Birthday Week

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Today is the second day of my Birthday Week (yes, that was capitalized).  I absolutely love my birthday and I love anticipating it by mini-celebrating in the days leading up to it.  This week instead of just making my favorite food for my birthday dinner on Thursday, I decided to make several of my favorite dinners throughout the week.  I might post recipes later, so stay tuned.  Most years I pick a random dessert in lieu of the traditional birthday cake, so I'm also thinking about making a couple different desserts too.  I mean, your birthday only comes once a year, right?!

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The other thing I'm doing this week is taking advantage of all of the free birthday things that are offered by restaurants and stores.  I know there's like 38459 restaurants that give you a free dessert or free food if you come in on your birthday, but I don't like going out to eat on my birthday and having a bunch of strangers sing to me, so those don't appeal to me.  I read an article back in January that featured some restaurants that email you a coupon to get something free in the weeks around your birthday. Apparently I signed up for a bunch of them! Here are the ones I've received and how you can sign up for them too:

Ruby Tuesday: a coupon to get any handcrafted burger for free, have 2 weeks to use it (here)

Moe's: a coupon to get any entree for free (excluding fajitas), have 1 week to use it (here)

Coldstone Creamery: a coupon for BOGO any creation, have 2 weeks to use it (here)

Baskin Robbins: a coupon for a a free 2.5 oz scoop of ice cream, have 10 days to use it (here)

Rita's: a coupon for a free regular Italian ice, have 1 week to use it (here)

Starbuck's: register a giftcard and then join the rewards program, you'll get mailed a coupon for any drink any size, have 2-3 weeks to use it (here)

Panera: get a MyPanera rewards card and register it, they'll put a free treat on it (usually a sweet or pastry), have 60 days to use it (here)

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Also, I've been doing a little shopping with my birthday rewards.  With a Loft credit card, you'll get a $15 off one purchase during your birthday month (here for credit card information).  And with a Victoria's Secret credit card, you'll get $10 off one purchase during your birthday month (here for credit card information).  And if you sign up to be a rewards member at DSW, you'll get $5 off one purchase during your birthday month (here to sign up).

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So I guess it looks like Caleb and I will be spending a lot of my birthday week eating!  What did you expect from me, the one who posts a new recipe like every two days?  But then there's also the shopping.  And I'm hoping to spend some time laying out by the pool, and then hanging out with Caleb a bunch.  And we're still waiting for my nephew to be born (any day now!), so hopefully there will be a trip to meet him and see my family.

How do you like to celebrate your birthday?