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31 things about my 31st birthday

January 6, 2016 by Amanda @ .running with spoons. 95 Comments

First at 28, then at 29; passing over at 30 for something a little more serious, and now back at 31!

1. My day started at around 3:45am, which is apparently prime time for the sidewalks around my home to get a little cleaning done. No complaints, though — I appreciate being able to walk on clean sidewalks, and it just meant that I could be awake to enjoy my birthday for longer. It’s all about perspective ?

2. I had a harder time putting a positive spin on the fact that I burnt my oats for breakfast, though… and I couldn’t help but hope that it wasn’t an omen for how the next year will go ?

3. … but that still didn’t stop me from eating them.

4. So my birthday always comes at a really awkward time. It’s either on the first day that everyone has to go back to work/school, or close enough to it that no one really wants to have any fun… especially with the whole post-Christmas funk thing going on.

Goof Spoons

5. I probably shouldn’t complain, though, because (fun fact) I was actually due to be born on December 24th, which — as any holiday baby knows — kind of stinks.

6. Besides… with Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s, and my birthday all happening within 12 days of each other, I’ve got almost 2 weeks of celebrating and/or looking forward to celebrating something. 

 7. That being said, I totally forgot to celebrate Birthday Week this year. Well, I remembered about halfway through, but that kind of defeated the point…

8. Then again, I did enjoy a two-minute brownie pretty much every day that week, so I guess that counts for something?

Two Minute Brownie

9. AND! I got to spend some time in the mountains snowboarding with friends, which definitely counts for something…

Frozen Mountain Lake

10. But I digress. Back to the beginning of my actual birthday, where I woke up with a huge zit on my chin. Apparently my body never got the memo that I’m no longer a teenager.

11. Which is probably why I still look it…

Amanda (1)

12. And act it…

Goofball Spoons

13. But I definitely did not feel it when I was dragging my sore butt out of bed in the morning. Gotta love those DOMS… 

14. … which is why I spent a good chunk of the day foam rolling…

Foam Rolling

15. … and using this torture device right here…

Acuball

16. … while watching this movie right here…

Minions Movie

17. Have I mentioned that I’m 31 going on 13? 

18. … which might explain why I got such a kick out of my cupcake balloon (!!!)

Birthday Cupcake Balloon

19. And why I went on to try and eat it…

Eating the Birthday Balloon

20. Food! Let’s talk about the food. I managed to sneak in a birthday dinner with the family, where Mama Spoons made some of the most amazing mushroom pizza dough rolls of all time (paired with roasted veggies and borscht).

Moms Pizza Rolls

Mushroom Pizza Dough Rolls

21. And if you would have told me even 5 years ago that I’d be eating mushrooms and beets, I would have laughed myself sick. This girl was never a fan of the veggies.

22. What I’ve always been a fan of, though, is chocolate…

Chocolatey Spatula

23. And [homemade brownie ice cream] cake…

Brownie Ice Cream Cake

? ? ?

24. And flowers…

Birthday Orchids

25. And thoughtful little gifts…

Hollow Book Box

26. And free birthday coffee…

Birthday Coffee

27. Which reminds me that I still need to head into Sephora to pick up my free birthday gift.

28. … and probably walk out with $100+ worth of beauty products. Oops ?

29. TL;DR, it was an awesome day that ended with a full belly and a full heart.

30. Yep. I’m liking 31 a whole heck of a lot so far. I have a feeling it’s going to be an awesome year.

31. But I’m not looking forward to getting any older because I have no idea how I’m going to keep thinking up more and more things for future birthdays ?

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Tell me 3 random things from your day!

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Filed Under: Life in General Tagged With: 31, balloons, birthday, brownies, cake, foam rolling, Starbucks, things

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Arman @ thebigmansworld

    January 16, 2016 at 6:54 pm

    I legit forget that you are 31……seriously.

    Reply
    • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

      January 17, 2016 at 7:16 am

      Lolol. That makes two of us 😉

      Reply
  2. Arlene

    January 8, 2016 at 7:36 am

    Happy Birthday Amanda!

    Reply
    • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

      January 8, 2016 at 11:52 am

      Thank you, Arlene! <3

      Reply
  3. Chelsea's Healthy Kitchen

    January 7, 2016 at 7:41 pm

    Despite the early wake up time (ugh used to happen to me all the time in my old apartment in the winter time!) and burnt oats (boooo), sounds like an awesome birthday. And those mushroom rolls? Yum!

    3 random things from my day:
    1. “Cheerleader” came on the radio twice on my drive home from work and you bet I belted it out loud both times.
    2. John and I are watching the whole Gossip Girl series and it was so long ago that I watched it, that I forget what happens so it’s like I’m watching it for the first time haha.
    3. Leg day. Enough said (I will be able to relate to your DOMS tomorrow!).

    Reply
    • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

      January 8, 2016 at 6:55 am

      !!! I’ve actually been meaning to go back and re-watch Gossip Girl. It’s been a while for me too, so I’m hoping it’ll have that “first time” feel. It was one of my favourite shows.

      Reply
  4. Kelsey

    January 7, 2016 at 7:14 pm

    Happiest birthday to you! Loved the simplicity of this post. =) My birthday is next month (Feb. 15) and I think I’m going to give myself a long weekend for my birthday. 4 days away from work? Yes. Yes please.
    Three random things about my Thursday – I had the best chat with my best friend and my coach at the gym after our WOD this morning – I fell in love with the new mint chocolate RxBar – I was all productive at work, but lost it when I got home. Hoping to get a few little tasks done before heading to bed tonight!

    Reply
    • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

      January 8, 2016 at 6:54 am

      That sounds like a perfect thing to do for yourself on your birthday! And don’t forget to celebrate birthday week like I did 😡

      Reply
      • Kelsey Yoki

        January 8, 2016 at 8:13 am

        Haha – I already stated at the gym that my birthday is a month and a week away…mostly because my coach has these new mint green/grey socks from Stance that I really want to steal. So I reminded everyone my birthday is ALMOST here. I’m a huge advocate of the birthday week. Then no one has to feel bad about not making plans right on your birthday! (ps, thanks for responding to comments – its my favorite email to get!)

        Reply
        • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

          January 8, 2016 at 12:50 pm

          Mint green = <3 And thanks for letting mw know, Kelsey! One of my goals this year is to respond to more comments, and it's always nice to see that people read the responses 😀

          Reply
  5. Shashi at RunninSrilankan

    January 7, 2016 at 11:58 am

    Happy Belated Birthday Lovely Lady! Hey – so have you ever watched “31 going on 13” ? It had Jennifer Garner in it?
    Yay for eating ‘shrooms and beets – were the beets in the mushroom roll ups? You know I love my beets and am so dang curious – or nosey!

    Reply
    • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

      January 8, 2016 at 6:43 am

      Thank you, Shashi! And nope! The beets were actually in the borscht my mom made. It’s pretty much always part of our holiday/birthday dinners, and I used to hate it as a kid, but now I actually love it!

      Reply
  6. [email protected]

    January 7, 2016 at 12:57 am

    Happy Belated Birthday returns from Lynne and I Amanda.

    You don’t look a day over 21 😉

    Ps. I still get zits. It still happens many years on from you…. Lynne likes to pop them…..too much information I know, Sorry! 😆

    Sound like you had an amazing day anyway. And I want those mushroom pizza dough rolls of your mums!! 😀

    Reply
    • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

      January 8, 2016 at 6:42 am

      Aww and here I was hoping that they’d disappear completely. I guess it’s our body’s way of trying to hold on to its youth? 😆

      Reply
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Amanda

I'm Amanda - health coach, cookbook author, recipe developer, photographer, makeup junkie, and the blogger behind Running with Spoons - a blog dedicated to proving that healthy snacking doesn't have to be tasteless or boring, one delicious recipe at a time. More about Amanda →

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