Birthday Trip To Birmingham, Alabama

It’s pretty unbelievable that this is the 9th time I get to celebrate with Rob on his birthday. I can remember that first birthday so well…we had only hung out a handful of times and it fell three days after Rob took me to homecoming at his high school. It was awkward timing because we were not dating yet but we had a great time at the dance. I definitely wasn’t going to buy him a gift but I also felt uncomfortable not doing anything. What if he thought I was weird?! Or mean?! Oh the dilemma! I remember asking my mom and she, of course, said “You HAVE TO do something!” We decided on getting him a cookie cake. “Not too much but just enough” we reasoned. I didn’t have my license so my mom drove me to Giant in the morning to get the cookie cake and then drove me over to his high school to drop it off in the front office as a surprise. I remember being so nervous and embarrassed and wondering if I was making a fool of myself. I think we all know how this worked out….he asked me to be his girlfriend a week later, his wife four years later, and now I’m lucky enough to spoil this guy every birthday for the rest of his life! When in doubt, go with a cookie cake ;)


This weekend was Rob's 26th birthday so we headed to Birmingham, Alabama to celebrate.  We woke up early Saturday morning and drove to Birmingham.  (It's only a little over two hours from Meridian) and went straight to Ruffner Mountain to go hiking.  Temperatures are still in the 80s in Mississippi so I was determined to see some fall foliage in the mountains!  The hike was gorgeous and the temperatures were cool enough to get our first glimpse of fall.



Hiking worked up an appetite so we headed Saw's Soul Kitchen for BBQ sandwiches, onion rings, and sweet tea.  It was lined out the door but the service was fast and efficient and the food was totally worth it.  I am dying to go back and try the Sweet Tea Fried Chicken!  After lunch, we popped next door to the Avondale Brewery.  There was actually a "pumpkin chunkin" event going on so Rob tried his hand at it.  Let's just say it is harder than it looks!

I booked our room at the Ross Bridge Resort so we headed back to the hotel to hang out by the pool.  The resort is gorgeous and totally resembled Hogwarts!  The pool is beautiful and although it is almost November, the sun was hot and the water was warm enough to swim.  We both fell asleep poolside for a much needed nap!


After napping by the pool and getting ready for dinner, we took a quick detour to check out the light tunnel on 18th Street.  We had margaritas and mexican for dinner at Little Donkey and then walked next door to grab dessert at Steel City Pops.  We read everywhere that this was a "must try" place but usually popsicles do not satisfy my sweet tooth.  I've been proved wrong!  I had the Sweet Potato Pecan and Rob tried the Maple Bacon Bourbon and both were rich, creamy, and indulgent!

We woke up the next day, excited to celebrate Rob's actual birthday with pitchers of mimosa at brunch.  Unfortunately, we didn't know about the crazy Birmingham laws banning alcohol until church gets out at noon...LAME!  I headed back to the pool to relax while Rob had a 1:30 tee time at the Ross Bridge golf course.  I don't know much about golf (but Rob loves it!) but he said the course is "up there with the Greenbrier for his favorite course ever" and that it was "very long, challenging, and beautiful".  Before heading home, I had to hit all of the places we miss while living in Meridian:  Forever 21, Target, and Chipotle!  We went home tired, full, and content!