a big ol' birthday post feat. my mama & kitties!

Hello awesome readers! Sorry for the lack of posting the past almost-two-weeks, but as you are about to read/see, I've actually had a good excuse!

So, last Tuesday (the 20th) was my birthday, and my mama has been visiting me from Ohio since the 19th.  She and I have been having so much fun that I've hardly had the energy to blog! However, I have been taking loads of photos since she arrived.

The day she arrived we went to Perkins for brunch (I had french toast w/strawberries and bananas - YUM!), then of course headed to my place to drop off luggage and play with Mouse and Sammy. :) Later we went shopping, and to dinner at the Nordstrom Cafe.  That place is SO underappreciated.  I had the crab bisque, steak sandwich, and creme brulee, and every course was AMAZING. Our server was great, too. It was such a perfect day that I really feel like *that* was my birthday and not the following day!

On Tuesday, my actual birthday, we went to Epcot to explore the World Showcase (my favorite thing at Disney - especially the Mitsukoshi store in Japan! My 35% cast member discount is a HUGE plus at that place!!).  We'd hoped to have dinner at the Rose & Crown Pub in the UK pavillion, but it was fully booked, so we winded up at Macaroni Grill instead. Well, it's safe to say our dinner experience was a huge disappointment. The food was "eh" and the service was lacking, to say the least.  Mom was cracking up because I was wearing the birthday button I'd gotten at Epcot, and not once did the server ever say Happy Birthday! Maybe it's because I work in a restaurant myself (at Disney), and never will a person slip by unnoticed when wearing a birthday button, but still.  She never even really said hello or anything, just took our order and that was it.  She didn't even say goodbye to us when we walked past her out the door (and she looked at us).

As Mom noted, "We'll always remember this as the birthday dinner that sucked!"  We practically wet ourselves we were laughing so hard rehashing the story to Dad on the phone when we got back home, though, and that almost made the whole thing worth it! ;)

Anyways, I thought you might like to see some photos from my birthday (if you can believe it, we forgot to take photos at Epcot - oh well).  Enjoy!

me & my mama! <3

The makeup I wore on my birthday...

FACE

Bourjois Healthy Mix

Dior Aurora

YSL Creme de Blush #3

Dior Amber Diamond

EYES

Dior 3 Couleurs Smoky Khaki

MAC Tender Bisque (inner corners, brow highlight)

YSL cream eyeliner in Ashy Black

Laura Mercier caviar stick in Amethyst

MAC Lingering brow pencil

Benefit They're Real mascara

LIPS

NARS Barbarella

NAILS

Sephora Nail Patch Art in Chinese Blossom

I was also wearing this ring from Charming Charlie (which was a gift from Mom) - I love it sososo much! I love that it's a mouse. Every time I look at it I think of *my* Mouse! :)

The day-before-my-birthday birthday desserts from Nordstrom Cafe...

Creme Brulee (mine)

White Chocolate Bread Pudding (Mom's)

Some wonderful gifts... (sorry the pics, particularly the first one, are crap - I had to take them at night!)

• Marc Jacobs Biscotti eau de toilette spray (I *love* this - and it was only $22.99 at TJ Maxx!)
• Kira Imai postcards (Mitsukoshi)
• MAC Pro Longwear lipstick in To the Future (Nordstrom, from the Styledriven collection; a nice peachy nude along the lines of Shy Girl)
• MAC Pro Longwear lipglass in Patience, Please (Nordstrom, from Styledriven; I looove this gloss - it's so opaque and really lasts!)
• Sonia Kashuk eyelash curler (Target)
• Happy Birthday button (Epcot)
• Deer pen (Mitsukoshi; push down on left ear for red ink, right for black!)
• Macaroon erasers (Mitsukoshi)
• Apple lip balm (Mitsukoshi)
• La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo (Walgreens - I've been dying to try this; so far, I'm loving the results!)
• YSL Rouge Pur Couture #6 (Nordstrom; this is my favorite lipstick - will be my 4th tube! I'm almost to the nub on my 3rd now)
• NARS Barbarella lipstick (Sephora; love this shade - it reminds me of Jazzed by MAC)
• Dior 3 Couleurs Smoky Khaki (Sephora) 

Oh, and that's my new bedding you're seeing as the backdrop! It's from the Shabby Chic line at Target, and it was also a gift from my lovely mama. My first bedding set ever was a rose pattern by Laura Ashley that I picked out myself (my mom still has it saved!). This set reminds me of that one. <3

a better view of the bedding (and yes, it really was 3:46 AM - I'm a night owl!)

• Leopard print scarf (Chico's; this baby is HUGE and I LOVE it!)
• Soft Blanket & Apple Cider candles (Yankee; we had a BOGO free coupon, plus they were BOGO 1/2 off - in other words, they were a total steal - and they both smell wonderful, of course)
• Philosophy Tinsel Town 3-in-1 (Nordstrom; it's described as "crisp berry" - to me it smells like peppermint and winter berries. Yes, Christmas in September - I love it!)

...a closer look at To the Future lipstick and Patience, Please lipglass...

Patience, Please lipglass on left, To the Future lipstick on right

Philosophy Tinsel Town - shimmery goodness!

And the obligatory kitty pics before I go...

There's a reason I call him Sammy Snuggles...

He's snuggling with his grandma in that pic. :)

They really love the new comforter!

Mouse in his favorite box (I call it "the raft").

So, if you notice I'm not blogging or on Twitter as much as usual in the coming week that'll be because Mom is still visiting, and Dad and Little Bro will be along on Friday. I'm going to be a busy girl! In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed this post and are having a fantastic week! I'm so happy it's finally FALL! YAY! :D

As always, thanks for reading!

xoxo,

<3 Jess