I'm Feeling 24!

Happy Monday, friends! And also, HAPPY 24th BIRTHDAY TO ME! 

I get to be my favorite number for a whole year. It's a pretty big deal. 

I have had such an amazing day thus far, and I am just bursting with overwhelming feelings of happiness and love. 

It all started last week, however. Some pre-birthday celebrations Thursday led into a Birthday Weekend that was one for the books. I have some of the best people in my life, who are so beyond perfect to/for me, it's sometimes astounding. Often times, I focus on the negative (this is you saying 'Duh, Alexis. We have been reading your blog') and the people that mistreat me, hate me or ignore me. Weekends like this past one make me realize that I should be doing nothing but celebrating these amazing people that stand by my side and forgetting the rest. Because I am, without a fact, incredibly lucky. 

Because of all the joy that was bestowed upon me the last few days, I feel the need to recap them (with pictures!) for you, as well as my memory banks. 

Thursday
Thursday night, my girlfriends and I decided to meet up for dinner because it had been so long since we've last gotten together. We decided to check out this wildly popular place in downtown Birmingham called Social. I had been wanting to go there since it opened, so I was particularly ecstatic about our choice. We met around 5:30 and spent at least an hour deciding on what to get - the one downfall to everything on the menu sounding delicious. In short, we drank, ate an insane amount, laughed with and at our waiter, and talked non-stop. It was an absolutely perfect, wonderful and needed dinner date. 

After that, my best friend met me at my apartment to get ready for a night out! We pre-gamed, got ready, decided our "alter-egos" and headed to Luna. It was a great night with friends and plenty of dancing! 

Friday
Woke up sick as a dog! Spent the day on the couch, watching movies. Jonathan got home and I dragged myself off the couch for a shower... and a fight. We went over to my mom's house, then was supposed to meet people for a pre-birthday dinner, but everyone bailed or didn't respond. So Jonathan took me to the Original House of Pancakes for a yummy brinner. Afterwards, I was being a sourpuss, so we went home, made some popcorn and watched Firefly. 

Saturday 
Woke up early to meet my most favorite person and go to the Motor City Comic Con! Otherwise known as a smaller version of heaven for geeks. We maneuvered our way through the mass amount of traffic, waited for what seemed like forever for a parking spot, then spent an hour-and-forty minutes in line with some annoying, complaining fans behind us. We turned into a bit of fun and started counting how many times they repeated their complaints - example: "Obama wouldn't even have this long of line and he's the President! Luckily, it was nice outside too so the wait wasn't that bad. 

An "Umbrella" umbrella! Do you get it?!

Finally, we made it inside and I almost lost my head. It was SO cool, SO much fun and I wanted to buy everything. We spent a bunch of time walking around and looking at artist's work, checking out t-shirts and seeing the celebs that were there. 

My goods from Comic Con!

I loved every second and I can't wait for next year! Afterwards, we were dying of thirst and hunger, so we stopped to grab a quick bite to eat and catch the end of the Red Wings game. Then, in search of an ever-elusive board game, we headed to a local mall to see if we could find the thing. We didn't (later that night though, it was finally found!). We headed back to favorite's house and relaxed. I headed home to finalize plans for the rest of the night's birthday shenanigans. Plans were made, and I decided I wanted ice cream. My boyf took me into Birmingham for some delicious non-dairy frozen yogurt at Sweet Earth and after, I was ready to start my night! 

We met up at a local bowling alley for some glow bowling! Two hours of non-stop throwing balls into a bunch of pins. A bunch of my friends joined us and we proceeded to bowl, and drink, the night away. After our lanes closed, my favorite people offered up their house to keep the festivities going. We gathered some drinks, some pizza and some popcorn, and spent the night playing pong, laughing, singing loudly to any song playing (including Disney) and roasting s'mores at a bonfire. It was one of the best nights I've had in a very long time. It was nothing short of perfect. We finally left around 3 a.m. and passed out. 

Sunday 
Woke up at 8 a.m (yes, that's barely any sleep) and headed to Jonathan's parent's house for a Birthday brunch with his family. Some yummy food and a moose gift later, and we headed home for a short three-hour nap. Woke up, regained our senses and got ready for softball! Then we headed over to the favorite's house, went to get Jimmy Johns and relaxed before our game. Can I just tell you how hot it was yesterday? Yikes almighty. We were all sweating like it was our job! We won the first game, lost the second. Afterwards, we decided to do a Birthday BBQ over at the favorite's house (are you seeing a trend?). We got the goods, grilled and stuffed ourselves, and watched some Tigers baseball. I was even surprised with an ice cream cake! Literally, I was, and am, the happiest girl in the entire world. 

And then, I took a bat to a pinata that my favorites filled with my favorite candies. I mean, seriously. Living the dream over here. Headed to my mom's after for gifts and berries. Then home to sleeeeeep. 

Monday - Today - My BIRFDAY!
Woke up to Jonathan thrusting a plate of food in my face: Original House of Pancakes blueberry pancakes and bacon in bed! Best way to wake up ever. Then he had made cupcakes for dessert (which I didn't eat right then because I was too stuffed from p'cakes) and gave me my cards and gift. Guess what I got? A RYAN CLARK JERSEY! If you don't know who that is, he plays for the Steelers. And he's awesome. That's the jist of it. 

RYAN CLARK!

Gifts from my best friend. 

Decorated cube! 

cupcake nation

Now I'm at work! My best friend decorated my cube from me because she's the best and gave me some awesome gifts! "You're Welcome" bag included (Oh, Sadie...)!

Phew. I feel like I'm out of breathe. Tonight should be nice, too. Boyfriend is taking me out to dinner and that's all I know. 

In closing, because this is quite lengthy, I just can't get over how incredibly lucky I am to have the people I do in my life. I think I must have some good karma built-up from a previous life. I will never be able to fully express to these people just what they mean to me, but I hope that they have some sort of idea. I would be nothing without them, and I would be nothing if it weren't for them. I owe them more than I could ever repay in a lifetime. 

I feel very special and loved. And there's no better feeling. 


- an insanely appreciative 24-year-old