36 Things at 36

Today I’m 36 years old! Honestly, I can’t even believe it. Sometimes, I still feel very much like I’m in my 20s, and I forget that I’m closer to 40. WOW! My 30s have been very blessed, and this last year is no exception. To celebrate another wonderful year, I’m sharing 36 things about me at the age of 36.

I’ll start first with some facts about me growing up…

1. I was born on a Sunday, ten days past my due date. My mom was very active the entire time she was pregnant with me, and even went for a bike ride the morning I was born. Crazy, right?!
   
   

   

   
2. I spent the first two years of my life as an only child, and then my baby brother, Bryan, came along. He is my only sibling and I love that we’ve stayed close even though we live far apart.
   
   

   
3. I had two dogs growing up. First was a dachshund named Dusty, and then when I was in high school we got a golden retriever mix named Sadie. I vaguely remember Dusty, and I have so many memories of Sadie girl. She lived to be sixteen and was just the best dog.
   
   

   

   
4. I joined Girl Scouts in 2nd grade, and have been a scout ever since. I earned my Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouts, by creating resources and access to equipment to encourage families to spend time outdoors.
   
5. I met my best friend, Melanie, in elementary school when I was her “welcome buddy” on her first day. We didn’t really get close until high school, and by then we were pretty much doing everything together. We went to different colleges, but remained close and it’s a friendship that has spanned time and distance. So grateful for her!
   
   

   
6. In high school, I played the clarinet in band. I loved being in the band – so many of my fondest high school memories are from band concerts, trips, and marching at football games.
   
   

   
7. I went to college at Texas Tech University. College was so much fun! I loved being on campus – I worked for the Outdoor Recreation Center, volunteered in the Athletic Media Relations Office, joined a sorority, and spent my summers on the Double T Crew, hosting orientations for incoming students. It was definitely an amazing experience!
   
   

   Kappa Delta Lodge, Texas Tech

   

   

   Seniors on Bid Day, Fall 2003
8. I changed my major seven times while in college – starting first with education, and ultimately getting a degree in…education. I guess you could say that by the time I settled on it, I was 100% sure. But…
9. I’ve never been a classroom teacher…
10. After graduating college, I got a job in the Office of Admissions at Texas Tech. I worked there for a year, traveling all over the state recruiting high school students. I loved getting to share my Red Raider pride!
    
11. I went to graduate school at the University of Missouri and got a Master’s in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism. I lived in Columbia, MO for just under two years, and I loved it there! It is such a great little town.
    
    

    
12. While I was in graduate school, I got to live for a summer in Alaska working at a Girl Scout camp there as the Art Director! I loved that job because I got to create the program from scratch and come up with tons of fun art projects for the campers to complete throughout the summer. And I loved Alaska – so beautiful!
    
    

    
13. I moved to Seattle about a year after grad school, and have been here ever since – 10 years next June! I love the Pacific Northwest – it’s a beautiful part of the country!
14. I now live in a little town just north of Seattle called Snohomish. It’s got the small town feel, with the access to the big city just a few miles away. I love it here!
15. In fact, just last week, Chelsea and I celebrated two years as homeowners in Snohomish. You can read all about our little house here.
    
16. Chelsea’s mom and dad and one of her brothers and his family all live in Snohomish. It is so fun to have her family close by! We enjoy getting together with them often for dinner, football, and shopping trips!
17. In year 35, I gained a nephew! He was born the day after my brother’s birthday in June, and he is just the cutest little thing. I love him and his big sister so much, and I can’t wait to see them both at Christmas.
    
18. I love to travel. This past year I was fortunate to have the opportunity to travel to several new places: Hawaii, Italy, and Iceland, to name a few. And, I got to revisit some old favorites like NYC, England, and France.
    
19. I’ve been to 44 of the 50 states. I still need to visit Delaware, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia.
    
20. One of my favorite things to do on the weekends is go for a drive. Chelsea, Penny, and I will load up and head off somewhere. We usually decide at the last minute, and this spontaneity is good for me, because it helps me learn to just go with the flow.
    
21. I love my job! I’m the Girl Experience Director for Girl Scouts of Western Washington, and I get to work with amazing volunteers and teens regularly. It is so fun.
    
22. I typically work from home two days a week, and I’m in one of the Girl Scout offices the other three days. The nature of my job requires me to travel around the council quite a bit, which keeps it exciting every week.
23. I work on my blog on the weekends as much as I’m able. I do most of my photo styling and craft projects on Sunday afternoons, and then I’ll write as much content as I can then too.
    
24. I store all my party supplies by color and/or theme in a room in our garage. This summer I did a major overhaul of that space, and slowly but surely it’s coming together to be super organized. I can’t wait to show you!
    
25. I love to create fun, festive cocktails for my blog, and if I had to pick a favorite, it would be the classic gin and tonic. YUM!
    
26. My favorite Party Blogger is Pizzazzerie. I love her style – it’s classy and unique – which is what I strive for with my party styling as well.
27. I volunteer for my sorority, Kappa Delta, and I really enjoy that experience. I blogged about my sorority experience on Kappa Delta’s Founders Day Monday. You can read that post here.
    
28. I also volunteer as a troop leader, and this year my girls are in 12th grade. I started the troop when the girls were in 3rd grade, and I can’t believe they’ll be graduating in June!!
    
29. Rain or shine, sleet or snow, Penny and I walk three miles every day. I love waking up and getting outside first thing in the morning. I feel like it kickstarts my day and gives me a great energy boost right away.
    
30. I talk to my parents every single day. Since they live far away, I love the opportunity to have a chat with them to hear what’s going on with their day and tell them about mine.
    
31. Ahh, Starbucks. What would I do without you? My favorite Starbucks drink is a tall, non-fat, light ice chai tea latte. Mmmm.
32. I’ve seen every Friends episode approximately 500 times. I could binge watch that show all day, every day. It never gets old to me and I love it!
33. I’ve been on a podcast kick lately, and a current favorite is Young House Love Has a Podcast. The hosts, John and Sherry, are a husband and wife team that work together on house projects. I love their style, their banter on the podcast, and all their great ideas.
34. My favorite thing to do in the evenings is put on cozy sweats, pour myself a glass of wine, and catch up on my favorite shows with Chelsea and Penny. My current favorites are Law and Order SVU, This is Us, American Housewife, and The Voice.
    
35. I guess it may come as no surprise, but I love birthdays! Mine and all my people’s – I just love to celebrate birthday milestones. My favorite birthday from this past year was the Two-tti Fruity party I put together for my niece.
    
36. I feel very blessed by another great year. With all the sad things that have been happening around the world, I definitely don’t take for granted my health, safety, and the love that surrounds me.
    
    

    

How great are those rose gold balloons?! Thanks for indulging me and my 36 things!

Party on!
JW