TWENTY SIX

Somehow another year has rapidly passed by and here we are again. I've had good years, and bad years, and overall, this was a really, really good year. I have a charmed life, and I feel really really lucky to live it. I have a strict no-complaining about age policy because, the alternative is a LOT worse. I'm thankful to be healthy, happy, and walking into my 26th year with a lot of love.

And for good ol' birthday measure, here are 26 things random things about me

 

1 - I talk on the phone a lot. I talk to my mom at least twice a day, and I usually talk to at least three or four friends, sisters, or my dad, in a day too. I have different times that I like to talk to people - driving to work, walking the dog, getting ready for dinner, but I check in on people a lot and like to hear about the random nothings of their day.

2 - Once I finish a book, I cant start one immediately after. I feel like I need to let the characters and story really sink in before I throw them to the wayside.

3 - I think about what pregnancy is going to be like a lot. Ten months seem like an awfully long time to feel nauseous, uncomfortable and tired. I'm also border-line obsessed with reading mom's-to-be pregnancy blog updates.

4 - Getting your nails done in LA is really cheap - like $5 bucks, so I've gotten in the habit of getting my nails done every week and I cannot stand when they are chipped. 

5 - I screw up expressions and words...a LOT.  My sisters are very guilty of it too, and Joel thinks it's equal parts funny and scary. For example; for years we thought a valedictorian was a Valid Victorian. Which actually does make more sense.

6 - I love wine, but I suck at ordering from an unrecognizable wine list at restaurants. I never know what region I like my wine from, or what year the best grape came from, so Joel has taken on that role. It's great, except for when I'm out without him - in which case I go with the 2nd least expensive bottle. Obviously.

7 - I very rarely buy things full price. And it's not a good thing, it's actually a damn curse. And yes, I blame you mom. 

8 - I coach a Girls on the Run team. I used to coach back in Chicago and this is my first season coaching here in California. The program is amazing; our group is 8 elementary girls from 3rd-6th grade. Every week we focus on a different topic that is bound to come up in their life - bullying, mindful eating, friendships, tolerance, etc. After we talk about it and play games, we run. We train to run a 5k together and talk about the importance of using running and positivity as a way to deal with problems and maintain a healthy lifestyle. 

9 - I hate using credit cards. I've heard too many horror stories about how quickly debt can accumulate so Joel and I only buy and do things that we have the cash to do. For big ticket items, we put them on a credit card so that we can get the points, but we never carry a balance and hopefully never will.

10 - One of my goals in life is to buy a house before I'm thirty. Buying a home is such an accomplishment, and normally a smart investment. The idea to have "my own home" gives me jitters! We aren't sure where we will plant our roots, but hopefully when we do, we will be in the position to buy instead of rent.

11 -I'm an old soul and always have been. Growing up (and currently) I would beg my mom to invite her friends over to hang out with us.

12 - I love alcohol but refuse to take shots. I don't like being drunk as much as I like to actually enjoy what I'm drinking, so shots really don't do it for me.

13 - I know what my future children's names are but my lips are sealed.

14 - I STILL have not made a wedding album. It is driving me crazy but every time I think about just sitting down and doing it, I find an excuse not to. My deadline is June 22, 2014 - exactly one year later. Does someone want to do it for me?

15 - I can't miss meals. Well, maybe I can, but I don't. I'm not a pleasant person when I'm hungry so I have an apple or a bag of almonds around me to starve off the crazy.

16 - I love to read. I really only read chicky-flicky books, but they're my favorite. I probably read about twenty books a year on average, and when I find a good book I will sit and read for hours on end. See point 2.

17 - Most people don't like dining out alone, but I love it. Having a salad and a glass of wine in a busy bar, sounds like Heaven. I also love going to the movies by myself. It's so quiet and relaxing-such a fun way to spend an afternoon.

18 - Having a dog has given me a greater appreciation for not injecting advice where it is not asked for. I swear it's like weekly that someone corrects me, or tells me that I'm not seeing the best vet, or the better way to do one thing....It's such an overstep of boundaries it blows my mind!



19 - As much as I crave routine, sometimes I get really sick of coming home from work, eating a boring dinner, turning on the tv, going to bed and doing the same thing the next day. We need a few days like that every week - sure, but I hate when it becomes too ground-hoggy. We're too young to live like grandparents.

20 - I don't have a lot of patience in any area of my life, but restaurant service is a sore spot for me. I just can't stand bad waiters. I'd like to think it's because Joel and I were "secret restaurant diners" and had to be hyper critical of every move during our dining experience - but it could just be LA. The servers here, broadly speaking, suck. 

21 - There's a chance that I am the worst jumper in the entire world. You know those pictures where all of the girls are like jumping freely in the air in joy and triumph? Never happening.

22 - If I had to pick one dessert to have for my birthday it would probably be pecan pie with vanilla ice cream on top.

23 - I workout a lot - I try for five days a week. I've always been good about fitting it into my schedule and now it's just part of my lifestyle. Although, I wish it made me look like Giselle.

24 -Traveling is really, really important to me. I want to constantly travel, see new places, and expose my kids to different cultures. I feel really proud to rattle off the places that I've seen and my to-do list is still verrrrry long.


25 - I get homesick for Chicago a lot. For the people, the smells, the food, the flavors, the lights, the radio stations, my house, the seasons....everything.

26 - My celebratory birthday drink tonight will be a French martini! Bring on the day!!

 

Here's to 26 friends!! Thank you all for letting me share this little piece of my life with you. I love having my blog to store all of memories, and you really make the process so fun!