The last night of the cruise, our dinner friends found out that my birthday was the next week, so they had the dinner staff sing happy birthday to me.
I loved that I was able to spend a part of my birthday with mom and dad, and living in a different state - that doesn't always happen. Mom, Dad, Charlie, and I went to lunch at City Cafe on Saturday and had a very good meal and of course CAKE! City Cafe has the best cake I have ever tasted and the slices are HUGE!! Mom and dad love going to City Cafe when they are visiting :)
My Slice - Red Velvet Cheesecake!
Now onto my stories ---
So, on Friday, Dad came to Chattanooga and brought me a lawn mower - I have had the worst luck with the lawn mower I bought last year, but it was only $75 so I didn't expect it to last too long!
Then, on Saturday morning mom, dad and I went shopping for me another dryer - I also had bad luck with that purchase as well. LOL! So, I thought that the lawn mower and dryer were my birthday presents. I even said to them "You know you are officially an adult when you start getting dryers and lawn mowers for your birthday, and are thankful for them!" Little did I know, dad had planned to buy me a bike -- not just any bike, a CRUISER RETRO bike!! Mom and dad stopped and picked up the bike before they left for North Carolina, then brought it to my house and left it for me to see when I got home later that evening from work. Mom also bought me a sweet hammock while we were in Mexico for my birthday! Once I have it hung up, I will take pictures - I'm positive hanging it up will be quite the adventure.
This is totally the coolest bike I have ever seen!!
I am so glad it is sunny today so I can go outside and give it a try!
Now, Charlie isn't a huge planner, so I wasn't sure what he had in mind for us to do on Sunday. Somehow, my birthday came out of no where this year! I am usually very prepared and asking what our plans will be or making plans (I'm a bit of a planner). But, this year is just going by so quickly! Anyway, Charlie had coordinated with Rebecca about our Sunday plans because she wanted to have us over to their house for my birthday -- so sweet! I work for the best people anyone could ever ask for!
After lunch, Charlie and I made a stop by Sweet Frog for dessert - I have an addiction to this place!
Next, now this is where the very sweet factor comes in about Charlie...
We get to the car and he says "where would you like to go: Hobby Lobby, Home Goods, or TJ Maxx?" I say "TJ Maxx". I thought we were just going to go kill time before our next activity, but we walk in and Charlie says to me, "okay, pick out whatever you want"! WHAT?! I love shopping, but the one time I am taken into a store and told to pick out anything, I was overwhelmed! Let's just say, it took forever for me to find the perfect gift(s)!
Below are my TJ Maxx gifts :)
I love owls and Charlie said he had been wanting to get me an owl coffee mug, but wasn't able to find one and this was the only one in the store -- completely meant to be!!
This is kind of random, but again, I love Owls! I'm not sure where I am going to put him just yet,
but I will find the perfect place!
After purchasing my new ottoman (that is yet to be re-upholstered), I needed something that I could use to make it feel more like a coffee-table.
So I found this huge shallow basket and knew this would be perfect!
After spending quite some time in TJ Maxx, Charlie said we had to leave to make it to our next stop - the movies :) I love going to the movies, if I could go to the movies everyday I totally would! He had already picked the movie and everything - The Big Wedding! This was such a good movie! Chick flicks are my favorite movies, and I had been wanting to see this one. We were both laughing throughout the whole movie. Charlie even said he enjoyed it as well. I recommend going to see it! :)
After the movie, Charlie said I still needed to pick out more birthday gifts, so he suggested Target. If you notice I didn't pick out any clothing items while at TJ Maxx, it is because I would rather buy things to decorate my house than clothes. I'm gonna need a bigger house soon! LOL!
Anyway, we went to Target and I perused through all of the home decorating section and had picked up several items, but eventually put them all back. I wanted to get a chalkboard for my kitchen, but I can easily make one of those for much cheaper. I also wanted to get a new mirror with a colorful frame, but again, I can also make one of those.
**Like I've said before, I go into stores and see things and think "I can make that" which leads me to rarely buying anything and having a to-do list that is miles long!**
So, after searching for a while, I decide to look elsewhere in the store and I make my way back to the electronics section and instantly see "Safe Haven" on blu-ray and I don't think twice to pick that up! It is my favorite movie right now and if you haven't seen it -- you need to!!! After that, I think we are ready to leave, but Charlie says "you can pick out one more thing". I look at him with a confused look because it took me forever to find the other things he bought and I was content with everything that I had chosen! So I tell him that he should pick out my last gift on his own. We wonder around for a short time and we make our way to the jewelry section, where he picks out the most beautiful watch!
I have been wanting a watch like this, but I had forgotten about it - but he didn't :)
To end our evening, we went to Provinos - the best Italian restaurant in Chattanooga.
What makes Provinos even better? You get a free meal on your birthday, HECK YES! :) I love coming here for my birthday, it is pretty much the only time of the year that we go and that makes it more special.
OH! And before I forget about this special birthday present, Charlie also got me a precious kitten! I have been wanting a kitten for quite some time, but I searched shelters and things and just couldn't find the right one. Charlie had been planning to get me this kitten since April or so and she happened to be ready to leave her mama the week of my birthday! :)
Meet Mercy, she's 8 weeks old and I am already in love!
Now, I thought all of my birthday celebrations were over... I mean, I had an excellent birthday already! However, Charlie had just one more thing up his sleeve. He had told me yesterday that we were going to go downtown to pick up a package at the post office and then get ice cream. Little did I know that he had planned a sweet surprise birthday dinner at one of my favorite restaurants! :) He's precious!
We get downtown and he was like "Oh, the post office is closed... want to eat at Taco Mamacita since we are here?" (The post office is across the street from Taco Mama).
So we walk in and I see some of my awesome friends! I was so excited and surprised! I am not an easy one to surprise, but he sure did pull it off :) While we were sitting at the table Jackson looks at me and says "Telisha, I thought we celebrated your birthday with you yesterday." I simply told him, I like to celebrate a lot. ;) ---- The worst part? I get in the car and realize I forgot to snap a picture!! Boo!!
Basically, I had the best birthday and I was able to share it with some really awesome people in my life who mean the world to me!! :)
