Lessons Learned Over the Weekend…
(1) Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal makes a great start to the weekend (obvs).
1/3 cup oats
1/3 cup water + 1/3 cup organic skim milk
pinch of salt
splash of vanilla, cinnamon + 1 tsp. brown sugar
1 chopped apple (cooked for 1 minute in the microwave)
1 spoonful Skippy Natural PB
(2) Graduation ceremonies may be boring, but there is ALWAYS a way to make it more entertaining.
In my case, that would be taking random pictures…
(3) Even if they involve clapping for people you’ve never met, graduation ceremonies are completely worth going to in order to see your sister graduate magna cum laude with a nursing degree. And then raise the roof afterwards, naturally.
(4) Don’t be afraid to be a little high-maintenance.
Asking for 1/2 the amount of cheese, no mayo and add yellow mustard to a sandwich, alongside a cup of chicken wild rice soup, really isn’t that tough to get right. Because I mean, they actually got it right.
(5) Good friends are to be cherished. They are also good to drink with.
A 1/2 bottle of red wine, a birthday present of homemade cookies + Glee CD and 2 1/2 hours of conversation later, I am pretty sure it was fate that the blogosphere brought Angharad and I together. Love her.
(6) Good friends REALLY should be cherished. They are also good to eat ginormous breakfasts with.
My plate of kamikaze-style (ahem, with bananas + blueberries + pecans) French toast from the Uptown Diner…
Ashley’s plate of Garden Omelet-goodness…
Joined by Megan, these two lovelies got me the most adorable birthday present: oven mitt + apron from one of my favorite things, Anthropologie.
And yes, I look special in this photograph. Really special.
(7) Family holiday get-togethers provide for a snacky good time.
A couple shrimp, handful of trail mix, handful of Chex Mix and all the pineapple was consumed from this table…
Hmmm…two cheese + sausage cracker sammies from this table…
And some salad + broccoli salad to top it off (plus 3 camera-shy chocolate coconut cookies)…
(8) You are never too old (or young) to flirt.
Yes, they are brother and sister, but watching Olivia try to kiss Peyton while he tried to wiggle out of her grasp was perhaps the most adorable + entertaining thing I saw all day.
(8) Kids have it easy.
I wish my greatest care was whether I wanted Beauty and the Beast or The Princess and the Frog on my juice box.
(9) Never underestimate the power of kind people.
Whether it’s the gift that keeps on giving – the music of Glee! – from a certain Mama Pea (for privacy standards and to keep her off the FBI’s most pirated list, she shall remain nameless 
)…
…or a mini food processor from the incredibly sweet Erica, who had an extra one she was willing to so generously part with and send me…
…kind people make the world go ’round. Don’t forget that.
(10) Tomorrow may be my 25th birthday, but for some reason, 25 doesn’t seem as scary as it did a week ago.
I think Angharad said it best on Saturday night, “25 is a good age.”
Let’s see….wonderful family, the best of friends, good health, financial independence, my first “real” job, a healthy living blog, being almost old enough to rent a car and a world of possibilities before me…yeah, I think 25 is going to be just fine .
Tags: apple, avocado, drinks, french toast, oatmeal, pineapple, salad, soup, trail mix
December 21st, 2009 at 12:51 am
Sounds like you got some good education this weekend:)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
December 21st, 2009 at 1:25 am
Lady Love! You had a great weekend. Happy Birthday! We should GChat sometime soon!
December 21st, 2009 at 4:43 am
what a fun, family-filled weekend, miss holly! 25 is going to be grrreat – looks like you’ve got lovely people around you to make sure it’s a good year (or many years for that matter). hope your day is FAB – live it up!
December 21st, 2009 at 5:39 am
I literally “L-O-L-ed” at that special pic of you
And omg. That french toast!!! Amazing.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! <3
I think I'd want Aladdin on my juice box though…
December 21st, 2009 at 5:47 am
Happy Birthday Girl!!
December 21st, 2009 at 5:54 am
OMG girl, what a beautiful recap of your weekend. You totally deserve every single wonderful thing you got and so much more!
Happy birthday darling!
Thinking of you always. 
December 21st, 2009 at 6:06 am
Happy birthday, missy!
25 is a great age! Look at how much you have accomplished over these years, and think of how many great things are to come! I mean, if this weekend recap is any indication, you are in for a fabulous time.
December 21st, 2009 at 6:09 am
ah! I’m so glad you got it! Yayyy. Your weekend sounds like so much fun. And that french toast? Oh my goodness drool worthy. Happy Birthday!!!
December 21st, 2009 at 6:18 am
Happy birthday lady! Sounds like you had a fabulous weekend! Have a great day!
December 21st, 2009 at 6:38 am
Stellar lessons and HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 21st, 2009 at 6:54 am
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! Looks like a great weekend – I hope the good vibes continue
December 21st, 2009 at 6:55 am
1. ITS ALMOST YOUR BDAY
YAY!
2. Those kids are precious. And Beauty and the Beast beats the new Disney princess, ANYDAY, haha.
3. Your weekend sounded fabulousssss!
December 21st, 2009 at 6:58 am
Whoo hoo!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY babe!! Hope your day is wonderful and as fun as your weekend. You are awesome! xoxo
December 21st, 2009 at 7:12 am
Happy B-day girlie!! You are now in a different check box which happens to be mine! Your weekend sounds like mine–Drinking with friends and doing crazy stuff!! I’m glad you got to unwind and have fun!
December 21st, 2009 at 7:31 am
Happy birthday!
And congrats to your sister!
And can’t wait to see what you whip up(literally) with that machine, woot woot
December 21st, 2009 at 7:35 am
Happy Birthday!!! Hope it was a good one!
I love Uptown Diner, you can’t go wrong with anything on their menu!
December 21st, 2009 at 7:44 am
Happy Birthday! 25 sounds like a marvelous age…I can’t wait for “real” jobs and renting cars too
December 21st, 2009 at 7:54 am
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Looks like this year is off to a great start!
Glee is so the gift that keeps on giving. I made my husband get one of the CDs for a Yankee swap and it was the most fought over gift there! I hope you are singing along to everything
December 21st, 2009 at 8:10 am
I just drooled on my keyboard when I saw that French Toast.
December 21st, 2009 at 8:18 am
Happy BIRTHDAY! You are totally right…I’ve been thinking and 25 is just such a nice round number. I like numbers with 5′s and 0′s. ENJOY your 25th year and have a bangin’ birthday celebration. I hope I am as cool as you in 1.5 years.
December 21st, 2009 at 8:26 am
Haha yes – you ARE never too young to flirt. When I was a tyke, I was little miss Sass-A-Frass!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
December 21st, 2009 at 8:33 am
Happy Birthday to YOU! Love the oven mitt
December 21st, 2009 at 8:35 am
haha I love the lessons learned. Happy birthday!!
December 21st, 2009 at 8:44 am
i turn 23 in 2 months, and I am refusing to do it this year. 22 sounds way better than 23, anyways. However, 25 for some reason is a solid age, because you can still pass for the wild/college student and be taken seriously by the profreshes. Maybs I will just skip over 23-24 entirely and be 25 instead? Alright this comment makes no sense– but to sum it up, 23 sucks but 25 is an awesome age to be, so be proud and loud about it
. Ser, you deserve all those presents and MORE! because you are truly such an awesome person! happy birthday!
December 21st, 2009 at 8:55 am
What a fun post! I love all of the zany pictures!
December 21st, 2009 at 8:55 am
Tomorrow is your birthday!! Woo woo
I loved your weekend recap. I totally picture those kids toasting to their favorite tv show with their juice boxes. I laughed outloud at your oven mitt picture comment! Anthropologie = pure love.
p.s. your kami-kaze style breakfast = bangin’
December 21st, 2009 at 8:56 am
Oh honey, Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love anthropologie. Love the mitt, but love the clothes, dishes, and everything in that store!
Woo hoo for great friends like Mama Pea and Erica! Love the mini proc
Reading your sister’s cum laude status. Once upon a time so was I. It seems like ages ago. Now I am a mom, a yogi, and domestic engineer and my cum laude stats mean about as much as how much I saved on laundry detergent this week. But thanks to this post, I am going to remember the former-me, the once cum laude me
And toot my own little mental horn.
Ok and the brock salad looks awesome, I am a huge fan. I could post about it daily but dont wanna bore people LOL
Merry Xmas!!!!!!!!!!!!! and Happy BDAY!!!!!!!!!!!
December 21st, 2009 at 8:58 am
HAPPYBDAY!
Looks like a great weekend!
Happy New Week,
Katie
http://katiechangesforkatie.blogspot.com/2009/12/slim-secrets-bars-giveaway-extended.html
December 21st, 2009 at 9:00 am
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Looks & sounds like a great weekend!
Have a great week!
P.S.: You didn’t forget to celebrate your birthday for an entire week, did you? It’s a must to celebrate the entire birthday week!
December 21st, 2009 at 9:01 am
oh my gosh. Those children are way too precious!! That photo just made my day!! If you want to know what I looked like when I was young… glance at the girl in the green dress and pig-tails with a squinted left eye..yup, that’s me!
And girl.. Glee!!!!! Talk about singing for days…
I am going out of town soon for the holidays so.. I wanted to say: I hope you have a beautiful Christmas/New Year/Holiday… I just hope whatever you are up to is memorable and upflifting! You are always encouraging and shedding joy in other peoples lives (I’m sure of it) and so it is your turn! Have some fun and remember everything about it!!
much love!
December 21st, 2009 at 9:06 am
aww i LOVE your lessons learned!! those children are adorable
i love little kids! happy early birthday!
December 21st, 2009 at 9:08 am
LOVE the uptown diner! YUM
Looks like you had a fabulous weekend– happy early birthday!
December 21st, 2009 at 9:15 am
Oh my goodness, that breakfast looks amazing! If I ever make it to the midwest, will you take me there??
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! I’m 4 months into the my 25th year and it IS a good age
December 21st, 2009 at 9:25 am
love it girl!! happy birthday!!
I hit 26 a little over a month ago and I have been having a mid twenties crisis ever since!! Went out every sat. night for about 5 weeks trying to act young and dumb
hehe. Hopefully I am over it now since I have been home the last two weekends. I still feel old though 
~Justine
December 21st, 2009 at 9:33 am
Holly you are such a sweet person and I can imagine loads of fun to be around!! I love reading your posts…always makes me smile! The power of kind people, yes, but also the power of influential people (like yourself) is important in order to get kind people to take action no?
hehehe
As usual…i heart your oats!!! But even more so….the french toast looks AWESOME!!!! Totally my kind of brunch Hollz. YUM!
December 21st, 2009 at 9:41 am
what a great weekend
Congrats to your sister!!! How exciting.
and Happy Birthday Holly!!! I hope it’s a great one. 25 isn’t bad at all..I’m just getting a little freaked out about 27 next year…
December 21st, 2009 at 10:16 am
Happy birthday from a lurker
December 21st, 2009 at 10:17 am
So, in about two days, you are going to get the same thing from me that Mama Pea sent you. Please donate them to a good home!
It’s my fault for waiting so long! Darn that Mama Pea!
December 21st, 2009 at 10:33 am
HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRETTY LADY!!!
Now you can play pincher-pincher like the peas and thank you household
December 21st, 2009 at 10:33 am
Happy Birthday!!!!
Def have to listen to “Defying Gravity” —AMAZING!
December 21st, 2009 at 11:09 am
Sounds like a wonderful weekend – happy birthday!
December 21st, 2009 at 11:28 am
happy happy birthday, Miss Holly! Hope your day is fabulous…looks like an awesome weekend
HOW awesome are those juice boxes? Angharad is another cool chica…one day I’ll get to Wisconsin. Seems to be where all the cool people live, no?
December 21st, 2009 at 11:37 am
Happy Birthday Holly! Am I revealing my identity to wish you happy birthday? I’ll go to Federal Prison for you.
December 21st, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Omg…so is it your birthday today?!!? HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY LOVE!!! DAMNNN YOUS A SEXI 25 YEAR OLDDDD
This recap was adorable…and you are so adorable.
I agree with you on many levels– kids do have it good–i love how carefree and innocent they are, being high-maintenance with yo’ food is sometimes a must (but ya gotta know when to be flexible too!), apple cinn oatmeal is the best thing evahh (must have some SOON), and that fam is the best…so glad you have such a loving, close one like me! congrats to your sister!!
LOVE YOU!!!!!!!! EAT SOME CAKE (or super delicious, dressed-up oatmeal…perhaps?? maybe both) AND ENJOY YOURSELF!! No stress or sadness is allowed. This day is about youuu!!! XOXO
December 21st, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Oh sweetness…25 is nothing…I’m staring 40 straight in the eyes…
and I am still not sweating it yet!
no worries!
Happy Happy Lovely birthday to you!
December 21st, 2009 at 12:33 pm
What a fun weekend! Happy Birthday Love – I think 25 will be a GREAT year for you
December 21st, 2009 at 12:37 pm
This is such a fun post – I LOVE it all!
Happy Birthday Eve!!!
December 21st, 2009 at 12:41 pm
happy birthday!
and i love me some uptown diner. good choice!
December 21st, 2009 at 1:05 pm
glad you had a great fun weekend!!
happy birthday holly
jenna
December 21st, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Adorable kiddos! Hehe, you know how to ring in the holidays!
December 21st, 2009 at 1:57 pm
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY DEAREST!
December 21st, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Happy Birthday to you! 25 is a great age, I am actually looking forward to 29 in Feb!
December 21st, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Wow. “25 is a good age” – inspirational, Angharad! The wine must have dulled my imagination!
It did not dull my night though! I had such a blast with you my love! Happy happy birthday to you (will hopefully speak to you later) – I hope tonight is flat-out AWESOME!
Also – I’m headed to the Uptown Diner tomorrow and that garden omelet looks GOOD to me. Just sayin.
Love you! xx
December 21st, 2009 at 2:49 pm
BABYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Happy happy happy birthday!!!!!! 25 is supah bossy!!! Please know that my gift is coming in the month of January (I have it picked out and errythang, but the release date isn’t till then). So you’ll get it completely randomly! Woopwoop! Anyway, I lovelovelovelovelovelovelove you!!!!!! I hope your day is outstanding! I’m about to go make mine better by catching up with our fave blogger!!! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
December 21st, 2009 at 3:53 pm
Happy Birthday Holly my LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 25 is a great age!
I loved this warm, happy post. You make me smile
December 21st, 2009 at 6:06 pm
I literally almost fell asleep during my high school graduation ceremony. 3+ hours of my lameface principle reading names of my fellow peers (I went to a hugh jass high school) .. not exactly thrilling… but monumental nonetheless
Who is that pretty little graduate of yours?
that anthro oven mit is almost as preshie as your faceeeee
go, go, go shawtii – its ya birfday!! LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!
December 21st, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Lady, your breakfasts look SO GOOD. Love the new oven mitt! I’m rapidly approaching the quarter century mark too (January!) and I am determined that it will be a rockin year.
December 21st, 2009 at 6:21 pm
P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!
December 21st, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday Kiddo! Hope the year ahead brings you nothing but happiness. 25? That’s a great number! Enjoy your day! Oh and we got the snow this time. Ended up with about 18 inches here. Actually attempted a run tonight. I’ll just say it was, ummm interesting. Happy Day to you!
December 21st, 2009 at 6:31 pm
So many things about this post that I bloody loved!
To sum it up, though, my favorite part was that french toast and that little girl throwin’ down a love tackle. Kids are awesome. Also, I’d go for “The Princess and the Frog” juice box. I saw that movie today, and it was fantastic. I mean that without a hint of irony, too.
Happy birthday lady! Enjoy your quarter-of-a- century mark to the fullest!
December 21st, 2009 at 7:54 pm
Happy Happy Happy almost birthday!! and your weekend’s activities look like a blast.Especially that breakfast!!!
& Your mit looks more cute than special!
December 21st, 2009 at 8:39 pm
First things first, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Love the new oven mitts and that’s awesome that you had a great time. Being almost old enough to rent a car sounds pretty sweet.
PS. Random pictures of anything and everyone are always the best. Always.
December 21st, 2009 at 9:23 pm
Happy Birthday!
Love your blog! I make oatmeal exactly like that all the time. Yum!
December 21st, 2009 at 10:41 pm
The Uptown!!! That French toast looks killer. Have you ever been to Grandview? Theirs is bombdiggity, too.
Have a GREAT birthday, Holly!!!
December 21st, 2009 at 10:52 pm
SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS IN THIS POST!!!
happy birthday to an inspirational young lady!!! WOOT WOOT!! I hope you get to celebrate!!!!!!!!!
December 22nd, 2009 at 12:49 pm
hahahah. i love the photo of you with the pot holder. special is an understatement. you kinda look like a crab! i mean.. not your face.. your hand
that diner looks baller. YAY so glad you have another kitchen gadget! erica is a sweetie as is sarah.
December 22nd, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Aww, Happy Birthday Holly!!! Looks like a great weekend…I’ve got to make more time for French toast in my life!
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Happy Belated birthday!! I think you’ve got things off to a rockin’ start!!
And congrats to your sis!! Awesome
Hope you’re having a fabulous week!
December 28th, 2009 at 9:43 am
happy belated birthday!
how good does that french toast look too mmmm