Well we just returned from my Birthday lunch at the ‘rents’ house! BOY what a good one it was…read on 
We had all my favorites:
- My Mom’s homemade baked beans
- My Mom’s homemade party potatoes
- Grilled corn on the cob
- Grilled teriyaki chicken
This corn is so sweet and delicious – it doesn’t need anything on top. No butter, no seasonings, no nothing!!
Ugh – these baked beans and potatoes are to.die.for.!!
My brother and sister-in-law brought over a fruit salad to share! Is there anything as refreshing as fresh pineapple?
Then, of course, we had CAKE! You know the one – Pepperidge Farms Frozen Cake!! It’s our family’s tradition to get this for everyone’s birthday. Yep – it’s the tiny, frozen cake you get in the freezer section of the grocery store, but seriously this is the best cake you will ever eat in your entire life!
Then – gifties!! My brothers + sister-in-law gave me a beautiful silver bracelet, a gift certificate and an Iowa Hawkeyes jersey (go Hawks!)
Now for the doozie. My parents gave me something that I’ve been wanting for years. Something I just blogged about recently…2 prints by my favorite photographer Lisa Kristine!! Not just any two prints either, they gave me two GEISHA prints!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so touched that I cried. Yep, I did – I wept like a little baby! I don’t know why – I was just so happy and truly touched that my parents remembered how much I had loved these prints when I first saw them in Minneapolis almost three years ago. I couldn’t help it!
My parents said they learned from the photographer that she is something like 1 of 3 people in the world that are allowed to photograph Geishas – amazing.
And HOW WEIRD is it that I just blogged about this very print?!
Poor Ben again (I feel like I saw “poor Ben” a lot) he got me the same prints before my Mom told him they had gotten them for me!!! How weird!! He graciously took one for the team and sent them back to the photographer (which I didn’t even know you could do) and thankfully she agreed to take them back. Ugh, what an amazing family and husband I have – I feel so lucky!!!!
Here’s all of us “kids”:
The love of my life
And my incredible parents:
Thanks to all of them for the best 26th birthday a gal could ever have!!
Up next: Birthday dinner with Ben’s family – can’t wait!! 
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Happy Birthday! Sounds like you’re having a great day!
Sounds like a fantastic time and a wonderful family. My hubby is wonderful like that too. Somehow this year I guessed (in casual conversation) every single thing he’d already bought for me. So, when I opened it, he was like, “I was getting this stuff before you ever said it!” lol. He knows me well.
Glad you had a wonderful Birthday with your parents! So awesome that you got your pictures!! I’ve never had or heard of that cake! I will have to look for it next time I am at the grocery store!
That’s wonderful! Love the prints!
Happy birthday sweetie!!!
Happy Birthday!!! What a great family to know you so well.
And that CAKE. Oh my…that will be on my next birthday list request.
This post gave me chills. What a wonderful family and husband you have. So touching to hear that you had an amazing birthday- you truly deserve every wonderful moment!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
You have an adorable family! What lovely gifts – so thoughtful! Poor hub for getting the same gift but what a gentleman to send his back!
All the eats look delicious – I just finished some corn on the cob too! Mine defo had a generous helping of “seasonings” though!!
Happy birthday!
Oh wow! That is such an interesting fact about there being only 3 photographers that are allowed to take pictures of geishas. Wow.
What flavor is the cake??
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! What generous parents & husband
They know you all too well.
I’ve never seen that cake, but as an ice cream/frozen cake person, I must search for it!!
Happy Birthday!!! So happy you like your gift .. your parents are awesome that they remembered
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Happy birthday! That cake looks delicious, and the prints are so cool
Beautiful prints! Have you read / watched Memoirs of a Geisha? I loved both the book and the movie. Sooo good!
Happy Birthday sweetheart! Sorry for the delay! Glad you’ve had such wonderful celebrations
Wishing you the happiest of birthdays!
Happy b-day!!! Sounds like a great day!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Sorry I am late in posting this!
look at you and your cute fam – happy birthday! looks like you had a fabulous day; much deserved!
Nice Site! Very professional looking. Thanks!