Alan's Birthday in Photos: Part 1

As part of Alan's 29th birthday celebration, Ly+Alan hopped in the car and drove to one of their favorite Virginian hangouts - Shenandoah National Park. Ly was excited because it just snowed and she loves the snow. Alan was excited because he did not have to study. So really it was a win-win situation.

With Christmas music softly playing (it is November, after all), hot chocolate, and of course Ly's cross stitch, the drive up was relaxing.

Once they actually reached the park, the snow was gorgeous. There is just something peaceful about freshly fallen snow.

Happy 29th Birthday Alan! Here's to the best year yet!

Birthday Fun

Despite the fact Alan had 2 major exams the week of Ly's birthday (including a national shelf exam) he still managed to make Ly's birthday fun. The morning started off with such a nice surprise - breakfast, Starbucks, and of course gerber daisies (Ly's favorite). Such a nice small gesture really made Ly feel special, especially considering the fact that Alan didn't have much time to spend on her actual birthday (due to the service).

Later in the week, Ly + Alan went on a day trip to Shenandoah, apple picking, quilt store shopping, and even had a mini birthday party complete with homemade chocolate cake AND apple pie. Gotta love Alan's interest in baking. Ly also got showered with gifts. Yay for cookbooks, fabric (lots of fabric!), sewing supplies, books and of course fashion accessories...but the best gift of course were all the birthday phone calls, cards, messages and emails from friends and family. So here's to an awesome birthday week and a new year of adventures!

It's that time of year again...

Well today is Lily's 22nd birthday. Usually Ly writes a long list of the reasons why Lily is the best sister in the entire world, but she has decided to change it up with a poem from their childhood:

My name is Lily

I am silly

I am Lily not Billy!

But in all seriousness, Ly has been lucky enough to get to see Lily on two different occasions this year despite the 3,000 mile distance between them.

1. She got to see Lily when Lil flew out to Richmond for thanksgiving and they made tamales instead of turkey...a tradition in the making. Lily also successfully helped Ly parallel park her car, an event that to this day is legendary.

Proof we actually made tamales!

2. She got to see Lily when she graduated college and they introduced her dad to the wonders of veggie burgers and rode all the carnival rides they could at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk (an event 26 years in the making).

LK + LL after graduation

Twirling really really fast...so fun and worth the 27 year wait!

Unfortunately, the two sisters don't get to spend their birthdays together but hopefully Lil will celebrate enough for the both of them!

So here's to the next year of adventures both abroad and at home! =)

Alan's Birthday Week

Recently Ly+Alan celebrated Alan's birthday week. Strangely, Alan requested a homemade cake, and he doesn't even like cake. Needless to say the cake was a bit of a disaster...one layer breaking in half and then it almost falling over a few times. It still tasted fantastic though.

The Lee's family other birthday adventures included bowling, a dinner party with some med school friends, desserts, a movie, a road trip to Williamsburg and of course 2 anatomy tests.

Happy 27th Birthday Alan! Hopefully there will be a million more! =)

21

21 years ago Lily decided to give up the comfort of the womb and brave the big bad world.


So lets all raise a glass and toast to Lil on her 21st birthday - Happy Birthday and hope that this next year will be better than the last! =)

A Day for Celebration!

Earlier this week Ly + Alan celebrated a very important day -- Alan's 26th Birthday. I was going to make a list of the reasons why Alan is the best husband ever but then realized it would take forever and day to write it. So in order to spare you all the lovey-dovey stuff and save myself some time I just wanted to wish Alan a super happy birthday and here's to an eternity of more! =)

20 reasons for a 20th birthday

Top 20 Reasons why Lily is the Best Sister Ever:

20. Lily supports me 125% and encourages me to follow my dreams.

19. Lily still takes naps with me when I am tired.

18. Lily is a good friend to the people around her.

17. Lily is a good secret keeper. She once kept it a secret that I was making my parents a quilt for an entire year.

16. Lily is always willing to try new things

15. Lily is the best person to take to Disneyland because we always have a blast.

14. Lily loves Alan like he's her brother.

13. Lily is an awesome cook

12. Lily knows I love pandas and always tells me important panda information...and when I go to San Diego she humors me by going to the zoo just to see them

11. Lily loves books. When she was little she used to sleep with them under her pillow.

10. She is silly and makes me laugh

9. She is an awesome dancer.

8. She very very beautiful.

7. She is very very smart

6. She loves the ocean and knows lots about dolphins, waves, beaches and anything else that has to do with the ocean.

5. She knows lots and lots about music. I wish I knew like .01% of the stuff about music that she does.

4. She was my maid of honor at my wedding and wore a pink dress even though she hates pink.

3. She is always a shoulder to lean on and will help you out no matter what.

2. Lily makes sure you know she loves you

1. She is my best friend

Happy 20th birthday Lilster! You are the best sister in the whole wide world. And not just because you're the only one I have. =)

November 4, 2008

So this is a bit late but on the 4th was Alan's 25th birthday. The Lee family celebrated by voting (obviously) and then allowing Alan to indulge in all sorts of sweets. The first stop was at the local Starbucks where Ly convinced the clerk to give them free tea instead of the free coffee everyone got for voting. Second stop was Krispy Kreme for Alan's free star shaped sugar and paste filled treat. After Alan managed to collect his share of freebies for voting, the Lees met up with Justin and Kristy for some Chinese food. It was then off to the Lees for an evening of watching the polls come in and enjoying some birthday cheesecake.

When the results became apparent and Obama was named President-elect, Ly and Alan were very excited to say the least. No matter how you voted, you must admit that Nov 4, 2008 was a very historic night in our nation's history...and an evening to not be forgotten for quite a long time.

Here's hoping Obama lives up to all the potential and promises!

August is birthday month

Today is Ly's mom's birthday. For all you who know Ly's mom you know that it is definitely a reason to celebrate. Here are some examples of why from Ly's perspective:

My mom took me to my first concert when I was 7 years old and bought me my first box of Crayola crayons before I could walk or even talk. She encouraged me to be whomever I wanted to be and when kids teased me in the first grade for being short she told me to "get over it" and laugh with them or else they'd keep teasing me the rest of the millions of years I was in school.

My mom made me a Jell-O cake with crayons made out of gumdrops on it for my birthday when I turned 5 - and let me eat the purple crayon because purple was my favorite color even though everyone else wanted the purple one. She made my Halloween costumes and even sewed me a Civil War era dress for the 8th grade Civil War dance. She took me on a mother-daughter bonding trip up the coast of California where she taught me that things will always be okay - even when you run out of gas in the middle of Sequoia National Park at 9:30 at night and there is nobody around. She also taught me to love trees and nature and that I should always take a moment to appreciate the beauty around me.

My mom was very active in my life at school. She graded the cursive papers of my third grade class (I always did bad because she claimed that my writing was hard to read), went on field trips, and made treats for my friends on their birthdays. She also stayed up with me whenever I had a project due - whether it was a report on zebras or a final paper on Shakespeare. She made sure I always tried my hardest, and while she would often get frustrated with my perfectionism sometimes - like when I'd spend an hour choosing fonts for a poster at 3 in the morning - she put up with it anyway.

My mom spent countless nights in hospitals with me, which was not at all fun. She snuck me in ice cream from the cafeteria and taught me how to play poker. She would yell at dumb doctors and get ice when needed. And my mom never once acted as if she were afraid, and because of that I wasn't either.

My mom is my hero. She has always been there for me when I really really needed her even if it meant having to sacrifice something that was important to her. She is my best friend and my role model.

I love you mom! Happy Birthday!

Over the Hill

Today is Lyanna's dad's birthday. He is turning the big 5-0. So congrats to him for lasting this long in a family of all girls and putting up with all the crap the Bolig girls put him through throughout the years.

In honor of his birthday, Lyanna put together the following lists:

The Top 10 Things I Love about My Dad:

1. The way he folded my blanket when I was little just right with silky side up
2. The way he calls me every few days just to check up on me and make sure I'm okay...even after I got married
3. The fact that all my friends voted my dad to be the "cool dad"
4. How easy going he is
5. The way he makes me laugh
6. How he used to make me lunch everyday I was in school.
7. How hard he tries to give me what I want/need
8. How when he shaved his head he chased me around the entire house trying to rub it on me...and I was 22 years old.
9. That he has put up with all my crap for 23 years
10. How much my dad loves me


Top 10 Things I've learned from my dad

1. Sometimes it's okay to just let things go
2. It is important to be able to go with flow
3. Work hard, Play hard.
4. You should always give everything 110%
5. It is okay to fail sometimes
6. Hugs are important
7. Family is the most important thing in the entire world
8. Take advantage of every opportunity
9. Always do what you say you're going to do
10. Make sure that the loved ones in your life know you love them everyday

Daddy I love you lots! Happy Birthday and I hope that the next 50 years are better then the last!