1.15.2012

Happy birthday to me! (and an exercise in estimation)

Happy birthday to me!  We celebrated my 34th birthday this weekend and though I didn't get to sleep in and I didn't wake up 10 lbs. lighter, it was a good day regardless.

I woke up to sweet and thoughtful gifts from my Matt.  New and improved travel coffee mug -- yes!  Then I got most of the morning to myself (HEAVEN), took Chloe to lunch and out shopping to spend some birthday cash.  Then I cooked up EXACTLY what I wanted for dinner.  Steak with mushrooms, homemade wheat bread, oven-baked potatoes topped with plain yogurt and cheddar cheese, pear/cranberry/walnut/blue cheese salad and peach cobbler for dessert.  And while I LOVED partaking in last year's dark chocolate and cherry pavlova I didn't feel like putting forth that much effort this year.  (If you've never attempted a pavlova, I highly recommend it!  Read about my pavlova journey here.)

It's good to be 34!  I don't even care that I'm seriously close to the 30's midpoint.  Whatever.  I could care less.  My life is stuffed to the gills with blessings; the biggest being that all my sins are forgiven.  What can top that?!?  If my life had a theme song, Psalm 32 would be it!

So, on to the exercise in estimation.  During my birthday shopping spree I happened upon a Payless that was going out of business and liquidating their inventory.  I almost didn't stop.  I was seriously disappointed with Borders' so-called liquidating sale and was skeptical that the Payless sale would yield any actual bargains.  It's tough to impress this super-cheap-coupon-clipping-bargain hunter.  But the sale was indeed worthy of my time.  8 pairs later I was one happy cheapskate!

What do you think I paid for these puppies?  Closest guess to my actual total will win . . . . something.  Really, I promise to put together some kind of fun mystery prize for the winning estimator.  I won't divulge the percent off I netted here but I'll give you a tiny clue.  Think more than 50% off.  Put on your estimating caps and give it a go!




Solomon was very excited about the new pile of footwear.  He spent a good 20 minutes (which is nigh an eternity for my busy boy) trying on shoes and stomping around the house in them.  Cuteness!


9 comments:

Carrie said...

$16 is my guess. Glad you had a good birthday! Someday I am going to make a pavlova!

Jenny said...

I'll guess $29.50 before tax. ;-)

Jenny said...

oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Mary Ann said...

I'm going to split the difference between their guesses & go with $22. What a sweet bargain, regardless!
So happy to hear that you had a good birthday. You are so right - we are tremendously blessed with the gift of salvation. Everything else is just extra :-)
And you picked a fabulous birthday dinner, I have to say. I'm not so sure about pavlova...I'm going to have to review your posts to remind myself of what it is :-)

Carrie said...

I'm going to go with $18.99. :)

Happy Birthday!! Your birthday dinner looked scrumptious!! Glad you were able to have some time to yourself and that you had a happy day. :)

Kelly Glupker said...

$17
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

suzanne said...

My guess is $24.99. I am ridiculously excited to see what you actually paid.

christina said...

happy birthday!!! and i'd like to go with a ridiculously low $12 just b/c it would make me squeal out loud if i was right. :)

Amanda T said...

I'll say $15.00. Love it when you can find such steals!!