30 in review

I was on vacation this past week on my annual “sister trip.” I will have to share some pictures as soon as one of my sisters returns my camera. (SJ, that means YOU!). My vacationing has put off my posts last week but I wanted to share some thoughts this week anyways. Warning: this post is kind of self-indulgent. This may be better served as a Birthday post, but I’m not patient like that.

In a few short weeks I will be turning 31. Yes, 31. I still cannot believe this. As you may remember I was not happy to be in my 30’s. Seeing my 20’s go definitely made me shed a few tears. My 20’s were awesome, full of learning, growing, traveling the world, big milestones (i.e.: marriage, firstreal-career jobs, purchasing house #1 and house #2). In short, I loved my 20’s. I made a 30 by 30 list to try and make my birthday more fun for myself. I wouldn’t say that it necessarily made turning 30 easier, or fun, but I did get more things done at 29 then this past year. (i.e.: the only books I read this year were The Great Gatsby again and Engulfed in Flames, sad state of affairs compared to the 5+ I made myself find time for last year.)


Chilling at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas with my hubby last year for my Birthday.

I may not really be thrilled about future imminent birthdays, but one thing I will say, 30 has been a really good year. It may have only been one year, and 30 may just be a number, but I really feel like I’ve grown  a lot more comfortable in my own skin. I feel like not only do I know myself better, but even more so, I like who I am. I am not as hard on myself about my flaws and weaknesses. I understand that just like trials are a part of life, my weaknesses are a part of me, but things get better. I’m getting better with age. I feel like at 30 I’m finally starting to really like who I am. I am okay with being a nerd/awkward, I like that I am sweet (Oh, how that word use to make me cringe). I also feel like I know what I want more than at any other time in my life. I know what I want and I know how to work for it; I even may on occassion just ask for what I want (GASP!).

It’s not necessarily that my life situation has changed at all. In fact my family is in more flux then we have been for a long time, but even with all the changes going on, I am at peace. I am more at peace with myself, my abilities, and my desires. That’s not to say that everything is perfect and I don’t ever freak out or worry about things, but more, that I understand I will always worry about things and I don’t beat myself up over it. In retrospect, turning 30 wasn’t all that bad. I think my 30’s are going to be fantastic, challenging, like always, but great none the less. It does not mean that I am doomed to career and domestic boredom as I feared. Sure, I may not be travelling to faraway lands or having a professor blow my mind with a new way of thinking, but life is always full of surprises and there is always room for growth.
 

Leaving the Hard Rock Hotel after one of my memorable birthday weekends ever!

I hope that in my 30’s I get tofinally meet my children. I look forward to exploring new depths to my marriage (oh how things have evolved over these past 6 years). I look forward to learning new things and taking on new challenges at work. I hope I can keep working on myself and continually improving.

Has anyone else noticed that peace of self that comes with age? Or did you notice a big change at any certain age?

Linky Links

Here are some links to what has been entertaining me lately . . .

I think I am jealous of a 14 year old boy. This might help explain why.

Summer is here and I am really in the mood to fill my house up with house plants. I think it's also because I want pretty planters like this, this, and this!

Jeff has been out of town on business a lot recently and I've killed our only current house plant due to lack of watering. I think if I get any house plants I may have to invest in one of these, or this.

Or, maybe I should just recycle!

I need to do a post about what I ended up wearing to my brother and sister-in laws weddings. Thanks to my very own younger sister getting hitched later this summer, I need to find yet another outfit! This online shop was like discovering wedding dress wear GOLD I tell you. Dresses in every size, good prices, and CUSTOMIZABLE! check it out.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Bridal Shower Planning

As I mentioned last week my younger sister is getting hitched. I can barely believe it, but it’s true. So us sisters are getting together and throwing her a little bridal shower. She wants some of it to be a surprise, but lucky for me, she never reads this blog- ha ha, so I thought I would share the mood board I made and some ideas we had planning the shower. ( I made the mood board to help convince my fellow party planners that my theme was the way to go and give them an idea of how I thought we should decorate. I think it's things like this is why people don't like planning things with me.)

As I also mentioned last week, I am in love with the color combo of black and white, which of course is being incorporated into her shower.  I toyed with a bunch of ideas and themes but in the end I settled on “Bride to Bee.” It is a classic and a goodie. Plus, her new last name with begin with a “B,” (we will be “B” sisters) so we thought it’s be fun to have little plays off of bees the animal, and “B” the letter.

The colors are going to play off of her wedding colors, but instead of pale pastels we decided to have the same colors but in bright and vibrant tones, mainly a happy yellow, bright green, and of course, black and white. We decided to try and keep things simple by mainly decorating the food table and favor table. The rag bunting will be swagged on the food table and we’ll make a paper lantern and tissue honeycomb cluster for over the table. All the tables (food, eating, favor tables) will be covered in white table clothes with vases or mason jars filled flowers in our yellow and green colors.

 
We plan to bring in the  Bee/“B” theme by serving food and giving away things that relate to honey, decorated letter “b”s on tables and doors, with the favors, and more. I will give a whole break down after the shin dig.  I don't want to give away too much in the off chance that my sister may actually read this blog.  I'm excited I think it will be super cute!