18th Birthday Celebration

Birthdays are something to celebrate, no matter what the age. Yesterday was my 18th birthday celebration. 

I invited my close-knit family to The American Dream pizzeria for a birthday gathering. The planning for this celebration started a while ago on Pinterest, figuring I would have a birthday celebration at some point. I started doing school stuff like Prom, and my mom and I would do random outings and she would spoil me, so I figured that those things would be my "celebration" so to speak. But, my mom said that we should do a celebration for me, especially since it was my 18th, and because it might be my last birthday celebration in Oregon for a while. I couldn't object to having a celebration! So, I brought out of my plans from months ago on Pinterest, and jotted down a list, and viola! 

We reserved the room at The American Dream, and we bought the party supplies, I knew my outfit, everything was going smoothly. 

Saturday, we went to a few places to collect some things for my party. I wanted to make a flower crown for myself to wear at the celebration, so we purchased some cheap fake flowers, some floral wire, and jewelry wire for me to create a masterpiece that I can wear. 

Later, when we arrived back home, I began work on my floral crown. 

6 hours later, I completed it at 12:10 AM. I will post a tutorial with a difference crown, I had to get the hang of it first. It was tough to figure out!

The next morning, it was go time. Yesterday, I cut up plastic table cloths to make fringe for my balloons, then we went and purchased the balloons. I popped one... cried a little bit from stress, and then we were off to The American Dream. The doughnut place I had originally planned on was closed on Sundays, but little did I know that. We ended hustling over to Fred Meyer and we grabbed up two dozen doughnuts, that is about all they had left at 3:55 PM. 

I slapped on my floral crown, power walked to The American Dream, and entered my birthday celebration!

  I made little flower head-pieces for my little cousins to wear as well. I tied them on their heads, and we smiled for the phone. The distractions that Raelyn was attracted to made the picture super cute. 

The American Dream is a quirky, Portlander place where all the art on the walls is made from old pizza boxes that people decorate, or do creative things with. Their tables and chairs are neat, and the things that people can do with pizza boxes are absolutely insane. 

The pizzas came, we ate, chatted, and talked about new things. The American Dream's pesto sauce with their garlic chicken pizza is the best! I love it. 

I sneaked away and subtly moved onto the doughnuts. Instead of a traditional cake, I stacked doughnuts on top of each other, and stuck in some sparkler candles (the sparkler part didn't show up in the picture too well), and then my family started singing "Happy Birthday" to me, I blew out my candles and forgot to make a wish. What more could I wish for?

We had to hurry some main events of the party because some people had to leave early. We ate our doughnuts, and transitioned into the gift-opening. I loved the gifts, but spending time with my family is what really mattered to me. Talking with them, and giving hugs, cuddling Quincy and listening to Isabelle and Raelyn's stories. That is what means the most. I do thank you all for the gifts! They are lovely!

After the gifts, I mingled with everybody, making sure to be a good hostess. I was very glad that everyone was able to come and help me celebrate. My family is very special to me, and even though I may lose friends throughout my life, I will always have my family. 

Throughout all of yesterday, it poured! But there were these little intervals of time where the rain would stop and the sun would peak out of the clouds for a few minutes. I wanted pictures of my outfit, showing off my handy work for the crown, and presenting a super cute maxi dress from Target. 

The celebration lasted about two hours, after that we went home and my parents went to the Gorge. I looked through my pictures from the celebration, and watched "I Love Lucy" while drinking out of a mason jar. I ate left over pizza from The American Dream and smiled because I had such a great birthday.