Birthday balloons, striped vintage umbrellas, and lovely surprises♥

 ~My birthday was officially on Monday the 18th of April. The celebrations started on Friday the 15th and continued the whole weekend long. It was so delightful! On Friday, I made a delicious strawberry meringue topped with fluffy whipped cream and garnished with strawberries. We played hilarious rounds of Taboo, I opened gifts and received absolutely brilliant Spectrespcs from my sister and an adorable H&M gift card. And from Erika, much to my surprise when I opened the huge package, a window box filled with bulbs of tulips, daffodils, and petunias! The main event of the evening was watching Deathly Hallows: part 1, which came out that day, munching on popcorn, Erika and I talking throughout of our favourite scenes, how amazing it was the first time at midnight, our excitement for part 2, and love for Harry Potter. 

~Sunday was quite delightful. The sun finally decided to peek out and family came over, including Erika's family of course because we're cousins! We munched on Chex Mix, talked and laughed of superfluous things, I received a a gorgeous boldly striped umbrella from my mum that fits two beneath it that I'd had my eye on at the local antique mall for nearly two months, and a special blue bow tie from Erika, just like Daniel Radcliffe wears in the broadway musical How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. Later that night when all the guests had left my mum and I watched the British Jeeves and Wooster with Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry as I painted and journaled. It was lovely having the prospect of the next day being your birthday and the plans we had!

Monday, the 18th. My birthday! I woke up in bed with my breezy white duvet enveloping me in cosiness, not quite feeling 15 years old. My mum and I got all ready and drove off to the local big city for a lunch of sushi in a classy restaurant, sipping ice lemon water, enjoying Clear Soup, and heavenly Maki rolls.

The whole day was simply divine and one of the best birthday's I've ever celebrated. My mum and I stopped in Target and admired the lovely embellished dresses, then popped in Barnes and Noble on our way to the mall admiring the adorable new Beatrix Potter collection, and then we were off to H&M. But on the way we were distracted by Banana Republic--how classy and sophisticated it looked! We had to stop in. I was admiring the beautiful clothing and the beautiful aesthetically pleasing way they set up the store, when my mum and I came across the sale corner. I was looking through, not really expecting to find anything, when I came across something rose-coloured and silk. I pulled it off of the rack and discovered a beautiful dress with fluttering sleeves and beautiful details. I looked at the price tag and found that it was: $30. Yes, $30! I couldn't believe it. I was so excited. We went straight to the dressing rooms and I tried it on, and as I pulled it over my head I knew it was perfect. The way it fluttered around when I twirled made me so happy. I went out and looked in the huge mirrors and knew that I had to get it.

I spent at least an hour and a half in H&M. It was ever so exciting grabbing anything that caught my eye and then trying it all on. H&M is such a brilliant store. Then we were off to Forever 21 which was bursting with Spring colours and prints.
At the end of the lovely shopping day I got two tops+one skirt, a pair of canvas Oxfords, a beautiful pink sparkly embellished headband to go with my dress, and a very classy pair of brown mottled round sunglasses (think Edith Head) all from H&M, plus two tops+one skirt from Forever 21.

 When we arrived home I was ever so slightly giddy with general birthday excitement. I tried on my new clothes to see what all I could pair it with and showed it to my mum. I also tried on my perfect pink dress from Banana Republic, which I'm not going to fully reveal to you lovelies yet because in the next post with photos from Easter Erika and I shall share what our new dresses look like (she got one from H&M).

My mum and I shared a very sophisticated supper enjoying delicious leftovers from the restaurant Erika, mum and I went to on Saturday. We ate on the still decourated table with candles lit, mum sipping wine, and I sipping water from an elegant wine glass.

Later on into the night I watched Ratatouille with my mum and sister, which is such a beautiful film! I adore the animation and how it captures Paris in such a breathtaking way and the soundtrack is exceptionally lovely. My sister had picked up some "Eiffel Tower" brand brie for me and I topped it with leftover strawberry sauce from Friday night and freshly sliced apples-all sitting atop my great grandma's old blue transferware.

It had been a simply delightful birthday and everything I'd hoped it to be.
I am very excited for Erika's 17th birthday to come round on May 14th. Her and I are planning a wonderful outdoor picnic consisting of delicious food and a screening of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince projected outside with us all snuggled in blankets on the grass and the stars shining above us.

Easter post to come next week, my darlings! How has your Spring been?

xoxoxo,
-Rachel-