My 21st Birthday in Des Moines, Iowa

Well here I sit at the Sheraton Hotel in Des Moines Iowa. As most of you know yesterday was my 21st birthday!!!! WOOHOO!!! Anyways, it was fan-tab-ulous (words of Dana May)!!! And I figured I should share.



To begin, the Wednesday before my birthday, we were packing fast and furious at the Angus office of course to head to Des Moines for the National Junior Angus Show (our biggest event of the summer!), and one of my new best friends and also best jewelry customers (Princess Holli Parke) sent me B-E-A-utiful flowers and had them delivered to me at the office! I have recently lost my camera (crisis, I know), so I will try to upload one from my mobile on here. Anyways, Holli is simply fabulous in so many ways and she never ceases to amaze me with what she does for me. From helping me with my booth at Kansas City, to being a great dinner date while I am in Missouri, or of course allowing me to decorate her with phenominal jewlz, Holli is a spitfire and everyone needs a little of her in their life!



So, I of course was dead set on going out at midnight that night! My roomate for the summer, Kelli Armbruster who works for the Angus Foundation had gone to dinner in Kansas City after work, but called me on her way home and said she was still up for it! I of course, was making jewelry and not dressed whatsoever! Then, Sarah Moyer Snider, who is the Director of the Angus Source program called us because she had just finished a late night softball game. However, she said we had to meet her right away! So within five minutes I had thrown on a black longsleeve turtle neck and a hot pink polo hat to match my shorts and flip flops and we were off!

As we arrived at Legends Bar in St. Joseph, MO, it was about 20 minutes until midnight but they still let me in. Now, they wouldn't serve me until midnight, but I had waited 21 years, whats another few minutes? So, the bartender and DJ each bought me a shot and Kelli and Sarah each bought me a drink. We managed to booty dance the rest of the night in a totally random place but it was so much fun! Not gonna lie, I was definately dreading having to be on the road the next morning!

So, on the actual day of my birthday me, Robin Ruff (assistant of Jr Activities at Angus Association) and James (my official boss, also director of Jr Activities), drove up to Des Moines! After Robin and I got lost looking for lunch and had an argument with the Garmin, then after unpacking the equipment trailer and van, we soon headed to the hotel to freshen up for my big birthday dinner!

When I got to the hotel, I was surprised by another fabulous bouquet of flowers. This consisted of a random assortment of baby pink flowers and roses with a rhinestone tiara to top them off. And who else would they be from, rather than my Southern Jewlz Repz, Jessica and Amber!

So to be in attendance at my dinner was of course James and Robin, then Glenda and Doug Schroeder (Iowa Jr Angus Assn. Advisors), Don Laughlin (Regional Manager for the Angus Association), my friend LJ Ashorn who of course is interning in Des Moines for the summer and Alex Tolbert and one of his interns, as he is working for the USDA here in Des Moines and was actually recently a member of the Angus Board! We went to Fleming's Steak House, where they only serve prime steaks and it was absolutely PHENOMINAL!!! After a couple amaretto sours, some kickass calamari in sweet sauce, a side salad, and of course a petite filet mignon and sauteeed mushrooms, I was sitting in good shape!

From there, Robin, LJ, Alex, Daniel and I headed to downtown Des Moines for a night out on the town. We had a lot of fun at the Lyers Club bar, however we did not get too out of control as we all still had a big week ahead of us! Needless to say, even though my official birthday is over, with more and more Angus people arriving daily here for the NJAS, it is looking to be a long week with plenty of friends, fellowship and good times to make my 21st simply fabulous! So, look for updates within the next week of adventures with the NJAS board, show updates and of course newz from the SJ girls working the booth up here for the week, Jessica and Amber!

Randa :)