8th Birthday Interview With Sutton and Avery

In honor of my little ladies 8th birthday, I wanted to interview them again. Here is last year's answers. Let's see how much they have changed over the last year. I (once again) borrowed my questions from Lindsay since she has a great set of birthday questions on her blog.

First up, Sutton (since she is the oldest by a few seconds):

1. What is your favorite toy? Play kitchen.

2. What is your favorite stuffed animal? The big Squishmallow (it is pretty big!).

3. What is your favorite sport? My favorite sport to watch is football and my favorite sport to play is softball.

4. What is your favorite book? Fancy Nancy. (she said this last year too).

5. What is your favorite TV show? Full House.

6. What is your favorite movie? Minions 3.

7. What is your favorite song? Shallow from A Star is Born. (they haven't seen the movie, but LOVE the song).

8. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas.

9. What is your favorite color? Pink.

10. What is your favorite animal? A chiweenie because that is what Wawa is (Walter).

11. What is your favorite snack? Popcorn.

12. What is your favorite treat? Yogurt Beach (frozen yogurt).

13. What is your favorite thing to eat for dinner? Mom's homemade pizza.

14. What is your favorite restaurant? Bangkok Cuisine (Thai food).

15. Who is your best friend? Tamsen, Camille, Avery, Harper and Evenlyn (I think these were the same from last year).

16. What do you want to be when you grow up? A chef (same thing as last year).

Next up, Avery:

1. What is your favorite toy? Kitchen supplies.

2. What is your favorite stuffed animal? A tiny cat that says Purrfect from Valentine's Day.

3. What is your favorite sport? Gymnastics (even though she hasn't tried it yet).

4. What is your favorite book? Itchy the Goat (written by her great aunt's friend).

5. What is your favorite TV show? Butterbeans Cafe (because it is cooking).

6. What is your favorite movie? Sing 2.

7. What is your favorite song? Edging by Blink 182 (I don't know if I should be proud or not, ha).

8. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas

9. What is your favorite color? Gold

10. What is your favorite animal? A chiweenie because of Walter.

11. What is your favorite snack? Popcorn.

12. What is your favorite treat? Rainbow lollipops.

13. What is your favorite thing to eat for dinner? Mom's homemade pizza (they love my pizza).

14. What is your favorite restaurant? Bangkok Cuisine.

15. Who is your best friend? Harper, Evelyn, Tamsen, Camille and Sutton.

16. What do you want to be when you grow up? A mom and a chef.

Happy 8th Birthday, My Beautiful Girls!

Another Birthday Celebration

On Sunday we celebrated my dads birthday and my birthday. Our birthdays are 4 days apart. I always tell him that I was his best birthday present 39 years ago.

We went to dinner with my parents, my sister, my brother-in-law and nephew. And we went to Itchiban's which is a teppanyaki style dinner. If you don't know what that is, then let me explain. Basically chefs cook in front of you on a large griddle. You get things like meats (steaks, shrimp, lobster, chicken, calamari, etc.), veggies, and fried rice. We go about once a year usually for mine and my dads birthday and it is always the best. And we had our own table this time!

Now basically a photo dump with some commentary! Enjoy!

Cucumber and crab salad

We had the best chef. He was funny, interacted with the kids, let them help him and just had the best attitude.

Some of my lobster!

I dream of this fried rice and was thankful for some leftovers!

Cooking up the steak and chicken.

He let the girls add sesame seeds to the chicken. Both girls got to help him.

My birthday dessert. Green tea ice cream (3 scoops) sundae!

We were all incredibly full and had happy hearts. It was a great time with my family! Not pictured, the many videos I took, the presents we exchanged and the massive leftovers we took home.

And now my birthday celebrations are over and the countdown is on to 40. Well I am not counting down as I am wanting to savor every last second of my 30s. Ha.

My 39th Birthday

*This post contains affiliate links. When you click a link, it is no cost to you and I make a small commission (pennies) from it. Thank you for supporting Sparkles and Lattes.

My 39th birthday came and went. I usually don't make a big deal out of it. Heck, I wasn't even going to celebrate with my friends, but some of them talked me into going out to dinner.

I thought I would share some of my birthday celebrations today.

Monday August 1st, Rory's good friend Ben (who was in our wedding) and his family were in town. I literally haven't seen them since our wedding and I had never met their girls. I have seen plenty of photos, but never met them. Same with them and our girls. So that changed Monday night.

We met up at their hotel, the Grand Sierra Resort and had dinner at Rim, which is a Chinese/Sushi restaurant. We ate so much food, talked and then took the kids downstairs to get frozen yogurt. And we only captured one photo.

one of their daughters is missing as she already went back up to the room.

Tuesday, my actual birthday, I took off work. Who wants to work on their birthday? Not me if I can help it. 

My day started off with a trip to the gym. I worked out and then headed to Starbucks for my free drink.

Then I went home to shower and get ready, but when I walked in, there was a card and some candy left for me. My husband and kids know how much I love both of these sweets but only buy them for trips or occasionally at work.

I LOVE The Office

Then I got ready and headed to Sparks Water Bar (my first time there) to meet my friend Heather for lunch and a Wet Woody. Yes that sounds dirty, but it is a frozen rum drink that is heavenly. I only get them about once a year, so I look forward to having them.

We shared our lunch with some coconut shrimp, crab cakes and a teriyaki salmon salad.

My tank is on sale for $14.95 with the code REALGOOD

Then I headed to Nordstrom Rack to look for a strapless bra. I needed one for the shirt above and for an old J Crew scalloped tank that has a different strap situation than the current ones. While there, I found a cute Max Studio dress that was normally $188, on sale for $54.99. I plan to wear this on a lot of upcoming work trips.

MaxStudio Polka Dot Pleated Dress

Then I headed home to freshen up and change for dinner. Then we dropped the girls off at my sisters house and headed to South Lake Tahoe for dinner at Hell's Kitchen. I used to watch HK and had always wanted to go to one. When the one in South Lake opened up, I tried to get reservations, but we never lucked out...until my birthday. Though we did make the reservations about two months in advance.

We both got drinks. Rory got the Smoking Barrel which is a play off an Old Fashion but they put it in a smoke box and bring it out for you to open. It smelled amazing and tasted so good. I got an It's Your Thyme which had vodka, thyme, lime, pear and vermouth.

Then we ordered the lobster risotto (which is the famous dish they always had for an appetizer along with the scallops). We also order the heirloom tomato and burrata salad which had basil and salt inside. Both dishes were amazing. So outstanding.

Then it was entree time. I got the famous Beef Wellington and Rory had the same, but with lobster on top of it. I had dreamed of having this dish and it definitely lived up to my expectations. It was so flavorful and amazing. I ate every last bite of it.

And then we got the roasted corn which was done in an elote style with queso fresca, jalapenos, and a jalapeno aioli. Again, amazing!

Then we got a free birthday dessert of the famous Sticky Toffee Pudding with homemade Speculoos ice cream. Seriously one of the best desserts I have ever had.

After almost two hours of dining, we headed about 2 miles away to Riva Grill (which the owners also own Sparks Water Bar) for another Wet Woody and to walk the pier and watch the sunset. These photos are why I love Lake Tahoe so much!

Then we drove back to Reno to pick up the girls and head home. We didn't get home until just after 10 pm and I had to go into work the next day. Brutal, but so worth it. It was such a great birthday celebration.

Birthday Wish List

*This post contains affiliate links. When you click a link, it is no cost to you and I make a small commission (pennies) from it. Thank you for supporting Sparkles and Lattes. 

So my birthday is in a week from tomorrow. It totally crept up on me. Ok, the girls do mention it a bit as they really want some special treat that day or around it. I totally get it. But this year I am turning 39 and have one more year until the big 40. Plus next year is also our 10 year wedding anniversary about two weeks later. So big things next year.

This year Rory is taking me to Hells Kitchen. It has been open in South Lake Tahoe for over a year or two now and I have always wanted to go. My sister went for her birthday (last year I think) and she said good things about it. I have heard mixed reviews, but I really wanted to go. So I asked Rory and we booked it about 2 months ago. 

I am taking the day off of work and not sure what I will do. Get a pedicure maybe? My toes are bad. I have a little bit of gel left on some and others have nothing.

Anyways, Rory and family is always asking what I want for my birthday, so I thought I would share here (family reads here). Most of these are higher priced items as I usually buy what I want. This way, they can go in on gifts together. See practical. Ha.

The Point Rothy's - I have a classic rounded toe pair that I wear all the time and now I want this fun color. These shoes are perfect for travel and everyday wear. Plus they are super easy to clean. You put the whole shoe (I take the soles out and wash in a lingerie bag) in the washing machine and air dry.

Emerald Cut Blue Topaz Ring - I really want a simple birthstone ring for my girls. I love emerald cut and how dainty this ring is.

Kendra Scott Haven Heart Hoops - I love KS jewelry and these earrings are a fun take on the traditional hoop earring.

Vuori Performance Jogger - I love Vuori products and have been wanting a pair of joggers for awhile. These ones come in long which is what I need. Rory has some joggers from them and the material is so soft looking.

JBL Noise Cancelling Earbuds - I think my earbuds that I use at the gym and for travel are on its last legs. They often turn off or short out.

Lululemon Align Legging - These are my favorite leggings by far. So many bloggers recommend dupes, but nothing compares to the Aligns. Believe me, I have bought a few and they don't live up to Lululemon. I am always in for another pair of these.

Kerastase Blond Absolu Shampoo, Conditioner, and Mask - I love this combo for my hair and I am almost out of them. I haven't had the mask in awhile, but it is amazing. It helps rebuild your damaged hair and makes it silky smooth.

Dyson Airwrap (also here and here) - This always sells out so fast, so I put multiple links. I really want this as my hair is prone to breaking and this set uses little heat. It is a blow dryer, curling "iron" and blow out set. Definitely been eyeing this since it came out.

It is so hard to find items for my birthday, but I do have fun looking around at things. What is on your birthday/shopping wish list? 

Happy Birthday Rory

Happiest Birthday to my dear husband, Rory. Today you are 44 years young, but I swear you look like you are in your 30s.

A few years back I wrote 39 things about him for his 39th birthday. And as much as I would love to try to write 44 new things about him, I am not sure I could even do that about myself (I did one of these before as well).

So I thought I would share some of my favorite things about him.

1. He loves old school hip hop. This makes my heart so happy as I love music so much. It is my cure all and when one of us plays some old school hip hop, he knows every word and it always makes me smile.

2. He will always defend Barry Bonds. Being a die hard Giants fan definitely has its perks (hello many World Series Championships), but it also means that we get a lot of grief from Dodgers fans. And definitely a lot of grief over Barry Bonds and if he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. When Rory believes in something or someone, he will defend them to the end.

3. He loves to garden.

4. He is a way better dancer than I am and he used to break dance. I love watching him dance at a wedding. He always busts out his old moves.

5. No matter how much Rory had for dinner, there is always room for dessert. My kids love this because they always want dessert. I was never a dessert person until Rory. And I didn't give into his love of desserts until I was pregnant with the girls.

6. When Rory gets passionate about something, he goes in full force. Whether it be his new-ish (the last two years) found love of bourbons or sports or his newer career (mortgage lending), he goes all in.

7. Rory hates sitting and being idle. He would rather be outside doing yardwork, or going for walks or snowboarding (which we sadly haven't done in two years). Even though I do enjoy relaxing. He just loves to go, go, go.

8. He is always in the known. He researches, reads and analyzes everything. I will bring something up to him and he will let me know that he has known about that for awhile and offer more insight into it.

9. He is an adventurous eater. He is always wanting to try new foods because you never know if you will like it if you don't try it. He recently wanted us to add more organ meat into our diet. I am a hard no on that one.

10. He strives to be the best dad in the world to our little ladies. He is always trying to set an example for them and wants the best for them. 

I could go on and on about Rory. Those who know him, know how amazing he is. The world is truly lucky you were born Rory. I love you!

The One With the Girls 7th Birthday

I still can't believe I have 7 year olds. How fast has the last seven years been? So fast.

Before I get to the girls birthday day, I wanted to share their outdoor mud kitchen that they got for Christmas. My in-laws brought it over the day before their birthday as we had too much snow to get it there on Christmas Day. 

And we put it in our guest bedroom for now until it warms up outside. We have been having temperatures in the 20s and so many storms.

Rory and I took the girls birthday off and did all the girls favorite things. Ok, not all of them, but a bunch of them.

We got up, got ready and headed to breakfast at Pine State Biscuits. The girls choice. We had pancakes, biscuits and bacon.  

Then we took them to their first surprise...we went to see Sing 2 with my parents. The girls were so happy to have grandma and papa there too. The girls got candy and popcorn and we all watched the movie which was sooo cute. Definitely worth seeing.

After the movie, we headed home and the girls opened up their gifts. Now if you follow me on Instagram, then you might have seen where I asked how many gifts do you give for Christmas, birthday and from Santa. I had all sorts of different answers and settled on 5 gift for each of them. The girls received ballet shoes/slippers, Nevada Wolf Pack hats (they they have been asking for), Hanna Andersson Dresses, Hanna Andersson leggings and makeup sets. They asked Santa for makeup sets, but I wanted to save the ballet shoes and makeup for their birthday.

Yes those are play heels that my in-laws got them months ago that they always wear (only in the house).

Then we watched some football before heading to dinner. I did snap this photo of them before we left. Look at how grown up they are.

Then we headed to Bangkok Cuisine for Thai food. The girls love panang curry, pad thai, rice and roti.

After dinner, we then went to a cirque du soleil holiday themed show named Holiday Dreams. Even though it is very Christmas based, they focus on the holiday season. It was so much fun and very impressive!

I suck at taking selfies, but we had to capture the evening.

The girls loved the show. It was so much fun! I got tons of videos and posted them to my Instagram as pictures don't do enough justice.

After the show, we headed home and tucked our newly 7 year olds into bed. Then we watched an episode of Goliath and snapped this photo. I put up a few decorations for the girls and they always love these balloons!

7th Birthday Interview with Sutton and Avery

In honor of my little ladies 7th birthday (today), I wanted to interview them again. Here is last year's answers. Let's see how much they have changed over the last year. I (once again) borrowed my questions from Lindsay since she has a great set of birthday questions on her blog.

Can you guess who is who?

First up, Sutton (since she is the oldest by a few seconds):

1. What is your favorite toy? Phone (old iphones).

2. What is your favorite stuffed animal? Dog (super soft)

3. What is your favorite sport? Golf.

4. What is your favorite book? Peppa Pig (a collection of 5 stories).

5. What is your favorite TV show? Fancy Nancy

6. What is your favorite movie? Rapunzel

7. What is your favorite song? This Girl is On Fire - Alicia Keys

8. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas (because you get to open presents and be with family).

9. What is your favorite color? Violet

10. What is your favorite animal? Unicorn

11. What is your favorite snack? Popcorn

12. What is your favorite treat? Mint chip ice cream.

13. What is your favorite thing to eat for dinner? Steak.

14. What is your favorite restaurant? Casa Grande (Mexican).

15. Who is your best friend? I have a lot of best friends. But Evie, Tamsen and Harper (and then Chamille and Avery are left out. I am still there friend).

16. What do you want to be when you grow up? a Chef

Next up, Avery:

1. What is your favorite toy? Septor (a Christmas gift from last year).

2. What is your favorite stuffed animal? Fox/Coyote from Elko.

3. What is your favorite sport? Golf and Tennis. And I like to watch football, not play it.

4. What is your favorite book? Room on the Broom (2 years in a row).

5. What is your favorite TV show? Spirit

6. What is your favorite movie? Ratatouille

7. What is your favorite song? This Girl is On Fire - Alicia Keys

8. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas

9. What is your favorite color? Pink and purple

10. What is your favorite animal? Unicorn

11. What is your favorite snack? Rice rollers (from Costco).

12. What is your favorite treat? Ice cream with chocolate morsels and oreos. 

13. What is your favorite thing to eat for dinner? Umm I have three of them. Your pizza (I make homemade pizza often), grilled cheese and spaghetti.

14. What is your favorite restaurant? Bangkok Cuisine (Thai food) and Wild Garlic (pizza).

15. Who is your best friend? Biana, Evie, Harper

16. What do you want to be when you grow up? Chef

Happy 7th Birthday, My Beautiful Girls!

Birthday Weekend Update

Happy Wednesday all! I have a birthday weekend update and I am announcing the winner of the Free Country jacket and joggers.

And the winner is: Caroline from Dramatic in the Best Way.

Congrats!

Friday we took off to Elko to take the girls to their grandparents house for a fun week before school starts. We left after grabbing some breakfast and made the four and a half hour drive easily. When we got into town, the storms were coming in. 

After getting settled in, we hung out and then headed to dinner. We went to a famous basque restaurant and enjoyed so much food. Basque is served family style. Meaning that the fries, pasta dish, veggie dish, salad, soup are all served family style. Then you each get an entree. I chose lobster and it was huge!!! And of course we had to have a picon. It is a basque drink and they are good but potent. 

After dinner, we headed back to my in-laws house. It was raining pretty good at the time and it was so welcomed. We haven't had much rain in the last month.

Saturday morning we got up and had a big breakfast. We did some stuff around the house and then headed out for some coffee, visiting Rory's families graves, a trip to the Elko museum and then a drive around Elko to see where Rory's dad grew up.

By the time we were done, we headed back to the house instead of the park since the storms rolled in again. We had lasagna with all the yummy sides and just hung out at the house. Rory and the girls took Walter on a walk while I read more of my book, The Wife Upstairs.

Sunday we slept in, had another big breakfast and then did some stuff around the house to help out before we left. Then around noon, Rory and I headed home with Walter. We got home around 5 pm and after unpacking, we headed out to Chinese food. Then we caught up on shows that we can't watch with the girls.

Monday was my actual birthday and I had to work. Boo. But fortunately, I only worked in the office for a few hours and then worked from home for the rest of the day. But my sweet co-workers brought me in this huge donut to share.

I spent the day working and getting lots of sweet calls from friends and family. After work, Rory took me to dinner at La Familia for the best Italian food. I got this truffle mushroom pasta dish that was heavenly. And we shared a burrata appetizer and a grilled artichoke appetizer. And then they brought me out some tiramisu for dessert with a sparkler in it!

Received this picture of my nephew wishing me a happy birthday!

Doesn't this look heavenly? It was so good.

Yes this is from my husband's instagram. I didn't get copies of the photo.

And there you have it. My birthday weekend. Hopefully 38 will be a good year!