Nine years since the last one...

Living in California was kind of rough around birthday time. As much as I love Jeff, and he's all I need sometimes, I craved being around my friends. The first year in California, it was just Jeff and I. By the second year we had made some friends, and had plans for a birthday dinner ... then SoCal started to burn to the ground. It's a story for another time, but the bottom line is I was evacuated from my apartment the night before my birthday, stayed up for 40 consecutive hours and spent my birthday 'night out' wondering if my apartment was burned to the ground.

So all in all ... not the greatest birthday.

This year I was secretly hoping for something more. My birthday was Wednesday, and I had to work until 8, so Jeff and I just got a quick dessert and a drink then headed home. Thursday night, I hung out with my dad and my brothers, going out to dinner then a movie (Side note: Eagle Eye... one of the most ridiculous movies I've ever seen. PS... why are Shia LeBeouf's lips always wet? Ewww.)

No, I don't know why my brother Mike is making that ridiculous face. (Side note #2: Mike promised, as a wedding gift to me, that he'd lose 75-100 pounds for my wedding. When I saw him from afar for the first time in a month, I almost didn't recognize him. He's doing amazing :)

The plan all week was for Jeff to take me out to dinner on Friday night. It seemed he didn't want to involve my friends, so I was trying to organize something for Saturday night. When all my friends shot down my "Wanna do something Saturday?" with a bunch of short "No"s, I was part hurt and part curious. This wasn't like them.

The clues started to trickle in from there. Jeff cleaning the house. Jeff being specific about times for dinner. Jeff checking his watch every few minutes. Jeff losing his keys. And most of all: Jeff driving 25 down a road he normally drives 50 down. I pretended not to notice, enjoyed my amazing dinner at this Mexican place where I got a huge margarita and an even bigger bowl of guacamole (ESPN, take note). I was ready to be either slightly disappointed or amazingly happy when I pulled into the driveway... and saw a head peaking out of my window. 

Jeff told me to go ahead of him into the house, and I didn't even bother putting the key in the door as I suspected it might be open. I walk into my living room and there are my friends, sitting in the dark with ... are those cardboard cutouts of my face? Over their faces? Is this the Strangers? I almost ran out ... but I flipped on the lights and got a big "SURPRISE!" from all my besties ... Justin, Pat, Katie, Meg, Troy, Grimey, my brother Mike ... and eventually Zach when he showed up a half hour later. (Andrew is in Cali ... I'm sure he would have liked to come!)

So after hugs and big smiles from me I was able to chat with my friends on how they'd been able to pull it off (Katie was the big schemer I heard). There were brownies (made by Meg), ice cream, snacks, gifts of wine, flowers and games (thanks Grimey, Katie, Meggie, Troy, Zach) and a bottle of vodka from Pat and Justin. Haha. There's more liquor in this house then there ever has been.

I showed some of the group my wedding dress ... and they were awed I think. Then after an hour or so it seemed we should probably 'do' something. Katie suggested charades, which got a collective "Ehhh..." from the group, but Katie and I know better.

Let me tell you something: if you are in a big group of your friends, charades is fun. It is never not fun. It is your friends acting out the ridiculous things you write down, getting confused, making fools of themselves. Still, we had to fight initial backlash. We split into two teams, Team Cranston East: Me, Katie, Justin, Pat, and Team: Not Cranston East (?), except for my brother: Jeff, Grimey, Zach and Mike (Meg and Troy had to leave early to drive to New York). Here are some of my favorite pics.

Thinking of clues. (I swear my living room isn't as small as it looks)

Jeff saying, "Close"

See Grimey, I told you charades was fun.

My brother was getting a workout.

Justin and I: Always on the same wavelength ... sometimes.

Katie played Happy Birthday for me on the harmonica.

He can plan a 25th b-day surprise ... can't he help more on the wedding? ;)

Now with scary adult baby Emily face ... that Justin drew on. Sigh.

Nine years ago, I had another surprise party. It was for my 16th birthday. Unlike last night, I was totally surprised and not expecting it. These three were there with me then, and still with me on my 25th. I'm pretty lucky to keep friends like that through almost a decade, different colleges, moving to California, in different states.

Once more with Justin looking at the camera, and Katie asleep.

Overall, we had an amazing time. It's pretty cool when you have a group of friends, none of whom live within 45 minutes of your house, drive all the way out to hang at your house for your birthday. I never take these people for granted. And I can't wait for them to spend another special day with me nine months from today!!!!