22 again...

Today is the something-th anniversary of my 22nd birthday!

Memorable birthdays of years gone by...

One year ago... October 2009

I spent my birthday at the school carnival. Not too shabby of a time, either! My family came down south for dinner, and we ended up at JCW's in Lehi. Perhaps the most memorable thing about last year's birthday was that Dad got me a present, rather than money, like usual. He got me a 'cat mom' necklace for my little 'daughter', Tippy. Pretty thoughtful of him. Not that he wasn't normally thoughtful, he was, but not like he was during his last year. It was bittersweet to see all the catalogs he'd been saving for Christmas with pages dog-eared and items starred.

Six years ago... October 2004

Joee and I somehow convinced our mothers that Las Vegas would be a great place to spend our birthdays! They were sold on the fact the other mother had said yes, so certainly it must be okay. What were they thinking?!? We started out right, at the Scrapbook Expo, then had dinner at the Mayan. Then off to a night's stay in St. George, and on to Vegas in the morning. What a whirlwind trip! Piano dancing boys at FAO Schwartz, lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, shopping at the outlets in Primm, the huge ginormous rollercoaster, and, of course, gambling. Then the best part - Frankie Moreno at the lounge at Whiskey Pete's! Ah, Frankie! Good thing we were sober, because we got a lesson in what it looks like when you're drunk and try to dance!

Many years ago... October late 1980s/early 1990s

I always had a party at home with my friends. Year after year, one of my friends down the street, Missy, would spill her red punch on the living room carpet. Year after year, after the party, as my mom cleaned it up with at-home carpet cleaner, she'd declare that Missy wasn't invited for next year's party. And yet, year after year, she came. And my mom kept cleaning the carpet!

Not as many years ago... October mid 1990s

Looking back, I can't believe that I had such great friend birthday parties, thanks all to my mom. She'd always bake a cake, have fun games for us to play, and make goodie bags. There are so many pictures of these parties, but, alas, none digital (yet). I don't know how she did it - I'm exhausted from teaching now! I can't imagine doing this gig with kids and then spending good time with them. I guess I still have time (about 11 years or so) to get it figured out.

Fourteen years ago... October 1996

My family went out to eat at the Galaxy Diner, on 5900 So. and State Street (it was so sad when it was taken down - for a bank!). After singing by the waiters and waitresses (Happy birthday from the Galaxy crew!), I got KISSED! By the waiter! On the top of the head! Ahhhh! Enough said about that birthday!

Ten years ago... October 2000

This birthday doesn't qualify in the 'best of' category, but still memorable. It was the birthday when I grew up a bit. I was a freshman at the U. While I wasn't the only person I knew going there, I didn't often see people that I knew around campus. In my head, I figured that no one would know it was my birthday, and not being a person to announce it, no one, all day long, said anything. No emails from friends, either. My last hope was institute, where I was pretty sure they have a list of birthdays, and surely that great teacher would see that it was my birthday and say something. No. Not a thing. So much for people remembering your birthday and making it a 'deal'. Welcome to the real world of adult birthdays!

This year! October 2010

Going to the U game to have a Cowboy Corndog! Woo!