew's mom and grandma, thank you for helping with the food!!! 

childhood neighbors, forever friends--such an amazing surprise that you made it!

still not believing that he pulled it off???

and last, but not least, a special thank you to Drewy, the old ball and chain

i think it is fair to say that i have an awesome group of friends and family who i am very grateful for--i could not have DREAMT of a better way to turn 23!

THANK YOU ALL FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART! 

always striving for more,

dee b.

(not pictured, lizzie and all of her friends--super sweet of you guys to stop by :) )