Nineteen Years Strong

I got a slew of very lovely birthday messages around midnight of the 21st, most of them including pictures of Harry Styles or at least mentioning the handsome Brit. Then, my friend Abby and I headed out to Target for a much needed grocery/Starbucks trip. Honestly, if you've never been to Target at 9AM on your birthday, you're doing it wrong. I highly recommend it. Totally starts your day off on the right foot.

Loving life with an iced chestnut praline latte...

I spent most of the morning packing and waiting to hear the news on what the time the I-90 would reopen. If you've been living under a rock, Buffalo and parts of Pennsylvania got hit with this massive snowstorm and a lot of trucks and cars got stranded on the 90. They had to clear the cars and trucks off the road before they could plow. I got really lucky that they opened the 90 at 3 o'clock yesterday, which gave me enough time to pack, drive to Erie, PA for lunch. I got to the Pennsylvania border about 10 minutes after it opened and drove through the rest of my drive with ease. God bless all of the people who worked tirelessly to get the highway back open.

My mom met me at Tony Walker & Co. because on your birthday, you get 40% off of one item! I was DETERMINED to find myself a pair of winter boots, my eyes set on a pair of Sorel boots. However, they didn't have them in the color I wanted nor the size that I needed, so on a whim I tried on a pair of UGG winter boots (not the classic ones, no worries) and I fell in love.

I got the Adirondack II Leather Boot in the color Otter and I am absolutely, head-over-heels in love with them. They feel great, they keep my feet warm, and they're waterproof. Alas, homegirl has gotten herself a proper pair of winter boots! No more ruining nice riding boots and complaining about cold feet! A huge thank you to my mom and dad for the wonderful birthday gift!

We stopped at home before going out to dinner so I could change and give Cash (my dog) his present.

How handsome is he in his scarf? He hated it at first, but I put it on him today and he seems okay with it. I think he belongs on a Christmas card.

My family and I went out to La Galera for my birthday AKA my favorite restaurant on this entire planet. It's not a homecoming or a birthday without their food, honestly. I eat there so frequently I should have a plaque on the wall.

I coerced my brother and mom to let me get Starbucks for the second time that day. I was just going to pay for my venti latte, but I remembered that I had a birthday reward, so I got this sucker for free! A day of double chestnut praline lattes is a great day.

Low key birthdays are my absolute favorite and I'm just really glad I got home at a decent hour and didn't have to spend my birthday without family in Cleveland. Now I'm home for a Thanksgiving break until December 1st!

What's your favorite way to celebrate your birthday?