I'm feelin' 22...Oh no I'm 23!!

If you didn't already know, today is my birthday! And I am the big ole' 23...so not too old, but I can no longer sing Taylor Swift's "22"...sad pandas :( I guess I'll have to find a new theme song for 23...update on that later! :-)

We have spent all weekend celebrating, even though today is technically my birthday! We were in Winston-Salem, NC on Thursday and Friday and went to a baseball game with our family friends the Harkey's Friday night and enjoyed some awesome fireworks. Mrs. Harkey went to high school with my Dad in Hickory, NC and have stayed friends ever since. They have a daughter, Anna-Dixon, who is the same age as Stephen and they have become such good friends! We had a blast spending some quality time with them.

Stephen and A-D

Here we all are at the game!

Then it was off to Virginia Beach on Saturday, where the festivities really began! We ended up arriving just in time for Mr. Cade's fabulous dinner of pork chops and spent some time catching up on the back porch. We decided to go to one of the local bars, Chick's that night because we knew we probably wouldn't go out on my actual birthday! It was me, Johnny, Christy (best friends since we were babies!), Matthew (Christy's brother), and some of Matthew's friends. We had a blast! It is always fun to go to Chick's because we always run into friends we had in middle school, and it is such a fun and relaxed environment.

Girls ready for our night out!

Then on Sunday was the big party...although it really wasn't big or much of a party haha! It was mostly just friends and family hanging out and grilling, which was just what I wanted. Christy and I went to the beach in the afternoon and then came home to help get things ready at the house. We had the most delicious dinner of Salmon, roasted potatoes, and veggies. Mom made this molten lava chocolate cake for everyone, which I heard was to die for! Everyone was laughing that I couldn't eat the cake, but I got to blow out the candles, so that was enough for me!

Beach Girls!

Close up of the cake!

Johnny being silly with the cake mix

Ready to blow out the candles!

We played corn hole and hung out on the back porch for most of the night, and then after cake and presents we went in the hot tub. The Cade's are so gracious to let us stay in their home every time we are in Virginia Beach, we are so thankful for their hospitality! I got a trailer hitch for my birthday, which was put on a few months ago and then the boys got me some new running clothes and wedges.

Mrs. Cade is funny when she plays corn hole!

 Displaying my sweet gifts :-)

Friends since 1990!

Johnny with Brett, a good friend from Italy

Me and my G-little Renee, love her!!

Johnny and Stephen of course hung signs around the Cade's house for me to see this morning and some of them are pretty funny! It's interesting to see the difference between the signs that me and my little cousins make for the girls birthdays compared to the ones the boy's made ;-)

 Dad always signs his texts and emails, "DLOL" for "Dad Lots of Love"...so sweet, haha!

We are just relaxing today and getting ready to go to Williamsburg. Our family friends from Switzerland, Nikki & Daniel, are coming to America to visit! We are going to the Japanese Steakhouse tonight for birthday dinner and then going over to my G-little in my sorority, Renee's house for cobbler and to watch the Bachelorette! I am actually really good friends with Renee and her older sister, Christa, and their brother, John, lived in my dorm freshman year, so I just know the whole fam! Anywho, Aunt Kim got me and mom watching the show, so we are excited to see the first part of the finale! It will be a relaxing birthday evening with close friends and family, which is right up my ally! 

Cheers to 23 and many more!!

XoXo,

Southern Saving Grace