Best. Birthday. Ever.

I turned 30 yesterday!  While it is definitely the first "old-age" milestone, I truly have no other feelings besides "blessed".  As I told Paul when we were discussing it, I have done everything I would have hoped to have done in my first 30 years of life - I am thrilled to have an amazing husband and 3 beautiful children (oh and a dog too ;) ).  I couldn't be happier!

This birthday was the BEST EVER.  The celebrating started last weekend on Saturday night when Paul planned the best celebration EVER!   He knows me so well!  He planned to have us go rock climbing with friends at a place in Minneapolis called Vertical Endeavors that has tons of huge walls to climb and so much more.  I have always loved climbing, but really don't have much opportunity, and this place is amazing!  A bunch of our friends also have October birthdays, so we combined it all into one big event and then went out for dinner/dessert after. 

There are more walls than I could count just BEGGING to be climbed!!!!

After the first few climbs, my muscles started really feeling it and it was so challenging!

It was so fun to be able to climb next to someone...

Seriously one of the most fun things I have EVER done!

I told Paul I REALLY want to go back on our next date night out!!!

It was so fun to go with friends and cheer them on/watch them!

Afterwards we ate at a cute Minneapolis place called The Copper Hen

 A huge thank you to Paul for planning such a fun event (seriously, Paul, the most fun thing EVER!), and to my parents for taking awesome care of the kiddos while we were out, and to Tim for taking these pictures!

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Paul and I got a date night for my birthday too (I am so spoiled!!), on the 14th.  My parents babysat again while Paul and I went to The Chatterbox Pub, a SUPER fun restaurant that not only has an awesome atmosphere and great food, but also tons of board games and other types of games you can play.  I TRULY enjoyed every bite of my meal with no kid-interruptions, awesome conversation, and relaxed atmosphere with my best friend :).  We had a rousing 3 games of yahtzee and some pretty amazing hot apple crisp (a favorite of mine).

Perfect birthday date

The kids knew about my "birthday party" and "birthday date", but were most excited about my "actual birthday" - they get pretty excited about birthdays and literally not a week goes by that they don't "play" pretend birthday for some stuffed animal or person!  They were talking about my breakfast in bed, my birthday dessert, and how they would decorate my door for literally weeks before!!!  My day started with this beautiful door...

Love this - So much excitement, tape, and little hands went into this spectacular door's design :)

Since my birthday (the 15th) was on a Wednesday, we had BSF that morning. After BSF we went to Lebanon Hills for some hiking (my birthday activity of choice!)

It was the most perfect weather outside for crunching leaves, walking trails, and looking at the gorgeous fall color

love love love this.

This setting + my 3 favorite kiddos = happiest Momma EVER!

Pictures don't do it justice.  Seriously gorgeous.

My little hikers

The kids were so sweet and would pose for pictures for me "because it was my birthday" and I like that sort of thing! ;)

I think the highlight for the kids was this marshy swamp covered in green slime.  The kids loved throwing rocks into it and watching the slime separate and then come back together.  We collected rocks on our walk and then threw them in this swamp on the way back!

I got some special one-on-one time with my kiddos in the afternoon....

playing cars

looking at these adorable faces

and reading library books (oh btw, in case you are wondering, Summer did NOT get glasses, she just loves to wear this pair of frames as part of her love for accessories!)

 The day ended perfectly with really awesome family time - one of our favorite things to do as a family is cook dinner over the bonfire, hangout, and roast S'mores.

The kids get SO SO SO excited about these family nights - it makes me so happy just watching them!

It TRULY doesn't get better than THIS.

 I felt so loved by all the cards, special deliveries, thoughtful gifts, words of encouragement, and so much more.  Thank you SO much to everyone who made this birthday the BEST ONE YET!