Another Year Bites The Dust

Welp, I did it.  I got older.  For the first time in ages my birthday was on a weekend, which meant I got to celebrate all day with those I loved.  

Thatboy continued with our tradition of balloons everywhere, and Thatbaby was old enough to appreciate it this time around.  For a baby that can't crawl, he's amazingly fast at getting around and getting after those balloons (as evidenced by the blur that is his head, hands, and feet.)

I had made English muffins earlier in the week and had been dreaming about Southwestern benedicts ever since.  I asked Thatboy if he had breakfast plans for me and when he said no, I got right on to making one of my favorites - English muffins topped with guacamole, black beans, poached eggs, and cheese.

English Muffins (from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook)
1 cup milk
2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp shortening
1 pkg yeast
3 cups flour

1. Bring 1/2 cup to a boil, mi it with the milk, salt, sugar, and shortening in a large bowl, and let cool to lukewarm.
2. Stir the yeast into 1/4 cup warm water and let it stand for 5 minutes to dissolve. 
3. Add the dissolved yeast and 2 cups of the flour to the first mixture and beat vigorously.  Cover and let rise in a  warm place until double in bulk.
4. Stir, add the remaining flour and beat well.  Cover and let the dough double in bulk once again.  
5. Turn out onto a light floured board and pat the dough until it is 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 2 inch rounds, over, and let rise until almost double. 
6. Cook on a well-greased, fairly hot griddle or in a skillet for about 15 minutes on each side, turning muffins and adjusting the heat if they are getting brown too fast.  Cool a little, then split in half and toast.

I got some fabulous look, like the new Nook Glow - so I could read my bookclub's book selections without being terribly embarrassed.

And a new curling iron since mine crapped out.

And a mandoline - something I've always wanted!

After breakfast Thatmom showed up to keep an eye on Thatbaby so I could enjoy a day of surprising fun Thatboy had set up for me.  Our first stop was Coronado Island where he rented a surrey so we could ride around the island.

Chicks and ducks and geese better scurry...

This was followed by a very grown up lunch down at the waterside with a view of the city.

Grownup = drinking during the day

 

After we headed to my request for the day.  We've been to the movies twice since September of 2011.  Both times we went were "Parent Movie Mornings" where the audience was filled with parents and babies.  And both times were to go see movies Thatboy wanted to see.  I wanted to go to a grown-up movie.

Grown-up movie = drinking in the theater and no children present.

We went to the fancy movie theater that opened last year by us.  Coincidentally it's where we saw the last movie we saw before Thatbaby was born.  Leather reclining seats, seat-side waiters, and of course, a full bar.

After the movie we went home to pick up Thatmom and Thatbaby and we headed to dinner.  My pick!  We sat under the stars in a garden courtyard of Jayne's Gastropub and we talked and laughed all night.  It was a mellow birthday, but a nice break from the everyday.