Hippee biiiiiirthday!

Today I turned...29!
And the temperature attempted to match my age but fell short about nine degrees.

Some highlights of my day:

* I started off the cold day with a wonderful breakfast of bagels and lox along with some tulips, thanks to my wonderful better half. 

* Mikey had some work to get done so I headed downtown to meander through one of the museum on my own, which, apart from having the company of a former student, is the best way. I can take as long as I want at each exhibit or I can breeze through what I don't love and not worry about leaving behind someone.

Another perk of living in DC is that since all of these museums are free, I can easily go whenever I please AND check out only one exhibit at a time. This is great because I can really get into the details of each exhibit and feel like I'm learning {& occasionally remembering} what the museum has to offer.

To celebrate beginning my 30th year on earth, I chose The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. I went there because I wanted to explore their exhibit "FOOD: Transforming the American Table 1950-2000" {I like food!}. It includes Julia Child's actual kitchen and some really interesting facts on American food, cooking, and culture.
Lunch in the museum cafeteria included something sweet.

A couple of other highlights of the visit: learning about the Peruvian woman who translated the Star Spangled Banner into Spanish, seeing the {massive} flag that inspired Francis Scott King to write the song itself, and seeing museum goer's answers to the questions "What female leaders have inspired you and how?".

Maybe this response was someone being facetious?

* I also did a birthday questionnaire. Hopefully I'll remember to do this next year. I've never paused much to consider the years behind and ahead of me on this day, maybe because New Year's Day is so fresh in my mind, and I'm glad I paused a bit today. I'll type this up and post it tomorrow or Thursday since this post is already gaining in length as it is.

* Screen shots of the newspapers I read, just to remember what's going on these days.

* My dear beautiful friend Ellie wrote a blog post about me that I'm saving to read when I open my gifts later tonight.

* I got a little something from my wonderful grandmother.

She is so good at little details like this mod-podged bird on the envelope.

* Mikey made me from-scratch pizza for dinner tonight and we're having a fantastic little evening in with some movie-theater-attending and bowling on the weekend horizon. I am happy and feel loved. And warm; thank goodness for central heating and air!

Thank you SO much Family and Friends for lovely birthday wishes but more importantly the love and support I get from you all.
xoxo, natty ♥