the sound of silence: sorry for the absence...

things have been a little nutty around here lately, sorry for the silence. After my whirlwind trip to Chicago for work, it was my birthday!! The 10th anniversary of my 27th birthday. Good times. But I did receive some super cool gifts. I'm always getting on my husband about "thoughtful" gifts (he prefers me making a list so he doesn't mess it up.) Well, after this year, I know that he is a superior gift giver, so he just threw a big bucket of water on his "list-making" requests.

He ventured out to my favorite antique mall and picked up some gems: 

A vintage Coca-Cola crate. My mind is spinning with possibilities. 

Look at the metal edge detailing. 

Next I got baby blue vintage fan. It matches perfectly with my office wall color (which you can't tell from this photo). 

And a bonus, it's a GE fan (where my husband works).

And the wild card...

Mr. Chicken. 

Ryan wasn't sure if I'd like him but he adds the perfect quirky touch to our kitchen. He might get spray painted down the road but for right now, he's holding court front and center in all of his maroon glory. 

I couldn't believe these gifts when I opened them. A+ effort from the hubby!

That night we went to my parents for dinner and they surprised me with something I've been wanting for a while now...

a Keurig! It's a single serve machine which is perfect because I am the only coffee drinker in the house. Now I'm not wasting coffee making a pot every morning. I am obsessed and want to try every flavor I can get my hands on. Dunkin Donuts, I'm talking to you. I better see Pumpkin K-Cups in the fall! 

It was a fabulous birthday. My husband even took me to dinner at the same restaurant where we had our rehearsal dinner. They even printed up a special menu for me: 

After being gone for almost a week, it was nice to relax, spend time together and enjoy the beautiful riverfront view. Gifts or no gifts, I feel so blessed to have such wonderful family and friends in my life as a embark on another fabulous year!