...and then she turned 30.

This weekend was another one for the books! We celebrated my birthday with friends,and went to dinner with my family. And of course, if you follow me on Instagram, you may have also noticed Jason and I went to St. Augustine {a week early} for my birthday.

Unfortunately, on my actual birthday, both the Crews' had to work, and Jason was also sick. So I made my own birthday dinner. Such sadness, right? Actually, it was just what I needed. After a Christmas Party, actual Christmas, our trip, NYE, and our upcoming weekend, I wanted nothing more than to just stay in.

Friday, I arrived at work to a decorated cube. Minus the 10,000 pieces of glitter I will inevitably continue to find, I thought it was very sweet of my co-workers to remember me after many of us were out for the holidays {even if it was a day late}.

After work,  Jason and I hightailed to downtown St. Petersburg to attend First Friday with friends. But due to the "freezing" weather that we had Friday...First Friday, where they block the road off, playing live music, and  food and beer vendors, was cancelled. We live in Florida, and while it was cold, a jacket {and adult beverages} would warm us, right away. And so, an impromptu pub crawl with loads of friends was decided!

But not before Jason surprised me with a room for the night at the WaterGarden Inn!

After getting ready, we met our first round of friends at Cask and Ale. Apparently, they just opened last week. I loved the vibe, decor, and style. I felt a little under dressed, as it was a tad hipster, but I would definitely go back.

Apparently, we weren't the only ones wanting to brave the "cold", Friday, as places started to become packed. Our next stop on this tour was to Five Bucks Drinkery. Full of folks, we were able to snag two tables, at least while more friends joined {and others left}, and I sipped some tasty Sea Dog Blueberry Ale.

spot the creepers.

Initially, I thought as I celebrated the next decade, that this night would be full of crazy debauchery that would kill me the following day, but it was more of a chill night with friends. And truth be told, as many stories as my friends, and husband could tell you, I have calmed down, and don't need to act white girl wasted in public. Plus, at twenty-two, that's fun, but at thirty...it's sort of embarrassing.

That doesn't mean my siblings, and a few friends didn't buy me extra drinks at the next stop, Midtown Sundries, where I wanted to die at the thought of it all. But I held my own, uhthankyouverymuch. We stayed at Midtown the longest, since they had pool tables, a hockey game on tv, and actual food that people ordered.

Since we knew come Monday, it was back to clean eating, and all that jazz, Jason and I had a tasty brunch at Salt Rock Tavern.

Much later in the day, and it was time to do the family thing. We had dinner at Grille 54, in Trinity. I had my favorite dish ever, the eggplant stack. Followed by cake; chocolate cake, and nutella cheesecake. Both my mom, and sister made a dessert, without the other one realizing it. Good things calories don't count on your birthday week, right?!

I had a wonderful 30th, and am now bey-ond ready for a bit of routine here, at Casa de Crews.

Thanks again for all the birthday love, friends!
XOXO,
Nichole

30.

Today is the day, ya'll. I can no longer call myself a, "twenty-something". It's weird. I had teenage parents, and I remember BOTH my mom and dad turning thirty! It really is just a number, and for anyone else, I would say it isn't a big deal, but when it is yourself, it is a bit weird to say, right?

When you're in your teens, you can't wait to be twenty! And then of course, twenty-one, ha ha. But who says, "oh yay, I am turning thirty!!"?

But I am mostly happy with who I have become. I was a very {very!} unsure person when I started my last decade. I thought I knew it all, when I knew...nothing.

So in honor of my birthday, I thought I'd share...

30. Not everything is about you
29. Tis better to give, than to receive
28. Take time for yourself, sometimes {still struggle with this}
27. Sometimes, a ridiculous night of debauchery is in order; it makes for good memories
26. In friendship, at some point, it becomes about quality versus quantity
25. Don't be afraid to speak up for yourself
24. It doesn't matter what other people think
23. Even if it seems like SO many around you don't get "it", some do {which goes back to #26}
22. Patience is a virtue
21. Because somehow, it all works out in the end
20. Don't rush to be with someone, just because everyone you know has coupled-up. A lot of those people will be single, or divorced by the time you're getting married, or are happily married {thank GOD, I met a guy who was more patient than I was, and taught me to s.l.o.w. down}
19. Possessing etiquette and manners will make an impression and help you in many social situations
18. Don't be afraid to try new things
17. Don't be afraid to try new things, alone
16. Find something that drives you, and work your ass off to do it {even if that means a side biz, while working a full-time corporate job, because as #21 suggests, eventually it all pans out}
15. The older you get, the better quality of booze you shall need for a night out {or I promise, you'll pay the next day!}
14. Naps solve most problems, whether you are three, or thirty
13. Complaining just makes you look ugly {still trying to work very hard on this!}
12. Be true to yourself
11. Confidence is a sexy thing, no matter what your size
10. No one likes a sh!t talker; calm yo' self
9. You're never too old to watch Pretty Little Liars
8. Always trust your instincts
7. Try not to worry what others think
6. You'll know when you have found "the one", no matter how much you try and stubbornly fight it; resistance is futile. Go with it. He loves you just as much {as cheesy as that is}
5. As awkward as it feels, sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone to grow
4. Being a grown-up is a pain in the ass
3. But the rewards for being said grown-up are SO worth it
2. Appreciate it all {no matter how big, or small}
1. Enjoy the ride

No longer a twenty-something,
Nichole

Paint, Balls, and Birthdays...

This weekend I think we were home maybe, ten hours, including sleep, which would explain why today I have a major case of the Monday blues and feel as though a truck hit me.

Friday night, Jason and I channeled our inner arteest at Simply Art Studios, in Oldsmar. It was a team building night with people from work, so I got to hang with some folks outside the office, that I wouldn't normally see. It was a lot of fun!

Jason "painting".

My finished work of art.

Jason's.

Saturday was USF alumni night at Tropicana Field, and nine of us decided we'd get together, and tailgate in humidity that is bound to melt your face off and drink, therefore getting even more hot; why we do this every year, I'll never know. Though it is always a good time. Everyone just looks like Hell because we're dying in the sun. But we won, so I'll take it!

Classy Rays fans, clearly.

Sunday, my lovely momma turned another year older younger, and we took her to...another Rays game. The stadium was sold out, and we were packed in there, but what the birthday girl wants, she gets. Not before we had an unwanted conversation about politics.

Me: Sam Fuld is cute.
Mom: You know he supports Obama, right?
Me: I didn't ask who he voted for, just thought he was cute, mom.
Mom: Well he is quoted as saying that Obama is one of the most influential people of his time.
Me: I'll make sure when I have leave Jason for Sam {because that is going to happen}, not to bring my new baseball player boyfriend to your house to discuss politics, deal?

via

Then we hightailed it to the parentals for a birthday dinner made by the sisters. Not really healthy, after I just shared about weight loss struggles, but for mom's birthday, one meal, I think that is more than okay.

Linking up with Sami.

XOXO,
Nichole

Another {weekend} bites the dust...

I feel like I have so much to recap from the last several days and yet I feel flippin' exhausted thinking about it. So for now, I'll just bombard ya'll with a photo dump. Let's be real, photos {albeit, some crap-tastic photos off mah phone, but beggars can't be choosers}, make the blogosphere go round.

Thurday, I saw Jillian Michaels at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater with the best friend. I don't even know what possessed me to buy tickets, but there was a groupon and I thought, "why not?". I am so glad we went! I had no idea just how inspiring one woman could be. I'll post more this week, but she is very real and her show {show? what do you call it?} was two and a half hours long, so we all got our monies worth.

Friday, another great Yelp Elite event was had. This time instead of gorging on copious amounts of grub and drinks, Friday's event was more health conscious at Fitlife Foods in South Tampa. In a nutshell,  Fitlife Foods is a prepared meal service. The samples we had were so yummy and very healthy! With 10% off everything and a free meal for being a Yelp Elite, I bought breakfast for Saturday and Sunday totally $14.00. I plan to visit Fitlife, again.

Sister and I

Eggs Florentine

Satuday, the littlest sister turned twenty-four. And her twenty-nine year old sister, yours truly, apparently can't hang like the ol' days. But we had a great time bar crawling in Dunedin. But first, I had my nails did.

OPI: I Theodora You

Sister {right}, her boyfriend, and best friend.

Singing Happy Birthday at Flanagan's Irish Pub

Sunday, I nursed quite a hangover. I am old. The end.

How was your weekend? Linking up with Sami's Shennigans.

birthdays and anniversaries!

Thirty-ish years ago today, this guy was born:

{how could I not have baby fever?!}

{Yep...}

{my kool-aid dude, the first Halloween we were a couple}

...and

Three years ago today, we were engaged!

Jason coerced a girlfriend of mine into making me think she and I were planning a surprise party for our respective dudes {whom had the same birthdays}. Little did I know that the plan was to get all our friends and family together so that Jason could ask me to be his wife, before entering a room with thirty of our closest friends and family to celebrate. 

At the end of that day, the real surprise was on ME.

{stunned. yes our friend was recording it and looks like a creeper}

Hubs and I both took the day off today to hang. I have no clue what we're doing {I left that up to the birthday boy}, 

but the fact that neither of us have work or school today, makes this day a win, already.

Last year, I was unemployed and uber clingy and so as a "gift" to Jason, I left him alone all night 

and went to my parents with the dog, so he could play video games and enjoy these, alone. 

Today, I gave him this "cake" and a birthday breakfast:

+

I'm starting to see a trend here...?

Happy Birthday to the best guy I know. 

Thank you for asking me to marry you, thanks for putting up with my neurosis, 

and thanks for always being mine.

Better is the day standing by your side.

XOXO,
Your Wife {and the world's most needy of dowgs}

Party like its 1982

Oh heyyy. I'm so excited for everything this weekend has to offer...

Tonight, we are taking it back to the 80's for my friend's big 3-0! We're going to be hanging on a party bus throughout Tampa tonight with a bunch of friends. I hope people not with us get that we're dressed for a party and not necessarily insane (though the 80's look is back...sorta) with crazy ass hair.

Tomorrow, we're attending a BBQ to celebrate the same birthday girl again; and where I'll get to swoon over her baby (last year we threw her the best baby shower, ever, but I digress). I have some terrible baby fever, going on.

Baby H makes me want to have my own baby. For real.

Sunday, we'll be at my parents house to celebrate my sister's 25th birthday (I should have titled this post, "All about Birthdays", huh?) and hang with the fam.

My sisters (bday girl is on the left)

And by Monday, I hope to sit on my bum a bit and maybe see a flick or two

What's up for your weekend? I hope its a long one!

XOXO,

Nichole

Happy Birthday, Jason!

Today is the spouse's birthday! He could kinda care less, but I always get excited to celebrate...anything. So celebrate we shall! Per the birthday boy's request, we're just doing dinner and a movie tonight. Tomorrow we'll do the family thing at my parents and this weekend we'll celebrate with his side.

J has been so busy at work lately, working later nights, that as part of his gift, I took Gigi and went to my mom's for the night and left J to his own devices. He told me he had an adult bev before and after the gym (that's my man) and was able to catch up on The Walking Dead before playing some video games without a needy/chatty wife...or dog. And isn't that the best gift of all...peace and quiet?!

I did leave him some treats though!

Two years ago today, Jason proposed to me! I can't believe it's been TWO years and that we're now married. I've told THE  story on here before so I won't bore ya'll with what I (personally) think is a fabulous engagement story. All I'll say is I can't believe how much has changed since that birthday for us.

Via

Happy Birthday, Hubs!

Birthday Recap

Soooo it occurred to me that I never filled ya'll in on my amazing 28th birthday celebration, did I? Do you want to hear about it? Well, you're going to anyways ;)

I wanted to start 2012 off right! My only requirement for my birthday shindig was that it was a chill day (had a few stressful ones in the past). Since my actual birthday fell on a Monday, I decided to celebrate a day early with a New Years Day brunch including any and all of my friends who wanted to come out (and weren't hungover from NYE festivities!).

We hit up Kelly's in Dunedin. It's like 15 miles away but I love this town. There are shops, restaurants, and bars along Main St. and the weather was per-fect. We had to wait an hour for our table (it was Sunday, NYD and there were 13 of us, after all!) so what did we do? Hit up the bar, naturally.

{Hanging and waiting}

I had some "genius" idea I should have a bloody mary instead of mimosas because most places, skimp on the champagne and I wanted to get my (well, Jason's) money's worth. Two reasons why this was a bad idea: My Bloody Mary was strong and also, it was too spicy for me. Oh, wait and thirdly: I was drinking vodka on an empty stomach...Oops.

I decided I needed to switch to mimosas after that:

Yum!

Gave the bff a new calender while we waited:

{Getting in touch with your Inner Bitch}

             After an hour + wait, we were finally seated!

 The restaurant gave ginormous cinnamon bun that some us shared. It was so  good

After brunch, we perused Main St for further shenanigans. It was past 2pm at this point and a few friends and I wanted more drinks and since it was my birthday (sorta) and we had nothing else planned for the day, I thought that sounded like a perfect idea...

We ended up at The Dunedin Smokehouse. This place was awesome! We sat outside, ordered some drinks and watched football.

{Oh hey, more drinks!}

The Smokehouse is also dog friendly (totally bringing Geeg next time!) annnd they had corn hole and various board games you could play. We opted for Connect 4 and Jenga...

{Jenga!!}

Monday, for my actual birthday, I had planned to take myself to Sbux with my nook color and chill, but that  didn't happen. I had a killer sinus headache (boo) but luckily, the headache passed in time for dinner at the parentals.

Since my birthday is 8 days after Christmas, I normally get jipped on gifts (since we're all ba-roke). BUT not this year! Since I got my nook color at Christmas from the hubs, I got over $140 B&N gift cards! Cha-Ching...

I also got two new covers!

    From my mom

...and Jason's mom

Oh! And the super sweet Krystal sent me some fun birthday ish as well--thanks, girl!

{Vera Bradley Photo Book and an Argyle Sweater Calander}

I had a wonderful  birthday and it was exactly what I wanted this year--if my 28th birthday/beginning of 2012 is any indication as to how this year is going to be, then sign.me.up!