When I turned sixteen, I had these wonderful thoughts of all it would entail. Things like a prince charming, an outstanding party, and changes in my life that were all going to be for the better. After all, the big birthdays were: 13, 16, 18, and 21... right? What more could life have to offer?

In the end, I had two very small get togethers with two different groups of friends. They involved some laid back food, homemade cake, and a game or movie. My visions of a black & white party with Michael Buble singing and me dancing in a red dress soon faded away, and I realized that "big birthdays" weren't always like movies or MTV Shows (which I wasn't supposed to be watching...).

Now I look back and I'm truly thankful for my close friends and homemade birthday cakes. Many people aren't so lucky. While I still enjoy my birthday being a big deal, I don't look back on my "big birthdays" with disappointment.

Here's to many more birthdays! What is your favorite birthday memory?