HAPPY BIRTHDAY KRISTEN!!!

Today is Kristen's birthday!!! WHOOHOO!!! For her birthday weekend, she and I kicked it off with a little shopping in the mall and free facials and makeup at Origins on Friday. It was quite relaxing and our skin looked awesome along with us looking cute thanks to the makeup!! Adam joined us afterwards for dinner at the Cheesecake Factory....Yum Yum.

Saturday was an evening out on the town! We had Kris come open presents at our house and then we headed to dinner. Since she likes Starbucks so much now, I made her a coffee cup holder to fit her Starbucks cups (see picture below). Dinner was amazing at Watts Grocery and it's not a grocery store at all. It has fantastic southern homecooking made gourmet style. We all enjoyed the meal before we headed off to the Symphony. The concert was great as we heard Beethoven's Third!!! It was even better since we got discounted seats and free parking due to me being a Duke employee!

Having Kristen here in North Carolina literally makes a world of difference. For both of us, she is someone we LOVE spending time with. Whether it's having dinner together, playing games, or exploring more parts of the Triangle, it is a blessing to have such a close friend in our lives on a consistent basis. She knows us so well that we can tell her anything and everything and she is great to offer advice or just laugh along with us. We love her lots and wish her a very happy birthday and wonderful year ahead!!

[Adam's ode to Kristen now...] Kristen is a constant source of love and support, and she's one of the best listeners we know. (This is the time for all of our loves one to make a joke to themselves about how much we both talk.) I'm blessed to have someone know both Steph and me so well, and who will hang out with us pretty much every time we ask her to. And on top of that, she's a great softball player and an even better cook. I just wish she didn't encourage Steph's shopping so much... 8-)

Kristen opening presents

Pink and black coffee cup holder

Us at Dinner

Random Fact from Adam: Chuck Taylor, the person after whom the iconic Converse shoe is named, wore Converse All Stars shoes every game in high school and professionally, for the Celtics and Buffalo Germans. He complained to the company about his sore feet, and helped get better traction and ankle support for the shoes. He later became the All Star ambassador, selling the shoes to coaches and players across the country. He also held basketball clinics, the last of which was at N.C. State University in 1922. One more imprint Chuck Taylor left on the sport: he created the modern basketball, a stitchless leather ball that gave a more true bounce.