wrapping up the 50th birthday celebrations

we all know that i am a pro at extending my birthday celebration for as long as possible, yes?  well, this year i managed it with an assist from mama wan.  she threw me a lovely family party at the frontrunner restaurant, located at the one and only santa anita race track.

i was so distracted during the actual party that i didn't take pictures - at least not ones that mattered, like with my mom or any of the other family members who took the time out of their schedules to come and join the celebration.  sheesh.  the only pictures i really got were of the food, starting with my ever-present mimosa:

if you're ever here for a race or an event or something, just know that the food at the frontrunner is really good!  

although i do believe that the cakes (yes, more than one because that's how we roll) were brought in, most likely from an asian bakery.  so good.

here's the only photos of actual people i got, heh.

earlier in the week, we'd spent some time inspecting the details and enjoying the various flavors of the cakes we'd brought home from the surprise party on my birthday.  plus, the hub unpacked and put out some of the decorations and turned the house into an extension of the big bash, which was fun.

but really - check out the amazing details on this cake!  just incredible.

this little part reminded me of the bean's version of "pirates of the caribbean" she'd surprised me with the year before.

churros and beignets and turkey legs - some of my favorite disneyland snacks!

the bean had a great time diving (almost literally) into those cakes to sample the flavors.  comedy.

if you're local to the rancho cucamonga area and need a custom cake that's beautiful and delicious, i can't recommend eileen at cucamonga cakery enough.  she's actually a former co-worker who found happiness and success in opening her own bakery, and at the risk of sounding super cheesy, she's just as sweet as the treats she makes.

and if all that wasn't enough, a few days later i received a package in the mail that contained this sweet gift from my sweet friend weezermonkey:

it sits proudly on the bar, where i see it every day.  it's an awesome keepsake from a day i'll never forget as long as i live.