That is just what I did this weekend as I celebrated my 28th birthday on Saturday. I decided that I wanted to have a good start to 28 by treating my body right. My husband asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I said “an active and healthy day!”

On Saturday I started the day with my delicious Green Energy Smoothie to give me the energy I needed for all the activities we had planned.

Next up, a cycling class at Zengo … my latest exercise obsession! I usually can’t get Danny to join me for cycling, but because it was my b-day he came this time! We ran into our friends, Danny and Whitney.

After a sweat session at Zengo we braved the cold and headed out to Great Falls for a hike with our good pals Connor and Kelsey. We brought the doggies, Edward and Ripken, for some entertainment. They had a blast chasing each other all through the woods. We warmed up at Old Angler’s Inn after our hike with a  nice healthy lunch.

After a very active morning and afternoon I was ready for a nap! I rested up before dinner with some of my best buds at Pearl Oyster Dive Palace in DC. I have wanted to try this spot for a while and I was thoroughly impressed. The food was amazing and had an atmosphere I really enjoyed. I had oysters, mussels, a small salad, Wood Grilled Redfish with Stone Grits, and of course I saved room for a few bites of dessert :).

When your birthday is on a Saturday it means you get to celebrate it all weekend. So we continued the celebration on Sunday with my family. I woke up Sunday itching for a run. I usually use Sunday as my yoga day, but I was craving a long run. I decided to bring Rip with me, not knowing how long he would want to run. The furthest I have ever run with him was 3 miles and usually he stops a lot to sniff around. This time he ran 6 miles with me on the Bethesda Crescent Trail without stopping much. I was so proud and felt great after our long early morning run!

Sunday evening we went over to my parents house for s delicious dinner, pot luck style. Everyone brought something healthy and I just have to show you some of the amazing food we ate. Because it was my birthday celebration I wasn’t allowed to make anything and that was very difficult for me because I love to cook. But what a treat to sit back, relax and enjoy this wonderful spread!

Danny was in charge of the crab cakes, and I gave him a few healthy tips ( recipe coming soon).

My Mom made the cedar plank Salmon and Harvest Salad.

My mother-in-law made deliciously marinated vegetables and roasted sweet potatoes.

Of course we had cake too! Red Velvet, my favorite!

I am very blessed to have good health and to spend my birthday with a loving family!

The best gift you can give to yourself is the gift of health! So on your birthday, think about some ways to incorporate a fun activity to get your heart pumping or some delicious healthy food. Just because you eat something healthy doesn’t mean it can’t be fabulous!  Here’s hoping 28 is a healthy & happy year!