A birthday to look UP!

I was in desperate need of a pick-me-up and without even asking, that's exactly what I got for my birthday!

It's no secret that our recent move to Utah was a humongous challenge for both Wickstroms. Couple a birthday with this major life change (not to mention the Utah Bar study consuming Chris' life) and it's safe to say I was 100% NOT looking forward to celebrating.

But a week ago, we saw UP!, a sweet, creative, uplifting movie about embracing the joy of life's journey and not succumbing to sadness when you face trials. Both Chris and I were blown away.

Then I arrived at work on Wednesday to find: My mom told the florist I was "a very stylish dresser" and could she please use an "appropriate" vase:

All week the sweet smell of roses and lilies filled my office!

I was feeling happier already. In addition to awesome cards, thoughtful gifts and chocolate cake at work, I got an e-mail from my BFF at midnight on Friday.

(Isn't she gorgeous? You should read her blog. It's brilliant and pure happiness!)

She told me to visit the birthday blog she created for me last year (brilliant idea, right?) for a special surprise.

Holly invited some of the most important women in my life to shower me with love on the blog! This was one of the most thoughtful and NEEDED birthday gifts I've ever received. As I read their overly generous words, I was intermittently sobbing and laughing. These, the woman I most admire, were celebrating me! I felt amazing.

THEN (can you believe there's more?!), hot husband told me we had to be in Park City by 6:30 a.m. on Saturday morning. I had no idea what he had planned.

Bleary eyed, I woke up at 4:45 a.m. and Chris showed me this post (his first ever on Wickstrom Adventures -- hooray!).

We spent a beautiful (though sleepy) morning floating above the stunning Utah mountains. It was perfect!

Thanks everyone for such a wonderfully UPlifting birthday!
I love you!

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I LOVE YOU TO THE BLUE, BLUE SKY ...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BECKY!!!

Love,
The Other Adventurous Wickstrom

Image via flickr.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY MADE HAPPIER!

Time to celebrate -- I hope you'll join me in one of the most fabulous perks of a birthday on 7/11:

FREE SLURPEES!

Woo hoo! Cheers!

Awesome image via.

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BIRTHDAY WEEK: Happiness

Broken Record Becky says:
"Enter the BIG BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY by clicking on the cupcake over there."

I obviously love birthdays -- imaging how I would celebrate if I had unlimited funds, choosing presents (both realistic and fantasy -- or maybe just fantasy) and picking out the perfect cake (YUM!).

But Helen Keller once said,

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart."

I keep these words of wisdom prominently displayed on my fridge.

Because as fun as it is to indulge in expensive daydreams, it's better to get a thoughtful e-mail from a friend. Or a voicemail with an off-key rendition of the birthday song. Or the perfect card from someone who knows you ridiculously well. Or an ice cold grapefruit Izze soda from your husband because he knows it's your favorite. Or a genuine hug and the whispered words, "I love you!"

I'm excited for all of those little things! It makes getting one year older a tiny bit less traumatizing.

BUT, if you had to choose a fantasy birthday activity and gift, what would it be?

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BIRTHDAY WEEK: Can I please get some commiseration?

First thing's first:
Enter the BIG BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY by clicking on the cupcake over there:

It all started with the words, "I want to take you to dinner for your birthday." I was turning 18. We'd been dating for two years. And although teenage romance is turbulent by nature, we were going through a relatively calm and happy spell. We were so in love.

If this had been any other birthday, I would have had to reschedule our dinner plans. My celebrations always lasted at least a full week and often involved elaborate parties (see examples here, here, here and here). But with my mom away at Girl's Camp and my friends otherwise disposed, we set out on the birthday date.

So there we were, munching on sweet and sour chicken, when out of the blue he said, "I think we should see other people. I want to break up."

I was stunned.

"Really?" I choked on a bite of chicken.

I wanted to scream, BUT IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!

He simply nodded. We ate in silence. Then, walking me to his truck after the depressing meal, he offered to take me to get ice cream.

Too stunned to decline, I agreed and we ate our ice cream on the sidewalk in the sweltering summer night heat.

Then he suggested mini golf. I numbly played along.

Three hours later, he dropped me off on my doorstep and wished me a happy birthday.

It was, hands down, the WORST birthday of my life. Even thinking about it makes me mad! Good thing I gave Chris my hand in marriage and him the "Dear John."

Your turn -- what was your worst birthday ever?

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BIRTHDAY WEEK TIP: Dazzle them with the wrap!

As promised, I'm sharing my best birthday ideas this week.
But, first, enter the BIG BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY by clicking on the cupcake:

Anyway, I come from a long line of gift wrappers -- my grandma, my mom, my aunt. All of these talented ladies taught me the power of a well-wrapped gift.

But sometimes killer wrapping is more than a frilly luxury -- it's critical. After all, the last thing a lame gift needs is lame wrapping.

Even if the gift is the opposite of lame, the wrapping can make it shine. Check out my birthday gift to the ever-amazing Rachel:

(Hot husband, Kara, Birthday Girl and Wendy -- fabulous and very missed D.C. bffs!)

I presented Rachel with her very own "Man-catching Birthday Beauty Kit." Fun idea, yes. But more fun after I got creative with the gift labels:
The gift was actually pretty boring -- body wash, shampoo, conditioner, lip gloss, nail polish, a Coldstone Creamery gift card, but the "Man-catching" labels made it a lot more fun. And after all, that's what counts, right?

What do you do to make your gifts extra special?

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In the Toilet: American Idol "Fashion" (FINALE -- part 2)

It's BIRTHDAY WEEK!

Enter the BIG BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY by clicking on the cupcake over there:

Since we're celebrating, I decided to get you a present -- something OUTDATED, CLASSLESS and TACKY. And something you've been BEGGING for!

Behold:

I was admittedly confused when Ryan Secrest began the American Idol finale by introducing the set painters. (Is Fox implying a spinoff series? Will Kris paint houses and Adam paint fingernails?) It got weirder when the set painters' back-up dancers took the stage:

I mean really -- who knew white came in so many terrifying shapes and accessories? One hideous outfit stood out in the sea of white fright:
This is Allison's geriatric-nurse-in-a-housecoat-and-Keds look. The worst part? This wasn't her most disgraceful ensemble of the night. She also wore footless tights with strappy shoes:
and a dress that revealed all of Victoria's Secrets. I kept waiting for Fox to insert a modesty graphic near the hem of her ever-creeping "skirt."

Despite her best efforts to steal the spotlight by wearing distasteful, age-inappropriate and immodest apparel, this show wasn't about Allison. It was an epic, head-to-head battle of the

(the two main voting groups of the final contestants).

In this, our last review of American Idol's most disastrously UNfashionable season EVER, we're going to defer to the opinions that really matter: the Queens and Tweens.

PAULA

Oh honey! I love a girl (or boy, tee hee) who's not afraid to wear her stripper dress with the dangly boob tassels in public. SWING IT, SISTER!

CYNDI LAUPER

Okay, so like my teacher, like, in science class, like, just talked about caterpillars. And, like, the cocoon thingies that, like, they make before they turn into, like, moths or buttterflies, or whatever. But, OMG!, I didn't know they made caterpillar BODYSUITS! MMMMOOOOOMMMM! I WANT A CATERPILLAR BODYSUIT!

WHAT'SHERFACE

Why are that girl's, like, boots as long as her, like, dress or shirty thingy? Did she forget pants? One day I almost forgot pants and my mom was like, "You march upstairs and put on some pants." Like, whatever, MOM! Look at this girl -- she's not wearing pants and her mom let her on stage still. GOSH!

KARA

Oh Kara, we are all about your mood jewelry (even if we daresay it's a bit large and gaudy). But any ten cent drag queen could guess what whitish gray means: you hate the person sitting on your right. The person wearing boob tassels. The person with that crazy look in her eyes. Not so subtle, sweetheart.

But what we really want to talk about is that FIERCE LBD (little black dress, in layman's terms):
It left us feeling hot. And just when we thought you couldn't look any more fabulous, you did this:
Oh diva! What we would have paid to see the drool dripping down Simon's chin! Well played, honey. Well played.

And you know we love you and you're hot and all, but we wish you would have sported the LBD all night instead of that fussy bow-ed frock. You looked like you were wearing seatbelts for a girdle.

MALIBU BARBIE

I'm not, like, saying I play with Barbies -- because I totally don't anymore -- but, like, when did they get tattoos? And, like, when did they start coming to life? And also, like -- not that I would notice or anything -- but, like, why is Barbie still wearing the same outfit from like a million years ago?
In the name of all that is fierce and chic! Those sorry excuses for stilettos/leather legwarmers/slingback boots just made us throw up in our mouths. Malibu Barbie would never be so crass. This gross, gross girl disgraces Barbie's good name!

QUEEN LATIFAH

Don't mistake -- we are card-carrying members of the Large and in Charge and TOTALLY FIERCE Club, but not when it's packaged like this, honey. Can someone please explain why our Covergirl is wearing a onsie? She looks like a sausage roll. Seriously, wearing that outfit is like BEGGING for a giant, un-pickable wedgie!

And don't get me started on the zip-off nursing triangle covering her right bosom.

FERGIE

Like, why, like, does Fergie have weapons for nails? She's, like, totally freaking me out.

ADAM, our 2009 American Idol

So, forgive us, but we're like totally emotional. Tonight was Adam's shining moment. And he was ABSOLUTELY dressed for the part. I mean, he started off so strong, with a decorative holster to compliment his shimmery red taffeta tie. And then (hold on, we're dabbing our eyes), he stepped out on stage wearing the most beautiful set of leather bondage/angel wings we've ever seen.
And we were watching and like, dying on the spot. And then, we saw the wide shot of his outfit:

I mean SASHA FIERCE, back me up, girl! What business does he have wearing such amazing platforms. I mean they're borderline stilts. Added to the leather and wings, we were knocked over. We literally couldn't get up from our chairs. All we could do was sit there, our mouths agape, and plan our knock-off outfits.

You could tell Adam felt like a million bucks -- I swear we saw a few tears in his eyes:
Oh, wait. I guess it was just glitter.

But, seriously. It's like all of Adam's fashion choices on the show led to this one moment, where he truly discovered where he belongs: sandwiched between two old men wearing makeup.
Could it be a more perfect ensemble? Adam, you've arrived! We love you, our American Idol! You'll always shine brighter than Kristine or Chrissy or Kreg or whatever that other person's name was.

Catch up on an entire season of "In the Toilet: American Idol 'Fashion'" by clicking here.

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Becky's Second Annual Big Birthday Giveaway!

It is officially Birthday Week at Casa Wickstrom, which means two things:

1. tears
2. THE BIG BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY (click here to see last year's bounty).

The only thing more fun than waking up on your birthday morning to cupcakes in bed, two first-class tickets to Paris, 17 pairs of Louboutins and the keys to a brand new car is GIVING SOMEONE YOU LOVE A FABULOUS GIFT! This week is all about gift giving.

Tomorrow I'm giving you the (long, LONG OVERDUE) American Idol Finale Fashion Dissection (archives here). GET EXCITED!

All week I'll share share birthday tips and gift ideas (for others, not me, silly)! And even my worst birthday EVER. (Maybe you'll share yours and we can commiserate).

It's going to be an exciting week!

Feel the birthday spirit by entering THE BIG BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY!

How to enter:

* Leave a comment on this post (it can be anything) by Saturday, July 11, before 11 p.m. MST. (One comment per person, please.)
* I will randomly pick a winner and send you a fantastic gift.
* In two weeks, I'll post a special "Becky's Picks," revealing my favorite items.
* Good luck!

Image via.

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