the BIG four-oh

I am excited to share with you the details of my birthday week! I turned 29, 30, 35, 40 and welcomed my new year in grand style with some of my favorite people!
BSG planned his yearly management training in DFW to coincide with my birthday - he knew the perfect gift for me - time with my Texas friends! He worked, I played.
Thanks, babe for always thinking of me!

We flew to Texas and headed straight to Snuffers for a burger and cheese fries in Southlake - thus commencing a week of eat, drink & repeat!!!

I spent the first night with BSG at the hotel...the room was located on the concierge floor that required a key in the elevator to access the floor. Fancy schmancy!

The rubber ducky was my favorite amenity!

Proof that I'm still a kid at heart!
Yes. I took him!  :) 

The next morning BSG headed off to attend his meetings and my girl Sylvia picked me up. We headed to Dallas for a pizza at Grimaldi's - who by the way, have the most refreshing summer sangria/moscato drink. Then it was off to North Park Mall for some high end browsing and TED, the movie. 

God bless:  good friends that last, hot weather, sangria, Elm Street, vanilla vodka, backed up traffic, birthdays, Tex-Mex food, Cafe Brazil, queso, pool parties, cigars, laughter, queso, railroad management training, did I mention queso? and Texas.
Yup, God Bless Texas.

What I love best about my friends -Sylvia & Brittany- is that when I verbalize one of my crazy ideas they do not hesitate to say "lets do it!"  I suggested that perhaps I should get a new tattoo for my birthday and these two crazies went for it hook, line and sinker! 

 

The sign says no kids.

Mom, you might want to look away also!  :)

We are about to enter a shady underworld...

most common question: did it hurt?
answer: yes.
would you do it again?
answer: probably!

This was right after it was done...before the edema, lymph drainage and scabbing. 

Good times! 

Pretty sure these are the gals I'd wake up next to in jail. Jus' sayin! 

Next up: birthday pool party @ Shel's house!  I wish I had more pictures of everyone...guess I was too busy enjoying the moment...and in awe of the frozen rum runner machine.  They spoil me.

 

Then it was on to Fort Worth to hang out with BSG's friends and to Deepak's pool party! 
Cuz it's hot in Texas y'all and the pool is the only place to be!

 Mike, BSG, Russ, Mike & Deepak

The railroad strong man/gangster competition!
Great "guns" guys!

That about sums it up.
I had the best birthday week - I won't soon forget 40.
Thanks everyone!  Love, love, love ya!