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Old Navy dress (last seen here), Urban Original boots (last seen here), Suzy belt & Auslini bangle

This year my birthday extended over three weeks (three weeks!) and I must confess, I’m not complaining.

My girlfriends and I (a new group of girls I was introduced to less than a year ago by a dear friend) try to have girls’ nights once per month, but we hadn’t seen each other since our Christmas Party in December!  Anyways, we decided to plan a get together a week prior to my birthday and I mentioned to my friend (the introducer) that it’d be nice to go out and in a way celebrate my birthday with those girls and since this girls’ night was so close, we could roll it into one.  I figured we might say a, ‘Cheers! Happy Birthday Amanda!’ over drinks at dinner.  Boy was I wrong.  My girlfriend made it her personal mission that we celebrate my birthday that night and she made that very clear when she showed up at my apartment before dinner with the amazing, custom cake above.  Yes, that is a big chocolate shoe.  It brought tears to my eyes!

From there, we got ready and met up with the other four girls and had an amazing Italian dinner complete with complimentary shots from our server.  Afterwards, we went back to my place and cut the cake, had some drinks and laughs.  It was one of the best nights of my life (that sounds pretty bold, but it was).

I have spent three birthdays in Florida: five to six, eleven to twelve and this year, twenty-seven to twenty-eight.   Pretty lucky, right?  I’d say so.

I flew down to to Florida the day before my birthday so was there to celebrate and it played out perfectly.  In the morning, my mom, step-grandmother and her niece all went to get pedicures at a Cosmetology school.  It was interesting and fun.  The pedicures were only $14, which is a steal (I know I mentioned $8 before but the numbers were mixed up) and everyone was very nice.  I picked out an orangey-red colour but cannot remember the OPI name.

F21 top, American Apparel bandeau, Almost Famous shorts, Bamboo sandals, H&M bangle & Dollarama ring

We hit up Target after our pedicures and I must have tried on half the store.  I walked away with some new skinny pants (in magenta!), a bikini top, some Elf make-up brushes and the brightest pink blush you have ever seen.  I certainly didn’t buy a lot, but it was our first day of shopping so I didn’t want to go too crazy.  

On that note, I had four more things in my cart that I was planning on buying (cat-eye sunglasses, a white bf cardi, a coral pencil skirt and some jewellery) but put them back at the last minute.  Do you ever do that?

 

Ashley B jacket (last seen here), Rachel Roy pashmina, Charles Jourdan purse & Diva Lounge wedges (last seen here)

That night, my whole family (seven of us) went to my favourite US chain, Chili’s, for dinner.  We had two-for-one drinks (love this concept as we don’t have that in Canada!) and I got my favourite: the buffalo chicken sandwich with coleslaw.  Mmmm.   

Our server got wind that it was my birthday and came along after dinner with some others, sang to me and presented me with the most delicious brownie you’ve ever had.  I shared.

Edit:  Forida recap HERE.

Jacob Connexion button-down, thrifted leather skirt (last seen here), Joey heels (last seen here), Suzy belt & Dollarama ring

Once I returned home, I was taken out for a very special dinner to a favourite restaurant of mine.  Since the weather was so mild, I took advantage and went bare-legged with highly uncomfortable shoes and rocked some extensions.

What you didn’t see:

My work friends (which includes one of my besties) surprised me by taking me to lunch at one of my favourite lunch spots.  

 I thought it was just going to be me and my girlfriend and I was saying how I really shouldn’t go and spend money since I was leaving for Florida the following week.  She said she would treat me for my birthday and little did I know; we showed up and the other three were there (one of whom is on mat-leave currently!) and they had already ordered (my favourite dish) and were waiting.  

It was so kind.  They also gifted me with the sweetest card and a gift card to one of my favourite stores, Winners!