In Honor of my Birthday

Today I am 30! I still can't believe it, but I am looking forward to what life awaits for me. It is hard to believe that I am what I thought was soooo old, but here I am. I feel young, and happy. I am thankful for what I have experienced this far.

Since I have been a lazy blogger I thought I would repost this from last year. Enjoy!

I thought I would share the email that my sister Nancy has compiled. She sends this to everyone a little bit before their birthday. It is stock full of all the different things you can get for free on or around your birthday. It is great because it means we get to celebrate all month long! Alot of these are here in AZ, but there are still some that are available in other areas. Just check to see if there is a location near you.

I.D.’s or birth certificates are usually checked and you must do these on your actual birthday:

Hollywood Video: free video rental
Joe's Real BBQ: free lunch or dinner
Joe’s Farm Grill: free lunch or dinner up to $10
Korean BBQ on Northeast corner of Alma School & Guadalupe: free meal
Outback Steakhouse: Free Blooming Onion - W/Photo ID
Krispy Kremes: Free Dozen Donuts (right now the only one open in AZ is at Power & the 60)

I.D.’s are not usually checked:

Most restaurants will give you a free dessert on your birthday so I don’t usually list those unless it is a little different

Red Robin: free birthday sundae plus free dinner if you are signed up for their email list below
Mi Amigos: free dessert with a Polaroid picture of you on your birthday.
Chevy’s Fresh Mexican: free dessert, song, and sombrero
Claim Jumper: Free mudpie
Macaroni Grill: free chocolate cake and Italian opera singer to sing Happy Birthday
The Gilbert House: Free dessert
Oreganos: Free Pizookee (half baked cookie with ice cream on top)

Some websites that have sent me freebies on my birthday (What’s great about these is you usually don't have to use them on your birthday -allowing you to spread the freebies out longer throughout the month- most give you 1-4 weeks to use them):

Register at any Danny’s Family Car wash for their rewards program and you will get a free birthday car wash, a free wash for joining plus other goodies!

Register for the Abuelo’s e-Club and they will send you a card for a free appetizer just for registering and then a free entrée on your birthday and on your anniversary!

Register for the Golden Spoon eclub and you will get a free frozen yogurt coupon emailed to you on your birthday plus other coupons throughout the year.

Register for the Dukes email club and you will get an email for a free meal on your birthday, they will also send you other freebies throughout the year. All of their locations are in Washington – works out great if you are in the Seattle area.

Register at Arizona Auto Wash and get a free car wash on your birthday-you can register the day of your birthday too!

Register for Z'club at Z Tejas and they email out a coupon for a free meal or $10 off your order.

Register for the email club at Pasta Pomodoro and they email out a coupon for a free entrée.

Register for the Souper Fresh Club at Souper Salad and they email out a coupon for a free buffet.

Register for the Birthday Club at The Keg and get a free prime rib dinner on your birthday- you have to register at the restaurant and they send you a postcard by mail. (This is by far the best one on this list! The meal is worth $30!...and the food is amazing!)

Register for the Club at NYPD Pizza at any of their locations and they will email you a coupon for a free dessert on your birthday.

Register for Marie Callenders at a location and they will send you a coupon for $5 off an entrée and a free piece of pie.

Register for the eclub at Red Robin and they will send you a gift for signing up and then a free burger on your birthday (which you can use on any of their entrees.)

Register for the mailing list for Malees and they will send you an email good for an entrée up to $19 for free!

Register for the email list for Maggiano’s and they will send you a coupon for $10 off of a $20 purchase.

Register for the free birthday dinner at The Vine Tavern & Eatery and they will send you a postcard for a free dinner up to $10

Register for the Sonic Cruisers Club and they will email you a free cream slush coupon on your birthday.

Register online at Damon's Steakhouse Buy 1, Get 1 Free Entree, Birthday song and More!

Register online at Daphne's Greek Café, Join their eClub and get a free meal on your birthday as well as other discounts

Register online at Quiznos Subs and get a Birthday Gift

Register online for Rockfish Restaurant and get a Free Item near Birthday - Locations: Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, North Carolina

Join the Pig Club at Famous Daves and get a SURPRISE BIRTHDAY GIFT ( maybe a piece of birthday cake, an appetizer, some ribs, or even an All-American Feast! )

Register for Buca di Beppo’s e-club and receive a free dessert

Register for the Subway Birthday club and get a free 6 in. sub for your birthday

Register for the Juice it Up! SmoothE club and get a free birthday gift.

Register for the Peter Piper Pizza eClub and you can sign your kids up for the birthday club to receive a postcard for a free kid pizza

Register for Auntie Anne’s perfect rewards club at and you get a coupon every month.

Just for kids:

Baskin Robbins Birthday Club: get a free ice cream cone

Marble Slab Creamery: for a free ice cream cone (kids under 12)

California Pizza Kitchen:free kids meal

Medieval Times (they send you a free kids admission ticket): this is offered at the Dallas Texas location email dallassecretary@medievaltimes.com your childs name, complete mailing address, and date of birth to join the kids birthday club.

Bob Evans Restaurant Birthday Club: free kids meal coupon

Chevys Fresh Mex Restaurant: you have to register at the location and they send you a card for a free kids meal on your birthday.

Burger King: Join the BK Kids Club at any location you can get an application and they will send you a coupon for a free kids meal in the mail.

Sonic: Join the birthday club for a free wacky pack kids meal on your birthday at

Bookmans: Join the Kids Club at any Bookmans and receive $5 postcard for your birthday plus 10% off all year plus a membership kit with cool stuff.

Denny’s: For kids under 10 – you can get the form at Denny’s or on the web, mail it in and you will get a free entrée and sundae on your birthday.

Let me know if you find any other great freebies to add to my list and have fun!!

Shoes

Happy Father's Day!

I hope you know how much you are loved by all those around you. Our life really would not be the same without you in it.

Thanks Ashley for the super cute idea, and rendering your services. You are awesome!

First Day in London

Part of me was so mesmerized by London. I couldn't believe I was actually there. It was so surreal to visit these places that I seen and heard about. I really wish that we had more time to visit. Next time I would like to be there long enough to be able to take the time to actually go on tours of each of the buildings. Instead I was able to enjoy the views from the outside.
One of the most refreshing things about this little pit stop was being able to speak English. We arrived in London on a Wednesday. Shawn and I were able to enjoy that day together, but Thursday and Friday I was left solo while Shawn tended to his work. I feel like if we were in Spain (or any other country for that matter) I would have been less adventurous for fear that I would get lost, and then not be able to communicate with anyone. Besides the fact that I LOVE British accents...it is really something I could listen to all day long.

Wednesday brought lots of fun. We headed over to Piccadilly Circus/Leicester Square on the Underground. This trip really made me appreciate the subway system. It really is such a nice thing to use to get around...quite efficient. I grinned everytime it would stop and it would say "Please Mind the Gap." It is amusing the different phrasing they use. Here in America it would probably say "Please Watch your Step"...clearly not as amusing. Shawn and I decided that the British English is much more refined and proper, and American Enlish is the slang version...kinda like the difference of Spain Spanish, and Mexican Spanish.
Piccadilly Circus is London's Times Square. People are everywhere, and there is tons to do. Our first set of business was to find some tickets to a 'broadway' show. So we took the short walk to Leicester Square. This is the place where all the red carpet events take place when movies are opening in London. It would have been so cool if there was a movie opening, but alas there was not. Instead we found a half off ticket booth, and got some awesome tickets to see WICKED that evening!

Now we had time to burn before the show, and the first stop was eating. We went to Chinatown, and enjoyed a great meal. I wish I would have gotten a picture of the entrance of Chinatown, but just got one in front of the restaurant we ate at. This restaurant was really fun. Once you walked through the tunnel it was as if you were in China. They had a little bridge, and a Coi pond.

The underground took us to Westminster where we were able to take in Big Ben.The day was a little overcast so we took a stroll over the Thames river and walked past The London Eye. We layed on the grass, and rested. I took some shots of the amazing 'Eye'. It is one of the largest Ferris Wheels in Europe.
Next stop was Trafalgar Square, and the National Gallery. Unfortunately the gallery closed 5 minutes after we arrived. I ended up going there by myself that Friday, but have to leave that experience for another post.
Trafalgar Square was quite the sight. I couldn't believe all the people just sitting around.Buckingham Palace was beautiful. We spent some time watching the guards. It really is amazing how still they are. I would think that would be one of the most boring jobs ever.
Before we knew it, it was time to head over Apolla Victoria and enjoy WICKED. I couldn't contain my excitement. I had heard a few of the songs, and the raves of everyone that had been to it before and coudn't wait to see it for myself. I have to agree that it did not dissapoint! I found the story line to be so intriguing. It is amazing the things people do just to be liked. I thought the set was so cool...I know it is a bit dark, but this was the theatre before the show started. For those of you who have been to the show before...do they all look the same??
Such a perfect ending to a perfect day.

Picture this...

I know I need to finish up our trip, but just had to share what happened today.

Every Wednesday a few of my friends get together for lunch at McDonald's (yes, not my fav place to eat, but the kids get to play.) Today was no different. Around noon we met up at and were enjoying each others company.

These days, Thomas is very adventurous. He is climbing on everything, and trys to keep up with the big kids. Unfortunately it didn't work out for him today. The poor little guy fell and gave himself a big fat lip.

I ran over to pick him up, and was busy with a screaming child. Melanie had gone to the counter to get some ice, and I was trying to do what I could to help stop the bleeding. The next thing I knew Caden was at the table oblivious to the fact that Thomas was hurt.

Caden: Hey mom, I want to get some ice cream.

Me: Umm, not right now Caden! Can you please go fill this cup up with some lemonade (I thought, if anything, the cold drink would help keep the swelling down.)

He grabs the cup and walks away....only moments later he is back.

Caden: I can't do it Mom.

Me: Caden, it really isn't that hard....all you have to do is ask the guy at the counter. (I am still trying to figure out why they don't have self service fountains there)

Caden: I don't want them to see me naked!!

Me: What????????

My eyes pan down to see him grabbing his shirt, and trying to pull it down!!! My kid is standing in the middle of McDonalds with no pants on!! How in the world did this happen??? This particular McD's doesn't have a bathroom in the kids area so that means he walked through the WHOLE place showing his junk, and then proceeded to have a normal conversation with me about how he wanted ice cream!!!

I immediately take him back to the bathroom...all the while laughing my head off. Apparently he was 'waiting for me for such a long time'. We have been working on the whole wiping aspect of the lovely potty time, and he is still having a hard time. He likes me to 'check' to make sure he got it all. The only problem is that he didn't even tell me he was going to bathroom!

The poor kid got himself dressed, and came out and said "That was NOT funny!"

Sorry Caden, it was HILARIOUS!

To top it off...we had a talk about it later. We talked about how it is important to be more modest, and not to let other people see your 'private parts'. The kid still felt totally justified in walking around with no pants on!

Hotels

So our first stop when we got into London was our hotel "The Barn". Shawn's office is located near Uxbridge (which is in the outskirts of London). He had tried to get something that was more downtown, but ended up booking this because it was closer to work. As we were carrying all of our luggage through 'The Underground' (what they call their subway system) I was getting a little bitter because I was tired of lugging our luggage, and just wanted to get to the hotel.
When we finally got there...I stopped complaining. This was such a cute place. I know I have ventured into the London part of our trip, but let me tell you a little about the places we stayed in Spain.

Spain is a wonderful place, but they can be a little archaic when it comes to some things. I have no idea why I didn't take pictures of our rooms because it really was quite the discussion at times. When I got home, I really was kicking myself about it too! I ended up scouring the Internet and happened to find a few pictures of them (yay!).

We actually only stayed to 2 different hotels. President S. was great enough to book all of those who wanted a room so we were all in the same place. They really weren't that bad, but we did have some issues...

In Spain I don't even think you can find a King bed. The biggest bed you can get is a Queen, but more often than not...they just push two twins together, and call it good. You would think if they pushed the beds together they would make it like one bed, but no... instead you get this.

This is what our room looked like in Madrid This was what our room looked like in Avila --notice the separately made beds. Thanks to www.11870.com for this pic.They also were super firm. I don't like my bed so soft, but it has to have some give!! Sometimes I felt like I would sleep better on the floor.

The other interesting thing was the hairdryers. When I was packing for the trip I wondered if I should bring my hairdryer. In the end I decided against it because I figured the room would have a hairdryer. My mind was picturing something like this
Instead we got something more like this. (Again this is another thing I was kicking myself for not taking a picture of...this picture is similar to the one in our Madrid hotel.) The one in our Avila hotel was even better...it kinda reminded me of a vacuum hose. Anyway, as you can imagine, it did not really perform the way that I would have liked. I ended up having to take my shower each evening so that my hair would be practically dry in the morning. If I didn't it would have taken half the day to dry with this thing. On the bright side, it made for great conversation! (Note to self...next time I go out of the country invest in a travel hairdryer from Target:)

So really imagine my delight when I saw this! After a whole week sleeping in rock hard beds, I was in heaven when we walked in our room.
We didn't get to enjoy it until we spent a full day in London. We dropped our luggage, and headed back into town....