birthday | little lessons in a BIG city

birthday recovery.

after two days of birthday celebrating [with more to come]..I’m taking a “recovery day”. to play catch up, drink water, and quite possibly lay by the pool.

in the meantime, here are a couple shots from [J]’s birthday last night.

cheers.

[if you haven’t yet, read my {26 things to keep in mind as a 26 year old}. I printed a copy & hung it on the wall. and how I decorated our apartment for [J]’s {golden birthday}].

be back tomorrow!!

happy thursday.

you’re golden.

[J] was out of town for work all weekend long. and I knew if I wanted to surprise him for his birthday, I’d have to think fast before he came home.

his birthday is today. but I picked him up from the airport on monday afternoon. it was my chance. so in honor of his upcoming golden birthday, I surprised him by transforming our living room. I was going for the shock factor. [hence the 82 gold balloons].

on the way home from the aiport, I was most definitely rambling to ~~ensure I didn’t reveal the secret~~ hide my excitement.

I got him good.

and since today is the actual day ..

[I love you oh so very much. I can’t believe we’ve celebrated six birthdays together. and how far we’ve come since then! I’m beyond excited to see what another six years will bring for us, soon-to-be husband].

and this is what happens when you give a [soon-to-be] 28-year-old 82 balloons ..

on that note ..

I passed my ~~imaginary~~ birthday torch over to [J] at midnight. so today, it’s all about him. [aka: I must refrain from passenger seat driving]. and like ~~yesterday~~ my birthday, if you’d like a reason to drink today ..I’m sure [J] would kindly let you raise a glass for his 28th year of life.

[ps: next year’s my golden birthday. and I’m already hoping for a golden retriever].

have the best wednesday.

26 things to keep in mind.

another birthday has arrived. and this year I have the pleasure of turning twenty-six. although I’m not quite sure how it happened so quickly. the past five years have flown by at lightening fast speed.

as a plead for the years to slow down a bit. and to make the absolute most of the new one ahead of me. I’ve made a list of things I’ve learned along the way & what I want to keep in the forefront of my mind all year long.

put yourself out there. you’ll only regret it if you don’t.
OWN IT – every single thing you do.
make time for happy hour, brunch, weekend getaways. it’s always time spent wisely.
“everything in moderation” – except shots. you were never good at those. avoid at all cost. [trips to the bathroom usually work].
ignore your comfort zone. it’s holding you back. and ps: you’re not shy.
send handwritten thank you’s.
travel as much as you possibly can. [it’s what you & [J] truly love].
the worst thing someone can say is “no” – so, ask everything! you have a lot more to gain, than to lose.
you can sleep when you’re dead, so never miss out on something important. [but do TRY to get 8 hours a night – you can be so cranky].
always carry a pen & paper with you. documents ideas immediately. you’re incredibly forgetful.
keep following the golden rule. it’s golden for a reason.
know your worth. and NEVER second guess it.
a 9 to 5 job does not define you. you do!
a piece of your heart will always be in new york city. DON’T MOVE BACK! as much as you convince yourself otherwise, you did the right thing. which brings me to ..
stop second-guessing yourself. you’re smart & make well-thought out decisions. trust them.
worry less. [at least, try. hard].
make time to read before bed. it’s the best way to unwind.
remind yourself to stop & say “thank you” every day. you’ve been blessed.
the years seem to be going faster & faster – live in the moment.
cherish your friendships. you’ve had a lot come & go in your life. the ones around you now are true gems. keep them.
make your bed every morning. you’ll thank yourself when you crawl into bed at night.
you can’t please everyone. stop trying – you’re going to drive yourself crazy.
keep up with your blog, 5 days a week. it’s your “happy place”.
be brave. stick up for yourself.
don’t take anything for granted. [relationships included]. nothing is permanent.
you were given a voice, always speak your mind. it will help you sleep better at night.

and with that, I’m off to enjoy the day.

if you need a reason to drink tonight today, you are welcome to use my birthday.

I actually encourage it.

cheers!