Birthday celebration

It actually scares me sometimes when I realize how fast time goes by! From birthday to birthday, New Year to New Year, I am always in shock because it truly feels like in a bling of an eye we are already one year older. To shake of those thoughts, on my birthday which was November 18th, I was trying to shift my focus to gratitude and just appreciate I am still here, surrounded by people I love. One thing I can also confirm is, as I am getting older, what I value the most is people I have in my life and health. Everything else comes and goes but those two is something I think we all, more or less, take for granted.

This year on Instagram, I participated in an initiative called Bookish Birthday and the idea is pretty much based on Secret Santa but instead of sending gifts to each other on Holidays, we do it on birthdays. We all send out information, including our date of birth of course, to the girl who is organizing Bookish Birthday and she randomly chooses a person you're sending a gift to, in a way where we all get a gift from someone, not knowing who it is until it arrives. We also make a note on five book titles on our wish list so whoever is preparing a gift can pick one of those and we also write down other things we love, small things like bookmarkers, coffee, candy, stationary... I got a girl whose birthday was in July and I tried my best to make it as good as possible. And I was beyond excited to receive my gift as well! I absolutely loved everything I got - the book, cute stationary, sweets, coffee and tea, it was all so me.

My husband surprised with a bunch of cute little things, many of those include Bubu & Dudu, cute little bears that we both love! He also got me a book that was on my wish list for a long time and took me out to dinner later that evening. As a member of one of, if not the biggest, publisher and bookstore here in Serbia (called Laguna) we all get 40% off for our birthday where we can purchase maximum of three books so I took advantage of that and got two books for myself and one to give away on my Instagram profile.

I have spend part of my day with my family, we had coffee and cake, I got some really nice gifts from them as well and in the evening I had a cute little date with hubby. We went to one of our favorite places (I just dedicated an entire post to this restaurant few days ago) and had a yummy dinner there. First we shared Tom Kha Ga soup that is served with rice and it was delicious, and then I got Pad Kee Mao (Thai drunken noodles) and hubby got Pad See Ew. It was my first time trying these noodles in Pad Tha restaurant and I absolutely loved them!

Overall, I had an amazing day and I am super thankful for the wonderful time I have spent with the loved one, for all the amazing things I received and memories I'll cherish from this day. I am yet to celebrate with few closest friends, probably over a dinner at a cozy restaurant where we can talk, laugh and eat good food!