The Big 2-6

I turned twenty-six on Tuesday! I would highly recommend having a birthday near a holiday weekend. Unless you have to spend the whole day traveling with a vomit-y toddler. Otherwise, it works out very well indeed. Our long weekend included: 

- A date night with Adam to see Far From the Madding Crowd and have dinner at Cactus, one of our favorite Mexican restaurants

- A rainy morning spent at the Snohomish aquatic center, an fancy indoor pool with a really fun play area for little ones

- Sneaking off for a much-needed haircut and pedicure during afternoon naps

- Biking along the Sammamish river trail to have dinner in the Woodinville wine country

- A girls night of shopping at Bellevue Square and dinner at Din Tai Fung with my sweet friend, Libby

- Cards made by my little girls and a chocolate-raspberry cake made by my wonderful husband 

Now, I'm sure you're all dying to know what I decided to spend my birthday money on! Well, the answer was actually none of the above. I realized that what I really, really needed was a good pair of ballet flats. I've been on a quest for a quality pair for a few years. I started with Clarks, which lasted a solid year. From there, I had heard good things about Banana Republic flats, but they have held up terribly. Completely falling apart after six months. 

I've also heard really good things about Tieks, but at $200 they are quite an investment. They also don't come in half-sizes, which could be potentially be an issue for my size 7.5 feet. So, I ordered a pair of Sam Edelman's instead. They were half the price and had over 500 five-star reviews at Nordstrom. Wow, they are definitely the most comfortable flats I've ever worn! But we'll see how they stand the test of time. 

I also bought this dress from Ann Taylor. It's modest and flattering and just so lovely. Now I have a date night/special occasion dress for each season, a fact which makes me very happy. Spring, summer, fall, and winter.

P.S. I almost ordered the Lily Jade diaper bag, but couldn't justify the cost when my current bag is still in perfectly fine condition. Maybe if I start saving now I can splurge when a new baby (someday!) arrives on the scene. I thought it made sense to postpone the purchase of a new swimsuit until next summer, when we'll hopefully go on a beach vacation of some sort. And I tried on a pair of Huntress rain boots at Nordstrom this weekend and actually brought them home to try on with socks and leggings. I'm a fan, but I got an 8 when I should have asked for a 7.5 or a 7. They'll be getting returned and purchased in the right size this fall.