Birthday, Book, Blender

It has been a busy couple weeks. It started out celebrating Michael's 26th (I think) birthday. We ate at a new restaurant called Bull and Bones. It's a new micro brewery here in town. Besides the beer it's drawing attraction is a strip of frosty ice that runs down the middle of the bar that you then put you glass in to keep your drinks cold. It's a very interesting feature. I'm not sure why the restaurant was picked but everyone liked it. I think everyone in town liked it to for the fact that it was crazy crowded. Here is Michael with his sampler of beers appetizer, and no I'm not joking, they call it an appetizer. They even have a little paper mat that you put the little beers on and it has a little paragraph describing it. 

Andy's family and

Michael's parents were there to celebrate his birthday. Happy Birthday Michael.  

If you are wondering why my post are getting wordier and wordier, it's because of this next thing. The last month I have been working on getting my blog into a book. It took a few weeks and tons of hours, but it was completely worth it. I used blurb. It was very user friendly and the software is free. 
They have tons of layouts and 5 different size books you can make. It is a simple as cut and paste. It is such a fabulous way to journal. I never was really into blogging, but after this book, I am hooked. It's a journal with pictures. Way more fun to look at then my old journals. My friend Jen is doing something on her blog called 365. Each day she takes at least one picture and writes a short entry, that way when the year is up she has a photo journal of each day. How simple is that. 

These past two weeks I also made three cakes (see next post), put in a ton of hours at work went and saw the hokies lose after having a 20 plus lead on Clemson in the second half (but I had a pina colada slush which soothed the pain a little), and was surprised with the greatest surprise. My Vita mix blender. 
This is truly how I feel about this blender. When I worked in a smoothie shop in college and at Jackson Street (a cafe that I worked at 5 years ago) I used a Vita-Mix blender and they are the best. I have wanted one for the past 8 years, but have never justified buying one. Well, on Saturday Rachel (my mother-in-law) walked in with this. I was almost moved to tears. In fact I got week in the knees and had to be handed it while I was kneeling. What an awesome surprise. I'm not sure if I deserve it, but I am so grateful. It has already gotten a ton of use. A smoothie a day. Thanks Rachel.