MY TWENTY FIRST BIRTHDAY! ( AND day #1 of my 365 day project)

Everyone is going to get a peek into how much of a NIGHT owl I am..
Its 3:12 AM.  Yes I have classes tomorrow. Yes I am absolutely exhausted. Yes I should be in bed.
BUT I decided a long time ago to start my 365 day project on my birthday (September 1).. and I'm sticking to it! Technically my birthday was 3 hours ago... but here's the thing, I was  having nonstop FUN the entire day, and I had absolutely no time to post a picture! So I'm a few hours late.. but if you don't tell, and I don't tell.. than no one will know right?

For the purposes of the 365 project.. here is the one photo I will pick for the day: 

But for the purposes of showing you what an AMAZING time I had on my 21st birthday.. I will post 21 pictures, to bring you through my day. Enjoy!

1) The clock turns to 12am on my officially birthday...and literally seconds later I get this post i slipped under my door. 7th floor, you are amazing!

2) Hours later.. I wake up & head to my first day of my internship! What an AMAZING way to start my birthday. Everyone in the office was SO kind & friendly. I learned what I'll be working on throughout the semester & I already know I'm going to love every second of it. AND best of all.. I found out that this internship (that I assumed was unpaid) is...actually PAID! Hello unofficial birthday present/ HUGE blessing from God.

Funny story about this picture. I saw the sign on my desk while I was working  but FORGOT to take a picture. So guess who left work, walked all the way back to the bus stop, realized she forgot to take the picture, and walked ALL the way back to the office just to get the picture. ME!

3) And then I come home after my internship to find this HUGE sign in the lounge of my floor. Again.. my residents are awesome.

4) And then.. it was OFF to the state fair! Steph & I have been talking about taking photos at the state fair pretty much all summer and today was our chance!
I've always wanted to take pictures at a farmers market.. and there was a mini one at the fair. Lucky me! 

5) American flags on top of the fried dough stand. Why not?

6) One of the things on my  life list is to make wine with my feet like Lucy did in this episode. So when I saw this guy with Cranberries.. I was all about it.

So technically we weren't crushing the cranberries. He informed me this is just how they harvest them. But pretty close to my life goal, huh? In fact, I liked it so much.. that when we met up with Amanda & Laura... I went back with them to snag one more picture.
7)

8) Another thing that made my day great?! My amazing friends that I ventured the state fair with.

(Kate & Steph)

9. Laura & Amanda

10) So, I love when I'm able to capture candid photos of strangers. Makes my day.

This girl was CLEARLY sick of waiting for the rest of her family to come off the ride (I made this story up)

11) mmm. Fair food

12. I'm kind of in love with this picture...and me being in love with it, made my birthday better :)

13. Dear Ferris Wheel, I could have taken pictures of you ALL day.

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14.  While we were in line for the Ferris Wheel.. we struck up a conversation with 3 ten year old girls about how they were going to see Justin Bieber later that night. They proceeded to teach us a chant & invited us to sing it with them when we were at the very top. The chant went like this... "When I say Justin, you say Bieber! Justin.. Bieber. GO PURPLE" We asked about the purple part..and they informed us that it is Justin Bieber's favorite color. (Duh)

Here they are.. mid chant!

15. After a few hours at the fair.. I headed downtown to meet the lovely Brandstetter ladies (Emily & her mom who was in town for a couple of days) to eat dinner at Pastabilities!

16. After a GREAT dinner we headed back to Em's apartment to get ready to go out for dessert. And Mrs. B surprised with this AMAZING cake!

17 And then we picked up Amanda & Sarah and headed downtown for dessert. I love these ladies so much!

18.  Our waitress brought candles out with my dessert! (Also this picture was taken after the girls sang Happy Birthday to me. And that was the 5th time I heard that song in honor of me. First time was by my amazing staff, second & third time was by Amanda & Laura on the top of the Ferris Wheel, and fourth time was by the Brandstetter ladies. )

19. And we ended the night by taking a few photos outside..

20.

21. So  I want to end the list not with a picture... but with saying how absolutely AMAZING it was to receive so many birthday wishes! If I had a picture of everyone who wished me a happy birthday via facebook/texts/phone call, sang happy birthday to me, made a huge sign, gave me a card,  or gave me a present... that would be the picture I would post!




My birthdays are usually pretty dull. But my 21st birthday was nothing of the sort. Seriously.. the absolute BEST birthday I've had in a long time!