Birthday Princess

Birthday parties are on definitely on my top ten list of the greatest great things. I mean, birthdays really are just so silly... nothing tangible happens on a birthday. But there is something so sweet about celebrating life and the lives of people that we cherish.

With that being said, Tessa is just getting older! And again, we surprised her. This time though, she came to us! I had her friends come up to Westwood to help prep my apartment for a girls night in, and then we all waited in CPK to surprise her when she came to 'pick me up before heading home' from the airport on the night her flight got in from Portland.

Tessa's friends are so cool and sweet, they brought most adorable party hats and a scrumptious cake to add to the desert table. I also brought Lauren along, because Tess loves her and I basically look for any excuse to make my best friend come up to LA. Overall, I'd say the night was perfect.

The next day, Tess and I had a beautiful breakfast on the patio and then road tripped to the Malibu Sand Hill and to Venice Beach.

Sister time has a magic to it that can be just surreal. :)

Cabin Madness

Only finals week could get me to finally edit this. Procrastination is such a sneaky little thing.

Hippo Birdy!

I feel like tuning twenty was a long time coming. Teenagedom was an incredible wonderwhirl of opportunities and lessons.. but I could feel myself prepare for the plunge into twenty somethings as soon as 2011 rolled around. 

Miraculously, I got out of school a day before my birthday. 

It was SO nice to drop all that academic clutter from my brain and just celebrate my life.

And guess what?

Cubs surprised me with a duel membership to the San Diego Zoo and the Wild Animal Park... for the both of us!

Obviously, Lauren and Ethan came along.

And as an extra treat, our dear friend Lindsay (who just returned from school at Skidmore) was in on the surprise!

It was simply a perfect day for the Zoo.