Presents Galore

I may have mentioned it before, but I love to buy presents for people.  I try to listen all the time and then, when an appropriate event comes up, pick up one of the things that I've filed back in my memory from another time and get it for that person. 

Right now, I have a ton of events coming up, and I've taken care of two of them.  First, it's my cousin's birthday on April 17th--and she has a lot of things going on in her life.  It's her birthday, she just bought a new house, and she just recently got engaged.  That's a whole heck of a lot of stuff going on all at once, so I figured I'd try (on my meager budget) to do a birthday/engagement/housewarming present all in one and get her something she's mentioned she wanted for awhile now. 

First of all, here's the card.  Totally cute right?  I love cupcakes.  So pretty.  And pink and brown is a nice motif, too.  (I wrapped the present in brown craft paper to be shipped, too.  Color coordinated: check.)

Okay, so I KNOW it's small...  But it is something she has mentioned that she wanted for a very long time.  I got one a couple months ago and its pretty amazing.  I make beautiful pizzas now--and pizza is one of most boy's favorite things, so I think its a pretty good thing to get really, really good at.  I hope she likes it.  (I also hope she doesn't read my blog before it ships.  She doesn't read much so I feel pretty safe or I wouldn't post this.)

I also got a birthday present for Andy.  He asked for this rain jacket which is probably the most expensive one on the market, but that's just the way he is---the best of the best.  I hope he likes it.  I'm much more excited about the gift bag and the matching tissue paper.  I think it will look really cute all put together.  I can't wait for him to see it.  I think he'll be really excited. 

 

I haven't picked up a card for him yet, so I'll probably do that today.  I don't know why, but I have a really hard time with cards.  I am very anti cheesy stuff.  Anything red and shiny with roses or scrolly writing is pretty much automatically excluded.  So it's a battle to find anything.  But hopefully I will succeed--I really liked the one I found for Valentine's day! 

Andy's birthday is really shaping up.  I think it will be so much fun!  His friend Chelsea just told me that she could make it to his birthday dinner, and Brett and his latest love interest are also coming.  And the biggest news yet: Andy's dad says he's coming to go fishing with Andy during the day and then coming to dinner.  He's even bringing his ladyfriend, Anne, who (when she's in a good mood) is tons of fun.  I bet I can bake a cake and bring it to the restaurant and we can do the celebration there with all his friends.  I have a few other people I'm trying to convince to come, but even with the people we have now, I think it will be a really nice party.  Plus we're taking the boat over to the restaurant and I can take a bunch of pictures of everyone--I think it will be really good.  Good girlfriend: check.

I also think I deserve a present myself.  See, this is what I did.

It looks better in real life, but even so I feel pretty excited to have gotten recognized at an awards ceremony at school.  There were pictures up around the ceremony and I was in several of them--it really makes me feel like I've had a presence at the school, even though I've gone back and forth every other weekend.  It's been tough and sometimes I've hated it, but its almost over.  Law degree: check.

So, here's the present I bought to myself.  Well, it's a present for me and for Andy.  My rule is that, whenever I buy a bottle of wine for me, I buy one for Andy, too.  I am in the middle of my "test every Moscato" project, and this new bottle is my next attempt.  I also bought a yummy red for Andy, too.  Even better girlfriend: check. 

I totally deserved a present. 

Next up: Andy's sister, Molly, is graduating college AND has a birthday May 1st.  Workin' on that.