More birthday celebrations!

   So, it wouldn't be like me if I didn't get in one more birthday post by the end of the month of November.

I do celebrate my birthday for an entire month, you know!

When we returned from Gatlinburg, I had to snuggle with my little baby!  I missed her so much!

After my cuddlefest, Keith's mom, Lisa, invited everyone to her house

 for birthday dinner and cake!

On the menu: Beef stew, rolls, and funfetti cake!

I chose beef stew because it is a great runner's meal.

It has red meat and vegetables, 

all of which I should be eating more of (but haven't really been doing so well)!

After dinner, we enjoyed the best part of the meal--cake and ice cream!

You're never too old for cake and ice cream!

Lisa always makes special cakes for birthdays.

This year my cake was decorated like a book!

I heart books!

Here are a few pictures of the gang that night:

 

This dog's name is Benji.

Lisa is fostering him until we can find it a good home.

Any takers?? :)

My beautiful nieces, Jaida & Trin, with the birthday girl

Lisa cutting the cake

Aren't they cute?! Nicole, Jaida, & Johnny

Opa and Trin 

Lisa and my mom :)

Take 1 

Take 2

Keith and Keri 

At school the next day, one of my students had her mom make me cupcakes for my birthday! 

So sweet! 

You know what they say, "An apple a day, keeps the doctor away!"

I especially agree with these kinds of apples!

 

Finally, my celebrations ended on a wonderful note when Charlie O'Connor called me for a birthday date!

Charlie is the son of my dear friends, Melissa and Kevin.

Melissa and I met when I began teaching at Sharpsburg in August 2006, 

and Charlie was born the following January.

Since then, my bond with Charlie has grown and grown!

I absolutely LOVE this boy and will be right behind his mom when the teenage girls start calling him one day!

Melissa and Kevin are so thoughtful and bought me a travel trivia game since we do so much traveling!

Little did they know that Keith and I often go to Trivia Night at BW3s on Friday nights.

They found a gift that combined two of our favorite things: travel and random facts!

Charlie insisted on buying me flowers--Such a gentleman!

Also in attendance at dinner was my godson, Benjamin.

Ben is such a sweet boy, mellow, and laid back and I am lucky to be his godmother!

I must say that I was definitely spoiled on my 28th birthday.

The best gift of all, though, is having a loving and healthy group of family and friends!

Happy November everyone!

Can you believe December is right around the corner?

  

My Birthday!

I woke up the morning of my birthday to the joyful sound
of my cellphone beeping with birthday messages!
I felt soooo loved!
Before we left, I snapped some last minute pictures.

 

Notice the numbers on the tree...
someone put the 9 upside down!

Thank you Keith for a beautiful birthday weekend!

I came back feeling refreshed and ready to take on 

my 2 days with students this week

(gotta love election day and Veterans' day!)

Happy 11/11/11!

I told my students this day is the coolest day of the year!

They replied, "I thought the coolest day of the year was your birthday?"

I have them trained well, don't I? :)

Birthday Weekend, Continued...The Great Smoky Mountains!

Back in May, 2010, Keith and his groomsmen visited Gatlinburg for Keith's bachelor party weekend.  While there, they had visited the Smoky Mountains, but I had never been.

It was such a beautiful day, and I didn't want to waste a second of it.

What a better way to spend a day than climbing a mountain, right? :)

 

As we headed up the mountain, we would stop for
breath-taking views and amazing pictures. Like this one ;)

At the top (almost!) ;)
This is as far as we could go with our car.

 

Snow at the top of the mountain
 

We parked Fiona and started climbing!

A mile and half to be exact!

It was a tough climb--

I hope there aren't any hills like that

when I'm running the Flying Pig Marathon!

We made it!!

 

It was extremely windy up there!

 

I love being in 2 places at once!

 

 

 

After the Smokies, we quickly headed back to the cabin, 

changed, and headed to the Dixie Stampede.
The Dixie Stampede is a dinner theater show that I have
always loved going to since I was little.
I've been to the Dixie Stampede in both Gatlinburg and Myrtle Beach.
This was Keith's first experience, and I definitely don't think it will be his last!

Unfortunately, this is the only picture I have of the evening

because you are only allowed to take pictures before and after

the show.

Of course I stayed up until midnight (just barely!)
to welcome in my birthday!
Happy 28th to me!

My BiRtHdAy WeEkEnD, Day 2

As many of you know, I LOVE to sleep!

Sleeping could quite possibly be one of my most favorite things to do.

It doesn't matter what time I go to bed, I could easily sleep 12+ hours.

(Do I have a problem?!?!)

It's funny, though, when you're on vacation, you don't mind getting up so early! ha

The second day of our trip, we woke up and headed to Dixie Stampede to pick up our tickets for the show that night and our Aquarium tickets.

While we were there, we walked the grounds and met some of the stars of tonight's show!

This is Poncho:  

The only horse that would show us his face and not his butt.

The Dixie Stampede was already set up for their Christmas Show!

We then headed to Hard Rock Cafe Gatlinburg.

 

   

 

 

After our delicious meal, we traveled to Ripley's Believe it or Not! Aquarium.

This was the gorgeous view from our parking space.

 

We saw and learned so many cool things!

Giant Sea Turtle

Saw Shark

Scary!

Look at all of those stingrays!

Keith petting a stingray

 It took us about 2 hours to tour the Aquarium.

But I wasn't ready to head home yet!

Next stop: The Smoky Mountains!

(Which needs a whole post of its own!)