I am having a TIME in Nashville… currently sitting at the breakfast counter with my best pal and her family after a very layered 40th birthday surprise.

In case you missed it, here’s a quick recap on TikTok of my surprise to Ashley on Sunday.

Nothing makes me happier than surprising my best friends, and this will be the fourth time I’ve gotten my girl Ashley pretty damn good. Although this one was the best yet.

Let me take it back to the beginning here; third grade, Fox Prairie Elementary School in Stoughton, Wisconsin. I had just transferred schools and was on the playground one day, and Ashley and I gravitated to one another - we were both cute, weird, and wearing Charlotte Hornets Starter jackets. Say no more. Instant friends.

Isn’t it fun that’s all it took back in the day?

Our friendship has seen each other through every relationship, growing boobs, her daughter’s birth, moves across country, and every up and down you could think of - her family is my family and vice-versa.

I’ll take you on a quick memory lane through some of our other surprises…

The Hustle

In 2011, I had just moved to LA and I was in Ashley’s wedding back in Wisconsin. I couldn’t make it to her wedding shower AND back again for the wedding itself, so I ordered a cardboard cutout of myself to be delivered to her house the day of the wedding shower. The girls were able to “have me there” and “take me out barhopping” in my absence. Ashley held onto the cutout until years later where we took her out to brunch and left her in a dumpster. 😂

In 2017, I had my bachelorette party in Las Vegas (yes, the one before I was supposed to get married and didn’t). She flew to Los Angeles, and thought we had to catch a bus to Vegas… but secretly I had gotten us flights on a semi-private airline. We pulled up to the hangar, and shocked the shit out of her!

In 2019, I was preparing for my first European tour with my friend Rachel, and Rachel and I were co-headlining Zanies Nashville. I left myself off the bill, and convinced Ashley’s hubby and friends to “randomly come and see” a show and live podcast at the club. …and then I walked out on stage to her screaming in surprise.

The best kinds of hustle are finding ways to always incorporate your friends and great memories into a busy schedule, because honestly, you’re never too busy to make time for the people that matter.

And now to this trip…

The Chill

It’s Sunday morning, 4am to be exact, when I’m headed to the airport in Chicago for my flight.

I’ve packed up the giant inflatable unicorn, and devised my spiel for TSA in case of any questions — note to all: definitely use the word “inflatable” instead of “blow up” when speaking to airport staff.

Ashley’s husband Chris had a restaurant location set, the infamous Pancake Pantry, and they were due into downtown Nashville around 11am.

I called the restaurant from my boarded flight at 6am and told the staff “hey, so I’ll be showing up there to surprise my bff… but I’ll be dressed as a giant unicorn. Will this disrupt your service?” — haven’t gotten a better laugh than that on the phone in a minute.

Not ONLY were they accommodating and very into it, but their GM Jenna was all about making this a smooth surprise.

Pancake Pantry is known for it’s lines around the block. You order at the counter, and are sat once ordered — there are no reservations. Well, Jenna offered to let them bud the line and put Chris’s name on the list, and arranged for me to come five minutes early and hide in the bathroom to inflate my costume.

Everything from the direction Ashley was sitting, to the timing of pee breaks while I was hiding, was perfectly orchestrated.

The best part was after the surprise, she only thought I was in town on a long layover, and when her husband and her went to take me “back to the airport” we actually picked up her mom and other best friend, and that’s when Ash found out we were all here through her birthday. Talk about layers 😈

You can watch the whole lead-up and all the surprises on my Instagram highlight.

Needless to say, today is Ashley’s official 40th, and I’m about to go help her chop some firewood for our post-dinner bonfire later tonight.

I’m obsessed with my friends. They’re my chosen sisters. And even more so, I’m thankful they are always down to roll with my never-ending shenanigans. Which I assume will only get weirder the older I get…

Now, excuse me while I go enjoy the official 40th birthday of one of my best friends in the world. 😎

Upcoming Shows

Peep my Instagram for the shows I have this next week, heavily Laugh Factory Chicago this month!

May 22 - we would LOVE to see you at our first Group Chat Show at Zanies Rosemont

May 31 - save the date for a new show Jake and I are launching - details to follow…

Love you all and cheers to the hustle + chill. May we all experience being giant unicorns.

xx NPH