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Well, I turned the big 3-2 on Apr. 16th. I cannot believe I'm this old! All that matters is that I feel young inside my head, right? I still feel like I'm 18, inside.

Anywho, it was a fantastic, fantastic day. My good friend Patty took me out to lunch at Olive Garden:

Could I look any nastier?? I hadn't had time to do my hair yet. I really should have just pulled it back. I love Chicken Scampi soooo much. It was a wonderful lunch. The manager came up to us after we ate and apologized for our meal "taking so long." We were like, huh? It did? He gave Patty (since she bought the meal) a $10 gift certificate to make up for "how long it took," and Patty very sweetly gave it to me. I went and got Chicken Scampi again a couple of days ago for lunch. Yummmm.

I tried to take a Birthday Nap, but Dylan, true to form, wouldn't let me sleep. If Dylan is awake, EVERYONE is awake. So that was sad.

A couple of days before my birthday, I was talking to Ben, and I was like, "Soooo... I guess I'll call my family to have them over for cake on my birthday?? I guess I'll make my own cake...?" He hadn't said a word, and I was like, if he's not planning something, then I will! So when I was asking him about calling my family, he goes, "KARLENN, WHY DO YOU HAVE TO RUIN EVERY ONE OF YOUR BIRTHDAYS??? IT'S TAKEN CARE OF, I PROMISE!" But he wouldn't give me any more details than that. Bless his heart. He tries to surprise me every year, but I'm such a planner that I usually end up ruining it.

I had a Visiting Teaching interview at the church at 6:00 that night, and I very cautiously asked Ben if I needed to move it. He said, as long as I was home by 7:00, that was okay. And I asked him if I needed to clean my house. He said no. So I went to my interview and me and the lady were chatting it up, and before I knew it, it was 6:55. And Ben actually peeked his head in the room and said, "I'm sorry, but we have reservations at 7:00!!" He swears up and down that he told me to be home by 6:30; but I swear up and down he said 7:00. We have communication problems sometimes.

So we're driving to wherever, and I'm like, "Um, so who's watching the kids??" And he wouldn't even tell me that! He's so weird. How would that have ruined the surprise?? And he kept pretending like he was going to turn in to McDonalds or KFC, and then straighten up at the last minute. Such a nerd. And so cute.

So we pull in to Red Robin, and I was so excited! Their burgers are yummy. The funny thing is, when Patty was asking me where I wanted to go for lunch, I said, "Oooh, let's go to Red Robin!" And Patty goes, "Um.... you know what? I'm going there for dinner with my in-laws.... So let's go somewhere else for lunch." So we're walking in the door, and I go, "I wonder if I'll see Patty here?" And it turns out that I did, because Ben had invited her! There she was, and my friend Megan, and my sister and her hubs, and my parents. Such a great surprise.

Ben forgot to bring his camera, so I don't have any shots from that night, but I had a blast. Ben is the best.

And I know this will be boring for everyone but me, but since I mainly blog for myself, as a journal-type thing, I took some pictures, later, of my gifts.

A lot of cute cards:

From Ben, some earrings:

A pair of capris:

And some beautiful roses:

From my sister, Beads, some money, with which I got a haircut:

Ahhh. Much better. They chopped off like six inches. I actually wanted it a few inches shorter than this, but oh well. I'll have 'em chop it more when I go in again in a few months. Also, with Beads' money gift, I took my kids to Sarah Candy Cottage one day, and then I took them to Baskin Robbins one day. I really should have saved the money for clothes, but I have a horrible sweet tooth. Which is why I've gained back the five pounds I lost on Slim Fast. Sigh.

From Ben's mom, Gloria, some money, with which I got some bras:

I knew you wanted to see my lingerie. :) But I have to talk about these, because they are the best bras I've ever had. Even though I wish they came in white. Oh well. Anyways, I can't remember what they're called, but they're new, and they're by Victoria's Secret, and they're made with that "memory foam" stuff that's in some mattresses. They literally mold to your boobs!!! It's amazing. I love these things. And I'm taking very good care of them.

From my friend Megan, two books:

I just finished Into the Wild and adored it. Now I need to start Marley and Me. I've been putting it off, because I heard it was sad. But I will be starting it soon.

From my mom, a new swimsuit:

Some new, white towels:

And some clematis bulbs:

I'm starting them out inside, because it's been so stinkin' windy and horrible outside. I've had bad luck with clematises. My mom got me some when we first moved into this house, and they haven't done well. So we're trying this tactic. I'd love for them to grow happily and vine around my railing on my front porch. But maybe Idaho is too harsh for clematises?? The word "clematis" reminds me of "chlymidia," just FYI.

Mom also made me this really cute photo album on Shutterfly:

Try to ignore my huge caterpillar eyebrows. That was my senior picture. Anyways, I watched mom make an album on Shutterfly for Brianna's birthday back in January, and I think I'm converted. I think I'm no longer going to scrapbook! Crazy, I know. I just... really like the sleek look. And that stuff doesn't come unglued and fall off. I'm excited to give it a try. I just don't have time to do it right now, but someday I will.

Lex got me a certificate to Appleby's, which was sweet. And this lady from my ward, who is in her eighties, and she just loves me for some reason, got me a certificate to McDonalds. :) So cute. I need to get started on thank-you notes....

Thanks, everyone, for all the gifts. It was a great birthday.