jp was invited to see the fray play at red rocks on the friday of my birthday week. so of course we decided to make a big night of it. we got a babysitter for ramona, went to a fancy dinner at linger, and braved the rain and cold to the outdoor ampitheater. it was my first time at red rocks and jp’s first time there to see music performed. i’m glad lashley told me to pack a hat and mittens along with my rain jacket, otherwise i would have been miserable (and someone mentioned i shouldn’t even think of wearing my stilettos to a concert there: thank you!). i didn’t know at all what to expect and me, being the diva i can be, was expecting the friends & family section to maybe be, um, covered? but it wasn’t but we were bundled up and it was so so worth it. have you been to red rocks?! it is amazing and gorgeous and one of the best musical experiences despite any crappy weather.

i listened to how to save a life pretty much on repeat my junior year of college (along with james blunt’s back to bedlam and great lake swimmers’ self-titled [it was a very depressing year]) and so, though i’m not on the up and up with all the fray’s newer songs, it was really fun hearing the ones i know and love. they’re great performers and even did a mini concert on top of the sound stage (we were at the bottom of the sound stage to the side) where they played the three best songs of the night: be still (on their new album, scars and stories), how to save a life, and a cover of my favorite yeah yeah yeahs song, maps. yes, i have embedded them all here bc they are worth listening to, especially the first and last ones.

(in the background, if you watch this maps video, you will hear the sweet but very drunk los angelan next to me who throughout the night and especially during this song kept exclaiming “my mind is blown! my mind is being BLOWN!” sheesh.)

guys, i haven’t been to a concert in so long and it is still quite rare that i get to spend alone time w my main main. this was one special night! i even got my dancing moves on a little bit. afterward, we headed over to williams & graham for the after-party. i, of course, felt really cool and honored that we were invited to attend this event but, trust me, it’s not as cool when you have a baby waiting at home. the important people had just started arriving when we had to duck out to relieve our sitters of their charge and us of worsening hangovers in the morning. which means we pretty much hung out with each other until we had to go home. which was pretty sweet actually.

and actually, it wasn’t hangovers we had the next morning since we didn’t even drink that much. it was: we-are-too-old-for-staying-up-this-late hangovers. 1:30, y’all. i was in bed at 1:30. living. it. up. the following is the screen shot i took at the bar after jp and i gave each other high fives for living on the edge and staying out so late.

first ones to arrive. first ones to leave. classy. happy birthday to me! thanks for the sexy night out, jp. i love you.

i love birthdays. i love celebrating mine and celebrating the birthdays of those close to me.

i also love tokens of love: both giving and receiving them. so in honor of my birthday, (which was yesterday but i’ve been living it up all weekend and plan to live it up right up until mother’s day), i’m giving away one DIY breakable geode from ironwood. the website tells you absolutely nothing about the store but i’ve mentioned its magical powers before. basically it’s filled with whimsy and love and magic potions (geodes and succulents and local art and vintage goods and textiles and everything i love about knick knacks and life). and if you’ve never cracked open a geode, well, i’m trying to help you out with that.

bc everyone needs a little magic in their mailbox on their birthday — a little lovely trinket to find a special home on their windowsill or bookshelf 😉 and i’d love to pass it on.

please leave a comment below saying what tradition you love celebrating on your birthday (or for others!). this is open until friday morning, 8:00 MST, at which time i’ll pick a winner and announce it!

(p.s. the photo above was taken from the ironwood facebook page. this is not a breakitopenyourself geode but that would be really sweet if it was.)