1. Host mah jongg night.
2. Make jam. (Done!)
3. Host brunch. (Done!)
4. Go for a picnic. (Done twice!)
5. Go grocery shopping on my bike. (Done!)
6. Finish my year-end photo albums.
7. Take Fred to Lost Lake.
8. Rearrange the backyard.
9. Eat at the Space Needle. (Done!)
10. Stay in bed all day. (Done!)
11. <edited for privacy.>
12. Have a really girly slumber party. (Done!)
13. Play a round of mini-golf. (Done!)
14. Get the craft room sorted and gorgeousified.
15. Go for a weekend in the San Juans. (Done! Orcas at Memorial Day!)
16. Have an individual date with each NGS. (Done!)
17. Go for a hike.
18. Plan and cook a week’s worth of dinners. (Done!)
19. Go to Portland to see old friends.
20. Perfect a signature recipe (one slightly more nutritional than Bundt cake.) (Done!)
21. Go to the drive-in movies. (Done! Harry Potter at the Blue Fox on Whidbey Island)
22. Get a mani-pedi every month. (Done for Jan, Feb, March, April, May and July)
23. Go ice skating. (Done! Colorado with the parentals!)
24. Find the perfect shade of lipstick.
25. Host a big tea party in the back yard. (Done!)
26. Make a quilt top.
27. Take six dance classes of any kind. (THREE down. Love the Little Red Hen.) (Done!)
28. Ride on a Ferris wheel. (Done! Puyallup Spring Fair!)
29. Organize our finances and filing system. (Done!)
30. Plan an awesome 30th birthday party.
I actually wound up combining #30 and #25. I was running around in mental circles trying to decide what to do for the ultimate b-day party. My good friend Krystal wisely pointed out that as the ultimate girly-girl, (a necessary defense against working with all dudes,) a lovely feminine tea party might be a great way to kick off the celebration. Excellent idea.
My friend Becca declared herself my "sexy birthday slave". If you've never had one of these, I suggest you get one! She arrived at my house early on the appointed day, and in two shakes had the house clean, tea prepped and shunted me off to the shower. My other amazing friend Miss Anna showed up and helped set the table and we were ready.
The table was beautiful. We set two long tables together under the dappled shade of a tree in our side yard.
I made two Bundt cakes in advance, which turned out pretty well if I do say so, this is the lemon one.
Miss Anna brought me some lovely roses from her garden...
The table settings were made up of antique china and silver from our families, and tea cups from my wedding shower. (My husband's grandmother once explained to me that at her wedding shower everyone brought the bride a tea cup, "and that way when the ladies come for tea, you always have the right number of cups!" Lovely.)
Mallory made these amazing petit fours from scratch, and when the fondant didn't work out like she had hoped, she frosted every one of these with gorgeous buttercream. (More on the pastry love later.) Don't these just complete the fancy ladies tea-ness?
I couldn't have been happier with the first half of the birthday celebration. This is most of the girls, I believe the hubby (redubbed "tea boy" for the occasion) took this photo:
Tea is a wonderful and relaxing way to spend a Saturday afternoon. It's actually pretty not even difficult to host, I made the Bundts, Mallory made the petit fours, Becca made the finger sandwiches, we had cookies and berries from various places in the city, and with a little lemonade and tea you're all set! (OK, I totally had a lot of help, a million thanks to Becca, Anna and Mallory who all toiled to make this event as amazing and easy peasy as it seemed.) Anyway, it's a fabulous way to start a birthday!
Next up, a fabulous birthday surprise, a picnic birthday party, and more notes on pastry love!
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