I Like This Whole Birthday Week Thing

An old Birthday Crown
I felt it was needed to get the point across.

So about a week ago, my friend Pyro and I were having a conversation about Valentine’s Day and birthdays. I was telling him about how I never liked Valentine’s Day because it distracted from my birthday and due to the fact of being single. Then recently I realized that I still don’t really have a big thing for Valentine’s Day, and I’m not single anymore. I figured out that I must just be that self-absorbed about my birthday.

As a kid, my Dad had his birthday on January 19^th, my brother had his on the 31^st. So once February hit, I knew it was all about me.

(I liked that.)

Every day would be one day closer.

Except for that one day.

That one day seemed to break all concentration from the all-important, most vital day in all of February.

Valentine’s day.

It was terrible.

(Believe me.)

Discussing my feelings with Pyro, he nonchalantly states that as he’s gotten older, he’s always felt that his birthday has become “just another year,” that it’s not as special.

I firmly disagreed. I told him flatly that that would never happen to me. My birthday has always been, still is, and always will be an awesome day. I told him that my birthday would never become “just another year.”

He made sure to make a mental note.

This year has been anything but just another year.

The birthday celebrations began on Friday night, (the 15^th). My Mom and I went out to our first pick restaurant, Celestial Cafe. It’s situated in a plaza; the outside fits the look of the normalcy around it, but once you’re inside, you kind of forget that right outside is a gas station, a Dunkin’ Donuts, and a Subway.

The atmosphere is so cozy, that even though for the most part it’s all one open room, when you’re seated, you feel like you’ve got the place to yourself.

I enjoyed my favorite (I keep trying to try something new…But it never works out.)

Portabella Peanut Thai.

My Mom (more adventurous than me that night) tried, for the first time, their Chicken Carbonara.

She also gave me a new book!

Saturday night (the 16^th), my Dad surprised me with Everything’s Eventual by Stephen King. Who’s name and books will never be absent from my bookshelf or Kindle. I was happy.

I also received a basket stuffed with goodies from my Grandma. 

Sunday (the 17^th, aka, my birthday) I woke up, excited and ready for my day. A little nervous due to the fact that I usually have one big break down on my birthday, but other than that, I was ready.

It started out as a normal Sunday morning. I headed to church thinking that The Boy wouldn’t be joining me; fortunately I was proven wrong. Standing in the lobby I watched as he walked in and began to look for me. After church, The Boy, Pyro, and I began the first stage of my birthday plan.

1. Go to store; buy lots of ingredients

2. Stop by my house to grab additives (peanut butter, BBQ and teriyaki sauce, mustard, fruit, etc.)

3. Head to The Boy’s

4. Have The Boy cook birthday dinner

The chips were mainly for snacking.
They did their job well.

Thankfully The Boy was gracious and willingly went along with my plan.

It worked for his favor.

The meal was delicious.

Steaks for the non-vegetarians (all marinated in a different marinade). Raspberry Vinaigrette for one, his own special marinade for another, one a honey balsamic vinaigrette (he thinks, haha), and one was done in a skillet in a white wine sauce. For all the vegetables and fruit I picked out, he made a stir-fry. It consisted of bell peppers (red, yellow, and orange), two onions, a can of pineapple chunks, and a mango. The sauce, chosen by The Boy, was teriyaki sauce and my Haitian hot pepper peanut butter. In to the leftover white wine sauce he decided to put the chopped up portabella mushrooms. He also boiled some brussel sprouts (I love them) then sauteed them in garlic butter. The feast (yes it was a feast) could not be matched. Definitely, positively one of the top birthday dinners I have ever had (that’s including my mother’s home cooked meals and my various first choice restaurants).

Desert couldn’t have been more fitting either. The Boy actually looked up a flourless peanut butter cake. Mmmmhm. Due to lack of springform or pie pans, the party indulged in flourless peanut butter muffin tops. The texture is actually quite surprising. You would think they contained more than just sugar, eggs, and peanut butter (lots of peanut butter).

Yesterday the celebration continued. It opened with getting to work have finding an absolutely lovely 20 dollar gift card to Marshalls. 

After work, to conclude my birthday festivities, my grandmother took my mother, my brother, and I out for dinner. (Dad was sadly gone to New Jersey to help out my Aunt and Uncle some more and my grandfather wasn’t feeling good.)

Where you may ask?

Where else?

Celestial Cafe.

My Mom and I couldn’t help but make the suggestion. It was all too tempting.

Trying hard to choose something else on the menu, I succeeded to temptation and fell in love with the Portabella Peanut Thai all over again. 

Side Note 1: I've been experimenting with sweet potato and soup. So far, success!

Sweet Potato, Spinach, Sautéed Onions & Mango. Spiced with my favorites,   curry, cumin, red pepper, and cinnamon.  

Sweet Potato Stew: Sweet Potato with Red & Yellow Bell Peppers,  Onions, Mango, and Celery. Spiced with the same as the last soup. 

Of course both of these had a decent amount of peanut butter added as well. The flavors were exquisite. 

Side Note 2: The Boy and I definitely have something special going on. These were our late night snackings on Wednesday.

This is not an accurate depiction of just how much ketchup was in that bowl.

Hehe...Peanut butter and rice.

Side Note 3: Got my birthday present from The Boy last night!! NO! It's not an engagement ring! It's my brand new beautiful promise ring. Promising he won't leave me because of how crazy I am (or in the words of his brother, how "broken" I am, hahaha).