21 Birthdays

My birthday was the other day and this is year was a big one, 21! I can finally participate in every drinking, gambling, and that's it I think. However I don't desire to do those things. My genetics are soaked with alcohol and addiction. I know too many stories about people who have struggled with addiction and made, in my eyes, bad decisions, so I don't really want to participate in that. Anyways, since this is a big birthday I wanted to go back down memory lane and recall memories associated with my birthdays. Since I don't drink I'd appreciate it if you took a water shot with me!

1.  For my first birthday I was in Kansas. I don't remember this one, but from stories and photos this is what happened. Anyways, I was baptized Episcopalian the day prior and apparently my parents woke up like an hour before it started. The next day I celebrated my birthday at my grandma's house, while we slept over at my grandpa's manor. I had a cake to eat, but my family didn't yet know I had celiac disease, so I threw it all up while hugging my mom. 
2. I don't remember or know much about my second birthday, but I guess Lance would have been there since he was 2 months old. I think mom told me we were in Kansas for that Birthday.
3. I was recently discussing my birthday memories with my family and realized while I remember the following birthday memory I don't remember what year it was. My mom said it was my third, but it could've been my fourth or fifth as well. Anyways, my party took place at my pre-school, which was also kind of a recreation center. We had a gym to play in, like a real gymnastics gym, not a workout gym. Prior to us playing there was a coach showing us things we could do like roll down the mat like candy canes. I don't think I thought that that was amusing. I also received a talking dog where you pressed it's paws and it said "left," "right," "blue," or "yellow." I also remember being in the parking lot asking my mom why my birthday wasn't everyday. I also found a Barbie shoe in the parking lot and tried to figure out if it was similar to mine and ended up taking it home.
4. On my fourth birthday I remember waking up in my parents' bed and opening my eyes to see the window open and snow falling outside. I thought to myself "I'm four today." 
5. For my fifth birthday I think it was similar to my third. I'm not sure which year that birthday was to be honest. I was in pre-school though. 
6. For my sixth birthday I was in Kansas once again. I received lots of presents that day. My biggest present I got was a Barbie Pegasus Dream Castle with a matching doll that had two outfits in one dress. I actually just got rid of that castle this past summer along with the doll who had both of her original shoes on. I also got a Barbie Jeep complete with little sodas for the dolls to drink while driving. That year I also received a purple makeup kit that I couldn't wait to show my friends Brooke and Kylie in kindergarten! 
   
   
   
7. My seventh birthday took place at Utah pool. I wanted to swim and I wanted a piñata, but the pool didn't allow piñatas, however I still had my birthday there. I invited my friend Rachel to celebrate as well as my brother's friends. Unfortunately, Rachel's mom got the times mixed up and arrived as party was ending, so instead she came over to my house afterword. We played school and she kept spelling things incorrectly, but that's okay. Not to be so TMI, but I was constipated during that birthday party. However, the next day all was well and my mom purchased me a My Littlest Pet Shop. I also think during the actual birthday day I refused to wear a shirt while blowing out candles and eating cake, until my parents threatened to show the video at my 16th. I think I thought I would've had one of those movie sweet 16 parties, but I didn't.
   
   
   
8. For my eighth birthday I once again went swimming. I had a lot of friends over for that one. I could probably tell you a list of some who came. It was Leslie, Savannah, Lily, and other girls! I think my aunt gave me a Lisa Frank stationary set, so I was happy about that. My cake that year was frosted with an ornament of a snowboarding Santa on it. I really wanted something like that. This was also the year where my parents announced that we would be having birthday parties every two years. It was a real bummer then, but it makes sense now since the recession was about to hit.
9. Not sure what I did that year. I didn't have a party. I might've went to my Aunt Karen's.
10. For my tenth I went to Color Me Mine with a few friends! I was really excited because I wanted my cake to be tie-dye inside, since it was my first white cake. I told my friends it would be all colorful inside, however my mom ended up not making it that way and just put colorful sprinkles on top and my friend asked if that's what I meant to happen. My family also used sterling silver color plastic forks for that party and my friend's mom thought it was real silverware until she touched it. My friend Megan came that year too and it was nice to see her since we went to different schools at that point. I painted an ice cream cup at that party I think. 
11. I don't know what I did, but I do know I received a Felicity Merriman American Girl Doll. 
12. 12 was a fun birthday party. I had it at a Michael's Craft Store and made bottle cap bracelets and decorated cupcakes. I was worried I wouldn't have enough friends to invite, since I didn't want to invite my whole swim team and had few friends at school. However, I ended up inviting my whole team and some friends. I wanted everyone to sit in the seating chart I created, but I was told to scrap that idea. Anyways, we talked, made bracelets, and decorated cupcakes. I wanted everyone to sit in the seating chart I created, but they didn't. 
    
    
    
13. For my 13th I didn't have a party, but I was very nervous for it, since I'd finally become a teenager. Alas, I'm no longer a teenager. 
    
    
    
14. My fourteenth was dope! My 14th birthday party took place 2 months after my actual birthday, but that's okay because it was a lot of fun. I was really worried no one was going to show up, especially since it was snowing so hard, but I had like 26 people arrive. It took place at The Marriot in this local outdoor mall. I had my swim friends and my school friends show up too, which was interesting because all of my swim friends had an incredible personalities and weren't afraid to bring attention to themselves. My first guests Lindsay, Liza, Risa, and Erin arrived straight from swim practice and were starving! My brother left his gummy worms on a table and they just inhaled them. My swim friends inhaled everything. More guests showed up and we began the scavenger hunt around the outdoor mall. That was kind of fun just to hangout with my friends. We at one point began walking backwards against the wind like they do in Russia since it was super cold out. We later got back to the hotel and had pizza and cake. My cake was decorated like a swimming pool and was fabulous! After pizza and cake we went and got changed to go swimming. This was probably the most fun part since my swim friends were much more talented in the water than my school friends and had much more dominant personalities. If it were a nature documentary my swim friends and I were certainly the Alpha pack, while my school friends kind of sat back. I'm not saying that's bad, but it was just very interesting to notice. My swim friends did some lifts and other fun stuff. Then, I opened presents and received a gift card for some Miss Me jeans and also some hot dog lip gloss. Finally the party ended!
15. I  think for my 15th birthday I invited some friends to go ice skating. That was fun nothing too crazy and I kind of got the hang of it towards the end.
16. For my 16th birthday I wanted to have a scavenger hunt again. It didn't really go to well, so we ended up just eating hamburgers at Bad Daddy's. However, during my actual birthday day I had to make my own cake. 
17. For my 17th I didn't have a party, but I still had a good time. I was swimming a lot during that time of year and had a lot of fun! I swam with not only some incredible teammates, but some fabulous young men! That year for my birthday I received a gift from my coach whose son swam in the Olympics. So, I loved that. 
    
    
    
18. For my 18th I don't remember doing anything. I was going to D.C. the next month anyways.
19.  I just celebrated my birthday at home once again. I was wished 'Happy Birthday' many times at mass though!
20.  Turning 20 was kind of cool because I was able to see my friend Nai on my actual birthday day. I was never able to see a friend on the actual day. Plus, her mom made some fabulous quesadillas for me.
21. The day of my birthday I didn't do much besides the usual open presents and eat pie. I was planning to go to Aspen this upcoming week, but unfortunately it fell through. Hopefully, I can do something though. :(
    
    
    

Anyways, those are my birthday memories and God willing I'll be able to create more! God Bless!