Full on Grown-up

Well, I'm 27 now. In my late 20's. That's, like, old. First season of "Friends" had Monica say she was 26, and I remember watching that at age 12 and thinking, "Wow, that is like a full on grown up." And I guess that's what I am too. I reread my post last year and can't help but to feel a little proud. I do have that extra ring on my finger. I have that house in the neighborhood with the good school. I do have more hours at the library, though not nearly as many as I'd like. I'll post more on that later. No bun in the oven yet, but not for lack of trying (more on that later too).

This birthday I also get my house back. My sister in law has been staying with us since May and she's pretty much moved out now. I mean most of her stuff's still here but Kenny promises it will be out this week. I can vacuum at 10 am without worry of waking someone. I can get stamps from the guest room at any time. I can wear my skimpy night gown once more. I have full run of the house. Woot! That's really the best birthday present I could hope for. I mean, I'm all for helping out family but I really like my space. And 5 months is plenty for helping out family. Other gifts included the first two seasons of Community and season 6 of How I met your mother, so I'll be quite occupied for this week. Quite a few gift cards too. Not really sure what to buy with them. Shoot, maybe this is maturity. Like material goods don't buy happiness or something. Na, that can't be. I spent a couple of hundred dollars down at Disneyland this weekend and felt happy as a clam. Though thinking of it now most of that stuff was for other people...

Anyways, where do I want to be at 28? Motherhood most likely. I have baby fever in the worst kind of way only made worse by my cousin's adorable baby girl. She's so far away that I'll need to have my own lest I go broke trying to visit the east coast more often. I also want to be down to one job, be it the library or some other job I'm in love with, this whole 2 half time job thing ain't cutting it. I also want to rid myself of the crap I don't use. I've lived with Ken almost 3 years now and few things have moved over with me. I should get rid of the things that haven't and I should get rid of the things that have and aren't used. This will be my big winter project. Especially if I'm planning on bringing more stuff into our house, even if it will be baby sized. I'll keep you posted on how it turns out.

Bettering myself

Hello gentle readers. I swear I'm going to write blogs that aren't just updates eventually. At least I'm pretty happy this time. As some of you may remember based on my blog at New Years I made some resolutions that it's taken me 8 months to start doing. I have been making this house my own. I'm growing lilies in the back yard. I've like planted the bulbs, and then watered them, even though the package didn't tell me I had to, and then eventually they've sprouted! I can already see some buds that are going to open up into beautiful pink stargazers which I can always associate to my wedding too. Yay! We also have the kitchen stuff ready for order which means my house might actually completed by Christmas. I'm excited. I've also been reading quite a bit. I joined a teen reads book club with the teen librarian at work which is the perfect marriage between my juvenile book love and my adult club love. I read the first Sookie Stackhouse novel which I'm unsure if I actually liked or not, but the point is, I read it and by the time the ball drops on December 31st I feel confident that I'll have read 12 books that year. I also took up acrylic painting. I'm still a newb at it so I'll wait a bit before posting pictures, but I have already done an adorable one of Piglet. I feel proud. I signed up for a cake decorating class in September too so stay tuned for that.

Those were all my resolutions, but I haven't stopped the awesome Julieness there. I've started working out, for like the first time since I was dating someone who would have dumped me if I didn't. It began just as playing a fun little game called Just Dance 2, but blossomed into exercise videos and such. I feel great and proud and sexy which are my favorite things to feel. I've been cooking at home every night I have off from work, and more than just pastaroni or chicken roll ups. I've made stuffed peppers, garlic chicken, lemon pepper chicken, cajun salmon. It's been incredible. I feel myself being a grown up, not just playing grown up. I've got a costco memembership, a wine club memembership, a book club...life's pretty awesome. Now if only I could get the rest of my family on this plan...

Always look on the bright side of life...

I'm making the decision to be positive. It's been a rough time for me lately. I have what I like to refer to as "white people problems" (Louis CK). I'm stressed that it's cheaper for us to buy a house then live in our apartment for another year. That my wedding and my moving into my first house will be so close together. That my bridesmaids are all fighting with each other cause each one wants to help out the most with the bridal showers. I have two families that I need to split the holidays between. Both of my jobs are giving me lots of hours and I have to work a lot. AND, as if that weren't bad enough I have to fly out to Chicago for a long weekend for a wedding in a month. Nobody knows my pain....

In all seriousness though I am burnt out. I'm so tired, have miles to go before I sleep, and feel my friend circle getting smaller by the minute. This is partly cause of the bridal party just not getting along, partly cause I'm feeling so burnt out I don't go out of my way to make plans with people like I used to, partly because no matter how hard I try or all the progress I think I'm making with someone, they're just not going to like me and I have to be ok with that. This is where my decision to be happy comes in. As I type this out I'm having a conversation with a friend who's scared she did something to mess up our friendship and I'm almost laughing at the thought we wouldn't be friends. It's nice having that kind of security. Life's too short to waste on undeserving stress and mean people. Someone doesn't want to be my friend? Fine, their loss. I'll be hanging out with one of my others. Centerpieces not working the way I want to? The candles will look just fine, and there will be more focus on me and Ken this way. Having to buy a house now instead of a year from now when loan rates might be up above 5%? Well, I answered that already didn't I? No more worry wrinkles. No more crying. Bring on the good times, I'm ready!