Birthday Take 2

So in normal Rachel style it was not enough to have one birthday celebration! I had Friday off work and Mum came down to London for the day. We had a lovely few hours wandering round our favourite shop - JL of course and then lunch and a few more hours shopping! Mum helped me start the preparations with some chilli and brownie making. Saturday I took Mum to meet A Grace at Euston before picking up my next visitors, the lovely Kazza and Sophie. We came back down to mine via a quick stop-off in Balham for lunch in Bertie and Boos (of course). Then I set the girls hard to work chopping and washing up and generally getting ready for the party. They were absolute stars! We had a few mishaps with forgotton ingredients in the Banoffee pie (caramel? really?) but all went pretty well and the flat ended up looking cleaner than it has done in ages, thanks girls!
Quesadillas stacked and ready to cook

Then we got our glad rags on and the 23 guests started to arrive!!! It got a little crowded and at times I wish I'd just done crisps rather than a massive mexican feast but everyone seemed very appreciative and it was really fun to have all my choir and uni friends together with a couple of school and work friends mixed in for good measure.

The desserts!

The uni gurls set-up camp in the corner

A few memorable moments...

- Sophie doing endless rounds of washing up
- Opening my mulberry purse, purple patent!!!

- Hannah's birthday cloud of joy

- Alex's margaritas

- Seeing all my friends chatting to each other

- All the choir gurs singing along when a song we sing at choir came on

- Seeing Paddy trying on Jennys shoes!

- My next-door-neighbour practically breaking my door down (not exactly a highlight)

- Sophie and Willies falling asleep on the sofa, ahh bless...