Birthday Celebration

Well, unfortunately I couldn't book Christian's party at the Savoy Hotel... maybe next year?

So we opted for the Bloomsbury Bowling Alley. Now, this wasn't just any bowling alley it was a vintage, retro bowling alley that made us feel like it would have been appropriate to dress up as if we were from the 50's or 60's.

 Perhaps the rubber shoes can give you a feel for what it was like.

Seeing as Christian's birthday was on a Tuesday I decided it would be best to celebrate with friends the Saturday before (all of our friends work crazy, long hours just like Christian- so it would be near impossible to get everyone together on a weeknight).

So we started the evening off at the Bloomsbury Bowling Alley for some retro bowling. It was quite the experience with "The Big Lebowski" playing on the screens at the end of the lanes. The lanes were a bit shorter than those in the America, but we still thoroughly enjoyed it.

The whole gang.

Following our bowling extravaganza we headed off for dinner at "The Spaghetti House". The food was good, but the company was even better! We feel so incredibly blessed to have made such wonderful friends here in London. We don't want to leave them.

Courtney and Joe saved Christian's birthday by bringing a yummy birthday cake (I attempted making my FIRST pie... and didn't complete it in time so I was twice as grateful for Joe and Courtney's thoughtfulness.)

When we got home from the birthday celebrations Christian went straight to watching the BYU game (yes we have kept up on our March Madness here in the UK).

And I went straight to the kitchen, determined to complete my first pie. It turned out quite well.

Now for Christian's actual day of birth... I got up a bit early to decorate the best I could with the decorations ASDA had available (let's just say everything was fit for a 5 year-old's party... princess' or toy cars). My new favorite tradition since being married is an  Ivins' tradition, when you have a birthday you get a list of profundities written about you. So since Christian turned 24 I got to write 24 profundities about him. I then made crepe's with strawberries, sour cream and brown sugar (this may sound weird BUT you should try it because you will LOVE it). I tried to serve this delicious breakfast to him in bed, however, he got up and came to the kitchen and just ate at the table instead. I should have cooked a little faster.

No one gets time off during this BUSY season at Deloitte... so after our nice breakfast Christian got ready and headed to work. I felt so sad that he had to work on his birthday. I guess I better adapt my expectation for birthday's because I don't think anyone should work on their birthday, however, this corporate world we live in doesn't care. BUT, Christian was able leave work earlier than usual so that we could go out and celebrate. 

We had a LOVELY STEAK DINNER at Smith's of Smithfield or also known as S.O.S. It is a four floor restaurant renowned because of the Smithfield Meat Market which is right across the street and is the place where they get all of their fresh meat and ingredients. I have had many delicious meals here in London, but this was my first steak worth talking about since we left the States. It would be an understatement to say that I was in Heaven.

Following dinner we came home to have rhubarb crisp for dessert and to celebrate Christian's actual birthday. Some may think rhubarb crisp was an odd choice to replace birthday cake and I agree it is, but, Christian loves rhubarb crisp and I believe after lemon meringue pie this is his second favorite dessert.

What would a birthday be without a few little gifts, huh? I gave Christian concert tickets to see Alexi Murdoch in London, a fedora hat (we'll see if he wears it), a shirt, vintage records for a record player that will have to be accepted as a belated birthday gift when we return to the States. 

Happy 24th Critch! It was a great day!