Holly's 30th Birthday. AKA, Happy Birthday to me.

Two Thursdays ago, it was my dawg Holly's 30th birthday. Her husband, D Piddy, planned an awesome day for her. Holly is a big Survivor fan and D Piddy did this whole Survivor theme. The day was set up like a "reward" and all of her instructions were typed out on Parchment paper, rolled up and tied with a hiking boot shoestring. Like Tree Mail. (If you don't watch the show, none of this is making any sense right now. What I'm trying to say is, it was so. very. cool!)

Three of us met Holly for lunch and we ate until we almost burst, and we gave her her gifts. What Holly didn't know was that P Diddy was planning a surprise party for her at her house that night. We gave her gifts at lunch to get her off the trail, in case she had picked up a scent of more shenanigans later in the day.

So she got some sweet gifts, mostly stuff for her new house they just bought. I gave her a pottery fish to hang on her wall (which she later thanked me for because now she could "represent" to her guests). I love that girl. :) I also gave her a few magnets I made. She was all, I didn't know you could decoupage. I was like, what? And she said, Yeah, that's what this is. And I was all, Are you sure? I just glued the river rocks to a piece of paper and then hotglued a magnet on the back. And please don't make me explain it. It makes it sound all lame. So we went back and forth like that for a second and she insisted it was decoupage, and that I knew how to do that. I had no idea. I'm still not entirely sure what decoupage means. I'll have to google it.

When people see what I make, they say things like, "You're so creative" and I really have a hard time with that. I want to just say thank you and move on, but I can't. Because I don't know that I've ever had a truly original thought. Everything I make, I got the idea from somewhere else. A book. A website. It's always somebody else's idea. I think my skill is that I can copycat. Is that a true skill? I don't think it is.

Anyway, I digress. Back to Holly. So we're wrapping up lunch and Holly gets another Tree Mail. She reads it to herself and starts laughing. Well, of course we want to see it too, and she says, I was gonna let y'all read it, but I can't wait. I'm just gonna read it to y'all. It says something like, Gather all of your belongings, and you and your fellow Tribe of Judah mates head to Europe Spa where you will receive a one hour massage, a one hour facial, and a one hour mud wrap. Your fellow tribe mates, will receive a one hour massage and a 30-min hand and foot treatment. Don't worry about the children. Your husbands have made arrangements for them for the remainder of the afternoon. You are not due back home until 5:30. (We met for lunch at 1:30) I just looked at Holly and exclaimed (yes, exclaimed. It was a very surprised and sorta loud exclamation) WHAT?!! And then I smiled for the rest of the afternoon. Our men had outdid theyselves. And I was some kinda happy! :)

So off we went. TO THE SPA! I was like, well Happy Birthday to us. The massage was fantastic. And I'm sort of a massage snob because Stretch's mom is a massage therapist. The BEST massage therapist. She hath spoileth me rotteneth. But this girl was good, too. I felt relaxed with her, which is a big deal when you're mostly naked with a stranger. I liked her, though. We chatted during my foot treatment and got to know each other a little better. During the massage, I fell asleep, which NEVER happens, unless it's a hot stone massage. Then I cannot help but succumb to the power of the heat. I'm useless against their power. It's my kryptonite. Anyway. It was a great afternoon.

Afterwards, I met my sweet surprise-laden husband for coffee at Starbucks. I smiled alot. And then we went to D Piddy and Holly's for the surprise party and a good time was had by all. I think one of the highlights of the night was watching Holly's Mama take pictures of Holly with all of her gifts. One picture per gift. Priceless. We just watched and laughed. It was awesome. :) Cajun people are funny like that. We also always take pictures of the food. Always. Especially at weddings, and sometimes at funerals. I have also heard of people taking pictures by the casket at the wake. Open casket. I know some of those people personally. She's one of my favorite people, in fact. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HOLLY! You are a peach, and I love you!