birthday festivities

On Friday I turned 22.. but it didn't really feel like a birthday. I mean, is it just me, or as you get older do you really feel any different on that day like you did when you were a kid? I can remember when I was young, waking up early on my birthday with a sense of accomplishment--I, Kelly Susanne, am one year older, one year stronger, and I am so cool.. now Ii wonder what I'm going to get for a gift!

Anyone else have that same feeling.. anyone?

When you're little, each birthday seems monumental in the line up of days. You have all of your standard holidays celebrating people, to your country, to small rodents (groundhog day--I know, it's about the season, but still), but your birthday.. now that is something to be reckoned with. It was day that you could do pretty much anything and no one would care. People said nice things to you and you got gifts.. it was a holiday, just for you!

So why is it that the older you get, the more you want to just downplay your birthday? Women all over the place are celebrating their 29th, 39th, 49th, birthdays for about 15 years... Now this, I don't understand. I'm not in that point in my life yet where I feel embarrassed about my age, and honestly, I hope I never get there. I hope that I won't care whether or not my age is displayed for all the world to see, that if I had a brother like Ree Drummond's, Mike, I would not be embarrassed to have it announced to my entire hometown on the radio my age in all its glory.

I hope...

But, I'm sure I'll be right there with the rest of you women, shying away at any hint of how old I could be. Who knows? Well, at least for now, I could really care less! Here's some pictures from my birthday dinners!

I'm pretty excited about the chocolate sheet cake!

Excuse Kirk, he's special..

Here I am on my actual birthday at Carino's with some of my girls. Brandon was out of town this past weekend--which is why we went to Dallas the weekend before--so I had some fun with these girls instead!

22 Years down and who knows how many to come! I'm just going to have fun!