Chris' Epic Birthday Week

October 25th was Chris' 26th birthday.  Because I love birthdays I made it a big deal.  

Many a pictures ahead!

We started the birthday week off with a surprise visit from his best friend, Andy.  They've been friends since middle school, in Hawaii.  After graduating from college in California Andy moved up to PDX 

we only live an hour and a half away so he tries to come and visit often.  Chris was super surprised when Andy went into his work on campus to surprise him.  That evening we went to dinner at Hop Valley Brewery. Our friend Melissa joined us.

Soon Melissa, soon.

We are very guilty of taking pictures like this all the time.

We ordered their sampler of beers,  I took more pictures of these tiny glasses than anything else. The Hefeweizen
(the one with the lemon) was my favorite.  But Hefeweizens tend to be my favorite beers.

I think this picture speaks volumes about us.

I had been to Hop Valley before and really enjoyed it, their happy hour is killer, but I was a little let down for this visit.  Everything we ordered that was fried (onion rings, fish and chips, fries) just sorta all tasted the same from the deep frier.  But they have these smoke mozzarella sticks that are a-may-zing.

The biggest part of Chris' birthday he didn't even know about.  I decided around August that I wanted to throw him a surprise party, with a theme.  I settled on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers because he loved them when he was little and...Why not?  So I asked guests to wear the color of their favorite Ranger, some people wore the same color head to toe or just a shirt.  But it was so much fun!  Chris had no idea, because going over to our friend Mychal's house for 'pizza, video games, and beer' is pretty normal.

Nathan blew up ALL the ballons.

Elisa got conned into hanging up everything because she's tall.  Story of her life.

Ballons everywhere!  A Power Rangers streaming on NetFlix.  What more could an almost 26 year old guy ask for?

Nell, in the orange, is from New Zealand.  They didn't have Power Rangers there so wasn't sure what color to wear.   There is no Orange Ranger.  We let her stay though.

I went as the Red Ranger due to the fact that I couldn't find a ridiculous pink party dress at Ross.

Glow stick dance time!

We played dubstep, pop music mashups, and LMFAO all night.  So loudly a very nice police officer came to the house told us to turn it down.

Chris' vanilla cake with Nutella cream cheese frosting, adorned with  the Power Ranger mecha, from a Happy Meal I bought for Chris back in September.  I baked it the night before at my friend Devin's apartment.  HRD came to the party too.

Most awesome picture form the evening.  Elisa disapproving of whatever Nathan is doing.

I didn't take any pictures of the surprise itself, but I did do a video, or rather Nell did.  It's really funny, to Chris and I at least.  The best part?  After singing him a very surprising happy birthday Mychal said "Gotcha!" Then you can hear Elisa, yell off camera, "Get this man a drink!"  And we did.  All in all it was great party and a huge surprise for Chris.  Much merryment was had and made for all who attend.  The was also sprinkles of roomie drama and the token friend with the token crappy partner everyone hates.  Other than that it was a proper college party with red cups, beer pong, shots, and at least one person who drank too much.  Chris had a great time, and that's what matters.

The morning, or rather the afternoon, after the party we got an epic breakfast at The Glenwood, a Eugene restaurant legend.

October 25th was the real day!  Chris wanted to do something simple so we went to Toshi's Ramen and got dinner, and just enjoyed each other's company.  We rarely get to spend time-time together, although we live together, sometimes we just get busy and sorta forget about us.

Chris, get off your damn phone.

He hates it when I take his picture so he's playing nice here.

Toshi's gyoza are filled with hot, steamy love.  A must order.

Two bowls of ramen, one order of fried rice, and matcha green tea for me.

Totally decimated in about 15 minutes.  We were hungry and eat fast.

He seemed to enjoy every minute of his epic birthday week, but he isn't used to this much attention, so I hope it doesn't go to his head.  

It Seems Fitting

Oh, the lack there of.



I write ideas for blog entries, accept for the photo heavy ones  in a journal I keep in my purse at all times.  Ironically, that page is still very much so blank.

Chris' birthday week just wrapped up so here are some major highlights:

-His best friend Andy came down for a quick visit from PDX last Wednesday.
-I managed to pull off a rocking surprise party for Chris on Saturday, that sorta devolved into an
episode of the Jersey Shore.   I couldn't have done it without my accomplices
Elisa, Mychal, Nathan, and Nell.
-For Chris' birthday evening I was reduced to tears because sometimes we suck at communicating
our expectations to each other.  After we talked and I calmed the eff down he opened his gifts
a scale for our kitchen, pinch bowls and The Batman then we went to dinner at Toshi's.
After dinner we went to SafeWay so he could buy Zicam, and then home for him
to play Batman and me to catch up on all the amazing TV I missed on Monday.
(Read:  The Hoarders season premiere!)

I'll post pictures from the party, what few I have, since it is unwise to handle a camera while you've been enjoying yourself.

Other than that just trying to get the house cleaned up and organized, then getting ready for
Halloween!

I hope your week has been going well so far!

Fall, So Far

I am a big fan of taking an exorbitant amount of pictures.  I figure if I post them on my blog it will cover up the fact that I have no idea what to write about.  Prepare some carpet bombing with pictures!

Nathan, Elisa, and Devin came over for Rosh Hashanah dinner.

My cousin Andrea married her partner of 7 years, Matt in an offbeat wedding.

Chris and I at Tiffany's 26th birthday dinner.

I made her a gluten free cake, Chris put the Alot on it.

Tiffany, blowing out her Alot of candles.

On a very perfect fall afternoon Elisa and I to a walk and got pumpkin spice lattes along the way.

I love being able to wear sunglasses in the fall, probably because it's always rainy here.

Fall means boot weather! My boots were from Chris for our first anniversary last year.

Last week was Sukkot and I had Nathan and Devin over for stew, fun was had by all.

That has been about it for the first two months of Fall 2011.