WOW!  I had a FABULOUS birthday and weekend.  I took the day off on Friday and went to the spa.  I got a massage and facial.  The facial was absolutely amazing.  I was in another state of consciousness during that facial.

Friday night was my BIRTHDAY PARTY!

My sister, Willy, and Shaun REALLY outdid themselves.  Check out this gluten free and mostly milk free cake:

Numerous people commented that it was the best CAKE (not the best Gluten Free Cake but best CAKE) they have ever had.  My sister hit this one out of the park.

Her house looked gorgeous:

The food was all gluten free and AMAZING. As were the flowers.

They even sang to me!

The Margaritas were STRONG and good!

Everyone kinda looked like this by the end of the night:

Ahh, that’s better:

(Luke evidently doesn’t know how to use zoom )

The happy hostess:

My piece with dairy free ice cream! (She thought of everything peeps!)

It was seriously the best party I have EVER been to.  NO joke.  I love all my friends-new and old.  This really is home.

The next day we woke up to snow!

Not a lot, but snow none the less.

Yesterday, I hosted Megan’s baby shower!

(My sister strikes again!)

Presents!

This one cracks me up.

Mommy and Grandma Mikey

11 years after moving in next door to each other at Porter.  Go Banana Slugs!

My co-host

Megan is going to be such a wonderful Mommy.  Baby Loaf is one lucky kid!  I feel so fortunate that I got to host the shower and do something nice for Megan and Luke.  They are truly wonderful friends and I’m so thankful that we live 3 miles away from each other!

More snow fell during the party.

And we woke up this morning to this:

And here’s Lucy telling Mommy: “Lotsa snow Mama! Lostsa snow!”

The weatherman is predicting 5-10 inches by Tuesday night.  Wednesday it’s supposed to be sunny but the high is 15 and the low is 4.  It appears that we are NOT in California anymore!

Next up?  Thanksgiving for 12.  You should see my ham.

You thought I forgot, didn’t you? I’ve just been really busy at work and well work unfortunately takes precedence over the blog.  To remind you, every Thursday until Thanksgiving 2011, I will be posting something I’m thankful for.

Today?

This town and all the people in it:

[source]

It took us nearly three years in California to build up a good friend base, feel a connection to where we were living, and to feel like it was home.  We’ve lived in Boise for almost 5 months and I already feel like it’s home.  I absolutely love it here.  The only thing I miss about the Bay Area are the friends we left but thankfully I go back for work and can visit.

Tomorrow is my 30th birthday.  I LOVE birthdays.  Birthdays are my favorite holiday (no joke) and I can remember most everybody’s birthday.  My birthday used to be my favorite holiday but now Lu’s is .  Anyway, on Shaun’s 30th birthday I gave him a huge party.  I had a 6 week old but I thought it was important to celebrate the big 3-0.  He promised me that he would do the same when I turned 30.  Tomorrow night is MY big party.  We’re having margaritas and gluten free, meat free, and dairy free appetizers and cake!  Over 20 people are coming!  And they’re awesome people-they’re my friends!  The fact that I have over 20 quality friends after only living here for 5 months is amazing.  I’m not normally the type of person to have a ton of friends either but it’s different when you live in a small town and yes Boise IS a small town!

Then, next week, I’m hosting Thanksgiving.  Originally Richard and Elaina were going to drive down from Pullman, WA but that didn’t pan out and it makes me sad but I understand.  I’m still going to have 10 adults and 2 toddlers at my house.  WOWZERS.  I’m so excited to host my friends and family for Thanksgiving.  I can’t wait! Here’s the menu:

That’s:

-Turkey (organic and hormone free-holy expensive!)
-Ham (local and organic-I can’t wait to get it at the Farmer’s Market  on Saturday) with a pineapple glaze
–Ma’s corn bread stuffing (this is one my most favorite things in the world and I’m so sad I don’t get to have some )
– Mashed Potatoes (both dairy free and the real thing)
-Gravy
– Megan’s Dad’s Green Beans (aka Green Beans with Onion Paste from Madhur Jaffrey’s book An Invitation to Indian Cooking)
– Crockpot Butternut Squash Risotto (my main dish since I can’t eat anything above except for the green beans and dairy free mashed potatoes)

Others are making:

– Cranberry Sauce
– Sweet Potato with Kale
-Homemade (and evidently awesome) Macaroni and Cheese
-Rolls
– Green Salad
-Pumpkin Pie

If I have time, I’m making an Apple Pie too-just because I like to.

I’ve stared everything that is both gluten free and vegan.

For appetizers I’ll have hummus and veggies and Luke is bringing his “Sausage Bread”.  I may have to bust out something from this too:

I just got it in the mail from the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program.  I’m excited to see what’s in there (even though I can’t eat it).

YOM.