Another year has passed which means another Valentine’s Day/birthday combo for Brittany has come and gone. My birthday is February 15 (the day after Valentine’s Day), and while I don’t need much on either day, I DO like to keep them separate. I told this to Duncan when we first started dating, and he jokingly referred to the two days as one calling them “Birthentines Day”, and it has stuck ever since.
While Valentine’s Day is a great excuse to gobble a brownie, and make a special meal, I tend to put most of my focus on my birthday. This year when Duncan asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday, I told him I wanted to run a 5K…together…with him…he would be running too…as someone who doesn’t run. I thought for sure he would push back, but much to my surprise he agreed.
We cooked a delicious meal on Valentine’s Day, ate a giant brownie, and we were up and ready to go the following morning.
The beauty of my birthday falling on a Saturday this year is that I knew we would be able to find a 5k somewhere nearby. Because my birthday is the day after Valentine’s Day, I also knew we would be able to find a Valentine’s Day themed 5k. How perfect for Birthentines Day. I found a race about 45 minutes away from us, got really excited, but then discovered it was SOLD OUT!
Back to the drawing board.
I don’t love driving into Seattle these days, but I knew that might be my only option. I found a race with a 5k, and a 10k option on a looped track which felt too good to be true. I prefer running 10k if given the chance with organized races, so I was able to run the first 5k loop with Duncan and the second 5k loop solo. The run was called “Better Together”, and the website alluded to this being Valentine’s Day themed, so naturally I had to get us matching shirts.
Once we arrived at the park where the race was taking place I knew I might have been very, very wrong about this event. There were no other runners in sight. It turns out this park has “races” every two months or so, and because of this they use the same race bib’s for each run (meaning no themed bibs), some events are smaller than others, and there isn’t really much participation in the theme.
At least there wasn’t on this day.
Duncan and I were THE ONLY ONES WHO WORE ANYTHING THEMED. I was momentarily mortified, but honestly I got over it pretty quickly. We got our bib’s, walked around for a bit, and then lined up with the other 90 or so people (SMALL SMALL SMALL EVENT AHHH) to run. The only way to tell this was at all Valentine’s Day themed was the blow up photo op.
The run itself was nice, the park was a good change of scenery, and Duncan pushed himself more than I would have expected. I kept trying to get him to slow down because I didn’t want him to burn out, but he just kept flying. He was at the early stage of a multi day sickness, which makes his fight all the more impressive! I loved watching him push himself, and we finished his 5k with a 10:45 pace.
After I left him for my second lap I only had one goal: catch up to and beat the girl in front of me. I managed to pass her AND one other person. I finished my 10k 1st in my age group…because I was the only one in my age group. LOL, I love the little wins. We both paid an extra $6 to get a medal, and honestly the medals were very pretty.
Overall we had a good time, Duncan is willing to do another one (no promises on anytime soon) and we both have awesome new shirts to wear at any given moment. We may have been the only ones in Valentine’s themed clothes, but that just meant we got the most compliments.
We managed to get a compliment from the race photographer as we ran by him, and he took this whimsical shot of us. HAHA.
After the run we made our way to the best bakery in all the land. I had a free birthday reward, and I’m a sucker for all things free. This bakery is insanely busy every time we go, but I did not anticipate we would be fighting for scraps by getting there around 1300. They close at 1600, but when I say they had BARELY anything left I mean it.
My reward was good for a muffin or a cookie, and obviously I wanted the more expensive of the two. I ended up getting a muffin I would have never chosen if I’d had options, but they had literally ONE muffin left in the entire shop by the time it was my turn. This muffin turned out to be one of the most heavenly items I have ever consumed.
I’m not a peach gal, and despite the peach slices being huge in this muffin the overall flavor was superb. Well done Wren’s Nest. We were able to each get a savory item as well, and after properly entering into a food coma we made the drive back to my house so I could snuggle with my bestie the rest of the night.
This is the first birthday in a while I haven’t gone for a hike, but this was a fun change of pace. I’m officially on the downward slope to 40, which is the most mind boggling thought I have had in a long time. Somedays when I sit deep in my thoughts I truly feel like I just graduated high school. I am still 18 saying goodbye to all my friends I will never see again.
I am still 24 getting a job at Starbucks and discovering who I am slowly but surely. I am still 22 starting THIS BLOG having no idea I would still be scraping by with it 14 years later. I am still 28 and just letting go of the societal pressures of what it means to be successful, quitting a corporate job and moving to Yellowstone for 5 months. Life is weird. Memories are weird. But muffins are forever.
Q: We are all just overgrown children fumbling through life, right?
Blissfulbritt 
52 thoughts on “Birthentines Day 2025”
Diana
Happy belated birthentine’s day!
Brittany
Thank you! 🙌🏻
Sheree
Don’t worry about being on the downward slope to 40 not when you had such as awesome birthday.
Brittany
You’re right! These days make the journey that much sweeter.
Sheree
Exactly
Some Small Things
Happy Birthentines! Congrats on the race. Love themed clothing and fully embrace at all possible times. Little looks so adorable next to the beautiful painting. Congrats on winning your age group! I am very old, but I kind of like it, without the old and aging part, if that makes any sense?
Brittany
I have fully embraced the matching and themed clothes this past year. It’s been so fun.
I think enjoying being older makes sense, I’m very thankful to have the wisdom I have now vs when I was 20. Not that I’m all that wise, but certainly more so.
mariezhuikov
Sounds like the perfect birthday, and Duncan sounds like a great sport. Love your shirts!
Brittany
Duncan is the best sport. I’m thankful for his willingness to go for it.
EJ Blogs
This is just the cutest post, I love it! 😍 Happy birthentine’s – the photos make for terrific memories!
Brittany
Thank you, we had such a fun day!
Peg
I really enjoyed this post, reading all about your run with Duncan. So glad you had a good time, and I love your shirts! That brownie looks absolutely divine. Happy belated birthday ! Love the cat wall hanging , looks just like our Summer Girl. Our celebration for V-Day was that I made a deep dish pizza from scratch, and it was delicious! We usually go out to eat but decided to save the $60 or more.
So you are nearing 40, huh? I vaguely remember those days. Just wait until you are nearing 75. I hope you keep your youthful spirit forever, Brittany, somehow I think you will.
Brittany
I dream about those brownies. 🤤🤤 I love all art related to black cats, it makes me so happy.
Your Valentine’s celebration sounds perfect. I’m with you guys, going out to eat just costs way too much.
Truthfully I know my 70’s will be here before I know it, so I’m just trying to enjoy the ride! Thank you for the kind words as always. ❤️
Liz H-H
Life is weird. Memories are weird. But muffins are forever! I see a new t-shirt in your futures! Happy running muffins day!
Brittany
LOLLL. I love that idea. I would wear it often.
rockcakesramblings
Happy Birthentines! What a wonderful word! Your day sounds awesome.
Brittany
I love the word, it’s so fun to say. 🤣 thank you!
Rootchopper
Happy birthday. 36 isn’t so bad. You have tons of active living years ahead of you. Just don’t waste the time on leaf raking (he says after another 2 hours at the rake.)
I once walked into a bakery before a bike event. The woman working was the mom of my daughter’s classmate. She gifted me a cranberry muffin. “This is crack,” she said. She was right, too.
Brittany
Thank you friend, I’ll be sure to focus my time on worthwhile activities as time continues on. 🤣
I love a good crack muffin. Or any baked good really.
Sarah W
Sounds like a great day and belated happy birthday too 😊🎂
Brittany
Thank you! It was a fun day. 🤗
Thistles and Kiwis
Belated birthday wishes! I love that mosaic piece with the cat – gorgeous! We are all overgrown children – I agree!
Brittany
I loved it too, Duncan did a good job finding that beautiful art! Thank you for the birthday wishes. 🥳
mjeanpike
What a lovely post! Congratulations and happy belated birthday. That muffin looks to die for!
Brittany
Thank you! I can’t wait to get another one of those muffins soon. 🤤
Duncan
It was another successful birthentines day, despite me almost dying from a simple 3.1 mile run! Overall it was a lovely time, and I look forward to continuing the tradition next year. Maybe this time I will partake in a forever muffin!
Brittany
Hey, don’t sell yourself short. 3.1 miles is no joke! You’re ahead of so many people being able to run that straight. And your pace was killer! Thanks for doing this with me. ❤️
stewedpears.com
“Because I was the only one in my age group”😂 Congratulations are still deserved!!
Brittany
🤣🤣 thank you. I’ll hold onto that first place win for life.
marietoday
Oh I love that wall art – beautiful! That sounds like a good birthday – I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂
And yes, I still feel like I am 17 struggling socially in my last year of high school, 18 and finding new life in college, 22 and grinding through grad school, 25 and newly married, 31 and having my first baby… and my second baby just turned one today! But I am still somehow simultaneously all of the above people. It’s enough to make anyone’s head spin a little.
Brittany
I like how you tie it together by saying simultaneously you are all of these people. That’s really what it comes down to, we may grow into new people as we age, but those younger versions of us are still in there in a way. It’s a beautiful way to look at it.
niall
Happy Birthday 🎂 🎉 🎊 🥳
Well done to both of you on the race definitely worth the medal 🥉 👌
Brittany
Thank you!
Atheria
Happy belated birthday and I love seeing Little looking so handsome! Just wait until you wake up and you’re 58! 🫣 I still don’t know how that happened to me last October. The part about you being the only one in your age group was funny. 😆
Brittany
Thank you! Time really does fly.
I’ll hold onto that first place title for life. 🤣
C.A. Post
I am still 25 in my mind though my 73 year old body sometimes argues with me about THAT!😂
And 90 runners is “hardly anybody!!??
I doubt one could find any 5k or 10k runs in Kentucky off a couple holidays like St Pat’s or our Turkey Run in November. It’s hard to get us hillbillies away from our stills long enough to run, much less train!😂😂
Happy belated Birthentine’s Day!
❤️🙏, c.a.
Brittany
LOLOL. I like races with multiple hundreds of people. I like the masses, the camaraderie, the energy! Fewer people means…less of all that. 🤣🤣 I’ve never been to Kentucky, but I will take your word for it.
Thank you for the birthday wishes, and I think we are all forever 25 in our minds!
C.A. Post
Well, on a lark, I looked up Marathons in Kentucky, and I guess we DO have a lot, but not often in Lex. Louisville’s only an hour away though, and they have a lot more.
Except I don’t know what these numbers mean:
50M, 60K, 26.2M, 23K??
Brittany
The M stands for miles and the K for kilometers. So a 50 mile run, 60 kilometer run, 26.2miler (which is a marathon), and 23 kilometer run. We here in America like to classify races by miles and kilometers because we like to make it confusing. 🤣
All of those distances are far. The first two would be considered ultra marathons. Not for the weak. 🥵
C.A. Post
I’ll stick with trying to get my “steps” over 8000; a goal still ahead of me!👨🦳
Amy
Most definitely YES to being overgrown children fumbling through life! (Although maybe sometimes interspersed with grandma-like moments too? 😉 ) Also, I may be biased, but… I’m 100,000% certain that starting this blog was the best decision you’ve ever made in life. And that’ll be confirmed during our epic Disneyland meet-up! ♡
Happy belated birthday!!! (Again!) Is it just me, or do free baked goods somehow taste better? I think cardamom is one of the more underrated spices too. I forget how cozy it can make things taste! LOVE your matching race shirts as well!! They’re so, so, so perfect.
Brittany
I don’t think I truly appreciated cardamom until I visited Sweden. Their famous baked good is a cardamom roll and it is DIVINE. I need to enjoy more treats with this spice.
I think this blog was a good choice too, so many memories and friends. Perhaps we should dress as old women and visit Disney. To honor both parts of our souls. LOL.
Amy
…and now I’m dying to try a cardamom roll. Not sure I can justify going ALL the way to Sweden (and leave my little pup behind) just to eat one, but maybe I can find a good one around here????
I’m SO game for that!! I’d even dress up as Carl from “Up” or Yzma from “The Emperor’s New Groove…” 😉 We’d have SUCH a blast!!
Brittany
LOLOLOL I can totally see you in both these costumes. Maybe your new baking challenge is to make your own “kardemummabullar.”
Granted I think you can find just about any baked good in California haha.
gpavants
Hi Brittney,
Happy Birthday! Enjoy! Yes, kids trying to be adults. My grandson Harrison gets a Harrintine Bday too. He came on the 14th.
Thanks, Gary
Gary Avants Forbear Productions * *garyavants66@gmail.com garyavants66@gmail.com
Brittany
Harrintine is such a cute combo of words. Happy belated birthday to Harrison!
robert10048
I enjoyed your post. 14 years of blogging is impressive.
Yes, we are all just overgrown kids. Hopefully, not always fumbling through life.
If we are lucky.
Brittany
Yes you’re right, hopefully not always. 🤣 some years it just feels like more fumbling than others for me.
Michael McCard
Happy Belated Birthday!
Brittany
Thank you!
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Praveen Yadav
Superb post .