Turning 27

For those of you who have celebrated a birthday with me in the past, you know I'm all about having a big plan and it's all I talk about for months beforehand.  This year was different, my birthday definitely pulled a sneak attack on me!  Mike kept asking me what I wanted to do and what I wanted for a gift.  All I could tell him was I wanted to have a nice dinner and wear a dress and that I wanted nothing since he's given me the biggest gift of all this year, an engagement ring.  What more could a girl really need?!

We were suppose to go to sushi for my birthday, but Mike informed me that those were no longer the plans and that I'd have to wait to find out where we were going.  So we got a little dressed up!

Then we were on our way to Winslow!

 Love this drive!

Silliness in the car.

What's in Winslow you ask?  Not much!  But there is this beautiful hotel called La Pasada.  At one time it was a train stop/hotel and  the train still goes right by it on the backside.  This place is so rich with history and has the prettiest gardens!  At this hotel is a restaurant called The Turquoise Room.  One word: Yum!  All of the meat on the menu is free range, antibiotic free, and local.  And it's all delicious!  We showed up an hour early so we could have a cocktail hour. 

Our drinks were so delicious and our bartender was fantastic!  We walked around the grounds a bit since this was Mike's first time there.

Then we were off to dinner!  I've been breaking my vegetarian-ism lately for a couple of reasons: 1.  My body has definitely been craving the meat. 2. As long as the meat is local, free range, and antibiotic free I'm in!  So with that said, I had the Pork Carnitas.  Let me just say the meat literally melted in your mouth.  I've never had meat so tender in my life!  Mike had a local cut of some type of steak that he loved.  But the real kicker to any dinner here is the Signature Soup!  Half of the bowl is this slightly spicy black bean soup and the other half tastes like cream of corn.  It's like eating cornbread with chili.  Plus I love the presentation of it!

After dinner we were on our way back to Flagstaff and we couldn't have timed it perfectly, check out this sunset.

When we got back into town we went to Annex for a glass of wine for me and a scotch for Mike.

 When we got home we played a healthy game of Phase 10, truly a favorite game from my childhood.

The next day we slept in and had plans for a motorbike trip through Sunset Crater to Wupatki National Monument.  I'd never been to Wupatki and the ruins were breathtaking.  They are so breathtaking in person and it's truly impressive what these people were able to do in the 1100's!  Here's a few pictures from our day, enjoying the incredible landscape around Flagstaff.

Thank each and everyone of you for your birthday wishes and cards!  I loved every one of them!