{My Last Hoorah}

Well, I am now 29...

"What does the title to this post have anything to do with that?" you may ask. Well, I figure that if I want to do anything in my twenties, this is the last year I have to do it in. No pressure! HA!

Besides that impending doom (really I don't care, & I'm sorta excited for my thirties) let me tell you about my awesome birthday weekend. If you were one of my readers last year, you may remember me posting "This has been the best birthday EVER!!!" Well I'm gonna say it again... THIS HAS BEEN THE BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!!! ;) {Twinkie} spoiled me once again. No surprise there.

Since my birthday landed on a Sunday this year we did most of the celebrating the day before. When {Twinkie} got home from work we headed up to Liberty where his parents joined us as we attended the Music in the Mountains with Jon Schmidt at Wolf Creek. It was sensational!! A little background. My first job when I turned 16 was the holiday season at Deseret Book. At the holiday "pep-rally" type meeting they had before the job started I won a door prize. It was Jon Schmidts Christmas CD. I was hooked after that. So I was really excited to go to this for my birthday. He was A-MAZ-ING!! Super SUPER talented.

We set up our chairs up on the mountain and enjoyed the picnic that {Twinkie's} mom had prepared for us. Shrimp cocktail, havarti, swiss, cheddar, & gouda cheeses with rice crackers, grapes, cheese rolls, coke, & fresh peach cobbler!!! MMMMMMmmmmmmm!!!! Talk about getting spoiled! {Twinkie} was our table. And what a good lil' table he was! LOL!

It's sorta hard to get him to smile, but in the end... I always get it! :D

Opening act was this very fun and very energetic band called "Checkpoint Charlie". They have such a great sound and I really enjoyed their set. Go listen to their Cardiac Arrest. Love it!! The gal subbing in on the keyboard is Kristen Lawrence & I bought her Arachnitect Halloween Carols CD. She was so super friendly and signed my CD with a happy birthday and trick or treat wishes.

It was kinda cold & we had to bundle up...



...but it was so beautiful! Surrounded by mountains & sky, watching the clouds turn pink as it got darker. What a perfect setting for Jon to play for us.


Some of my favorites that Jon played were "Waterfall", "Rootbeer Rag" which he did in 2 minutes 37 seconds, "Pachelbel meets U2" with his cellist Steven Sharp Nelson. He had some new ones too that I really loved, "Thank you" & "Renaissance Hymn" Also, you may remember me posting his youtube video back in the spring. I love this song (Love Story meets Viva La Vida) with all my heart and hope & pray that he will be able to get a hold of Coldplay in order to get this on his new album that will be released next month.

He's really getting into here...

The moon came out and it was so beautiful. This picture does not do the moon any justice, but here it is...

After the concert we were packing up and he & Steve came back on stage and said, " I know you all are probably freezing your butts off, but we figure this may be the last time you hear us play this so here it is...." Then they started playing "Love Story Meets Viva La Vida" again. I started SCREAMING!!!!!!!!! I was SOOOOOOO happy! So here I am posting his youtube video again... enjoy!

{Twinkie's} mom went down and got us a place in line right up front, so we didn't even have to wait to meet Jon. {Twinkie} had bought me 4 of his CD's & one of Steve's that night. (Jon's: Hymns w/o words, Winter Serenade, Walk in the Woods, & To the Summit. Steve's: Tender Mercies) Jon signed my "To the Summit" To Lisa! Happy B-Day! Jon Schmidt Don't you think Jon & {T} look like brothers... just a couple of nerds. I <3 my nerd!

Then we met Steve & he also gave me birthday wishes on my CD. I told {Twinkie} that I wanted to be "hang out" friends with Jon & Steve and that it was up to him to make this happen. {Twinkie} gave Steve his CSI business card and said "you and Jon give me a call sometime & we'll have lunch. We just may know Coldplay." Well, Steve took him seriously and sorta got excited... really excited. Oops! So {T} hurry and corrected it "well we don't know Coldplay, but give me a call and we can still do lunch". At that point Steve actually looked at the card and realized that {T} works for CSI. We laughed and joked for a minute. But I'm not counting on a call from him or Jon. DANG IT!!! If anyone knows Coldplay personally please get them in contact with Jon! I want this song in the worst WAY!!!

Yesterday (the actual birthday) {T} & I enjoyed strawberries dipped in this delicious Litehouse Yogurt Fruit Dip. If any of you know me well enough, you know I can't stand anything that tastes too... uhhh, healthy isn't the word... I just like things good. So NO diet, No sugar free, etc... etc... This beat the test! It doesn't even taste like it's yogurt. It's like PURE chocolate. YAY!! (Sorry this post is so advertisey) New fave!! & Lele approved! I found it at Smith's.

Then {T} asked if I wanted my birthday present now or later. I was so surprised, I thought the concert and CD's were my present. I said "now of course". He left the room and was gone for a few minutes then called me in. He had set up a new & super awesome tripod in his living room. I was so surprised! I would have never thought... mine old one is sorta broken and it's embarrassing setting it up in front of clients & trying to get it to actually work for me. This new one {T} got me for my b-day is SO awesome. It's got 2 levels and degrees marked into it. I can't even describe all it does... basically everything except clean the bathroom tub. (Which incase you wanna get me a gift, that's what I need... a tub cleaner to stop by my place twice a week and get 'er done.) I really have the best BF!! Once again I've been spoiled! Later that night we had dinner with my family and then I asked {T} to take me for a ride on his motorcycle. It was such a perfect day for a ride. Then we came back, ate the homemade icecream my sis made for me and mmmmm... Marie Calendars Razzelberry Pie! My sis stayed and we talked and laughed till midnight. She is so creative and artistic when it comes to words. She always writes a poem for the birthday person. I think the first part is from Dr. S. Well here is mine...

"Lisa,

Today is your birthday, a very special day.
A day we all shout, "Hip, hip, hooray!"
You aren't just any Joseph, Mike, Hank, or John.
You play a special role to us as daughter, sister, mom.

You are a big example in how you live your life.
You make the best of everything throughout all the toils & strife.
You won't just sit & take it, you don't become afraid.
Lisa, out of lemons you've made great lemonade.

Your photography is amazing. I've watched your talent grow.
All the pictured you create have everyone stunned, you know.
You've picked up this skill so quickly, & I know that you'll go far.
Pretty soon you'll be famous, a celebrity, a star!

I hope when I have kids I can be a mom like you.
You do so much for your boys in all you say & do
The love you have for them is something I really admire.
For them you'd do just anything - even walk through fire.

God has given me just one of you, I'm grateful for you as my sister.
You've been supportive throughout my life and you've made a great listener.
We've had so many fun times & even hard ones too.
But no one else could do the job of a sister quite like you.

Close your eyes & make a wish & blow your candles out.
Make your dreams go super far! Don't just wish for trout!
I hope that through this next year your wishes may come true.
And all the things you dream about may someday come to you.

I hope this year your birthday is amazing & great!
<3/ your sister JME & brother-in-law N8"

I really believe birthdays are days that show us how loved we are. I am SO loved. On top off all that birthday love I received a card in the mail from my ex's parents & grandparents, & I received numerous texts & emails from friends and family. Not only did my other "sis" text me on my birthday, but she made me something & posted it on her Baby Jane Cards & crafts blog. She is so super talented! She also does boards and cards, so check her out! I love this & can't wait to display it in my room!!!! Thanks Ambee!!

Also my mom gave me money for some hats I've been wanting. This super cute gal from Lehi sells them on her Chic & Unique Boutique site. I'm seriously thinking of getting this one. She sell all sorts of different colored flowers that you can put in the hats so I can change up my look!!!


Well, that's about it I think! I better be getting stuff done, like I said, I only have one more year if I wanna do it in my twenties! :D