Just kidding. Don’t. Unless you think I’m 22, then yes, please flatter me.

Tuesday I turned… Oh man, I don’t even want to type it. Ok, I’ll do it… 28.

I know it’s not old by any stretch of the imagination but it’s getting closer to the end of my twenties, and I feel like I’m hanging on as firm as I can.

Maybe it’s because I thought I would have accomplished so much more by this age. Or perhaps it’s just the unknown of entering my thirties. In hopes of breaking out of my hermit funk of barely leaving the house, I decided I’d invite people over for a last-minute birthday get-together.

I wasn’t sure anyone would come, but I sent the invite anyway, got a couple of games, and picked up some dinner. I’m challenged with trying out Boston Market (yes, they’re still around!) 35 ways in 35 days with less than 550 calories each meal, and figured my friends could help with that.

That’s a heckovalot of comfort food, but without all the calories.

I’m fairly used to pulling off my kids’ birthday parties within a couple days, but I didn’t know I’d be doing the same for my own.

It was a lot of fun. The food was delicious, seriously delicious. Corn bread, cinnamon apples, corn, turkey sandwiches, green beans, chicken salad, rotisserie chicken, chicken bowls—It was all some of the juiciest, tastiest home-style food I’d had in a long time. Looking back I should have taken it all out of the packaging and made it look like I had cooked it all. DANGIT. … I still have a few more weeks of this challenge. Totally gonna pull one over on the neighbors… Or maybe the missionaries.

We had tres leches cake for dessert. I really didn’t want to be sung to, but I guess it’s a birthday staple. I didn’t blow out any candles.—I didn’t want to melt the cake. No, seriously, I was not thinking that was necessary, but poor Lil’ J kept asking where my candles were, so I sorta wish I had done them, if just for her sake. I wished for internet. So far that wish hasn’t come true.

We played Apples to Apples. Which was the one thing I really wanted to do on my birthday, and quite possibly the only reason I really wanted a party. We played, and I won. Good times.

Proof that I’m no longer a hermit (though I look like something much scarier).

My friend’s potty training kid did have diarrhea all on our carpet and my cute new playroom rug, but it didn’t really faze me. My husband was freaking out, and busting out the shampooer and all sorts of random cleaning supplies while I was chomping on delicious mashed potatoes. I wasn’t upset cause about five and a half years ago we stayed at these same friends’ house when we first moved to Austin, and our dog Snoop chewed up the molding on the doorframe in one of their bedrooms. Karma is a biotch.

Snoop also kept humping said friend’s leg the entire night. He normally doesn’t hump people so that was weird.

After half a bottle of Resolve, several towels and a shampooer rise later, the stain remained, and my husband insisted new carpet and a new rug was the only solution. While he was at work I bought a bottle of Kids N Pets to try. Twenty minutes later and BOOM… Stains gone, good as new. #DramaticHusbands

Anyway, it was good catching up with friends I hadn’t seen in a while, and making plans to hang out more. I’m even hoping to make a regular game night at my place. Maybe I’ll even continue the “home cooked” dinner tradition. There are quite a few desserts and sides I’m still excited to try. More on my Boston Market challenge soon.

Earlier that day, we went out to breakfast, and saw Frozen again. Though it was my husband’s first time seeing it. I loved it even more the second time. Lil’ J did too, now that she knows most of the songs.

So, happy birthday to me. I’m 28, and normally at this point in the year I’ve usually made a huge list of resolutions and goals. This year I only have a few: Read more (for business and pleasure, but mostly more pleasure), put my husband first (after God), and be an uplifting beacon, spreading positivity. I feel like everything else will fall into place.

I have a long list of things to do before I’m 30, and I’ll do what I can do. If there’s anything I’ve learned over these last few weeks of spending time catching up with family members over the holidays, it’s that 30 years is nothing, and I’ve still got a lot ahead of me.

*Boston Market is sponsoring my participation in the 35 ways to eat right campaign. All opinions are my own. I wouldn’t lie about good food anyway.

Tags: 35 meals in 35 days, birthday, boston market, family, homemade food fast, meals under 550 calories