The dreaded 25th year

Happy Thursday everyone! Are you excited for the up coming weekend? I most certainly am!

Well, I guess I should just jump in here, huh?

Another birthday, another year. The dreaded 25th. 

Turning 16 was a big deal because your parents gave you more responsibility, you could get a job and most of you started driving. 18 was a big year because you were technically an "adult", could go to the clubs (when that was fun to do) and you were headed off to college. Then there was 21 when you could legally drink and your parents still didn't think you were an adult! Although, I am convinced they will never really see you as one until you have children yourself.

As of tomorrow at 3:15am I will no longer be able to say I am in my "early 20's". I will be in my "mid to late 20s". That in itself is a scary thought. Is it as bad as everyone says? Or scary? Is it the year where you actually have to start really growing up? Or will everything stay the same and I am just worrying?! 

Why is it that once we hit (or nearly hit) 25 that we start analyzing everything we do? Where we live. What our job is. Why am I not married? Why don't I have kids? Why, why, why? There are some things I am still questioning, as I rightfully should, and some things I have figured out so far.

Your parents can actually be cool:

I may struggle with this for a while, but I do feel as though I have gotten closer to my mom as I am getting older. There were days when I was younger where I felt like I couldn't say certain things to her. Or swear in front of her for fear of Dawn dish detergent being gargled in my mouth.  Now? Not as much. We understand each other more. We can have intellectual conversations, as well as silly ones. I can say the word "penis" in front of her and she doesn't slap my arm anymore. Not that I say that word a lot. Haha.

It is okay to not be married:

And it is okay to be single. When I was 18 I definitely thought that I would have been married by the age of 25. Now that I am almost 25, I am really glad that I am not. I am not saying that I never want to get married, I just wouldn't want to be married right now. And that is okay. I know many people who are already married that are 25 or younger, and I am not hating on that. They have found their "one", while I'm still testing the waters. And again, that is okay in my book. 

It is okay to not have a child:

And it is okay to have one. Being 25 and not having a child it still okay to me. Like with the marriage thing, I thought I would have had a child by now. Thinking about that now, I am definitely not ready. That may sound selfish of me, and so be it, but I am just not ready. Many can say that you are technically never ready to have kids, which I agree with, but I just don't want them right now. I still enjoy my girls night martinis and wine pajama parties. I enjoy doing what I want, on my own time. And call me old fashion but I wouldn't even consider having a child without being married first. All of this is still okay.

It is okay to have a job and not a career:

I thought I was going to be an RN by now, but that is not what I want to do for the rest of my life. I work for a wonderful company right now, which I love, and I am okay with that. It is okay to be 25 and still be unsure what you want to be when you grow up. With the economy the way it is, it is even more acceptable. I am more than happy with the job that I have now, and I will continue with it until I realize what I want to do for the rest of my life, if I ever do. I am still figuring that out!

At what age do you stop getting tattoos:

This is one of those things I am still working on. I have been wanting more tattoos, but is 25 still a reasonable age to be spending money on them? Do I just say no and be happy with the ones I already have? Not that I am not happy with them, I just would have liked to add more to them. But, I definitely have much more important things to save my money for.

 

 At what age do you take your piercings out:

I have had many piercings along the way including my nose, tongue and ear cartilage, but took those out almost 2 years ago. I definitely don't plan on getting anymore piercings. I do, however, still have my belly button piercing in that I had done when I was 16. What would be an acceptable age to take that out? This is something I have been struggling with the past year. This piercing is no longer the "it" thing for me, but I have had it for almost 10 years and thus have become attached to it. Actually, most of the time I forget I even have it!

I have heard meany women say "when I have my first child" or "when I turn 30". I don't plan on having a child anytime soon, and 30 is still 5 years away. I'm not even sure that the hole will close up. I wouldn't want to take it out and the hole close up, and then regret it. I do have a fit stomach, so it's not about how it looks. It's more about how I want portray myself. A belly button piercing is easily hidden in the winter months, but with summer coming up it is harder, esp when you live in a bathing suit.

It is okay to not even know where this blog post is headed:
I'm not really sure I know what I am saying right now. I'm not even sure that this post will have a point to it. All I know is that I am currently happy with the way my life is going, and the things that I'm not so happy about I am working on changing. I am grateful to be alive. I am grateful to have family and friends who love and support me. I am grateful for all the new things that are entering my life! Today I am 24, loving the moment. Tomorrow may be a different story, but we will see how it goes!

Wish me luck!

Until next time!

XOXO
Shawna
  

Update 3/27/13: The belly button ring has since been decommissioned. I was looking at some of my before workout photos, and I figured since I had started on a new healthy path that many things needed to change. That did include the ring being taken out. I will say that it is much easier to shower without it as my loofah doesn't get caught on it anymore! :)

What I'm working on right now!

Happy Thursday everyone!! 

I hope your week is going by quick, I know mine is dragging. I am currently working on my sisters birthday cake for her birthday party this coming Saturday. I am also making cookies and cupcakes to go with the theme of "Monster High". I'll be sure to post more pictures next week too!

These are the cookie toppers that I made last night. It was my first time flooding with royal icing, and I think they came out pretty darn good! These will go on cookies that will be at every place setting on Saturday!

Not only am I tackling all this baking, but I have been working on my crafts as well!

I am in the process of making this AWESOME novel wreath!

The finished product should look like this...

I am using very old yellowed books for my look. You can find the tutorial here, or the YouTube video tutorial which I used here.

I also made this sweet Valentines Day wreath for my office at work! It is made entirely out of cupcake liners aside from the obvious wreath. Pretty cool, huh? Look at my awesome hot glue gun too!

Here she is all finished!

And hanging in my office looking all pretty!

I may keep it up because I feel like it just goes with everything...maybe. And it IS pink- my favorite color!! I may also make other ones to switch out for each holiday. Still thinking about that one too!

I used this tutorial, and it only took me a few hours! Although, I did get a pretty nasty burn so be careful with the hot glue guns!

See? Sooo gross!

(I won't enlarge the picture because, frankly, I don't think you even need to see that!)

I also have started making one for my sister too!!

Don't mind my crazy socks! :)

On top of these wreaths, I want to make a crepe paper rosette wreath, or just something with the rosettes. I still have to finish my pintuck duvet cover I started over the summer as well. So many crafts, so little time! Maybe I should tackle one project before starting another one. Just maybe! Although, it does sound like the logical thing to do. We will see!

Until next time!

XOXO

Shawna

A little more than Fitness Friday

Hey y'all! 

I know I have been MIA for a couple weeks, I have been sick with a mix of lazy and busy in there. How was your Thanksgiving? Mine was great! My brother and very pregnant sister-in-law came over! She is ADORBS and I can NOT wait to meet baby Travis in the next month!  

  

It's only a few more weeks until Christmas, can you believe it? This year is flying by. Lets hope the world doesn't end on the 21st, I have way too many things I want to do!

  

Lets start off with some Fitness Friday, shall we?

 

 Have you been keeping up on your workouts? I will not lie and say I was, because I wasn't. But, I have been getting back into the swing of things. I may even stop eating meat again. I feel like that has been making me sick. Hard to do when your entire house is full of carnivores. Anyways, I hope that you all have been working your little butts off for me!! 

  

 Seeing as how I don't want to world to end, I should probably tell you why right? Well, I have been looking into schools to get a little more cake/baking knowledge under my belt. I am mostly self taught but I feel as though I could take some classes to freshen up my skills. Johnson and Wales looks like the best option right now, even if it is to take a couple classes. I really want to start getting my home based business underway and building clientele. High hopes for 2013!!

And now something a little near and dear to my heart- makeup!  

I may have said it before, but just to clarify I will say it again. I am OBSESSED with makeup! Have been ever since I was a little girl. When I was little my mom would catch me watching her as she applied her makeup ever so carefully. She would also then catch me in the bathroom putting it on myself when she wasn't looking! Because of this, my parents started buying me baskets and boxes full of every kind of makeup imaginable for Christmas every year. { They are not  fully aware my obsession might have stemmed from that :) }. Even when I first started working all my money went to makeup and shoes. I am also heavily shoe obsessed, but that is a whole other post! HEY, I am only human, and female!! 

A while ago I had been on the hunt for some really nice makeup palettes. I was looking all over and found this great little website. They have sooo much makeup and it is cheap. I know that us girls don't like to buy makeup that is on the cheaper side for fear it is going to really stink. But let me tell you, this makeup is not. I was, like any first timer to the site, nervous as to the quality I was going to get. The quality is really good for the price. I also love the fact that I can buy it at Target!

Let me just state that I am in no way saying you shouldn't be buying expensive makeup. I would love to purchase all of my makeup at Sephora or Macy's, but for me that just isn't feasible right now, therefor I will find the best deals I can. 

 My order was only $24.95 for everything. Here is a picture of everything I bought:

Can you believe I got all of this for under $25? Amazing huh?! Since buying these a while back, I have picked up a lot few more palettes from them and even some of their Chrismas/Holiday palettes, lip glosses, high definition powder, brushes and smaller powder compacts. I usually stick with my MAC or Sigma brushes, but the ELF ones are very good too! All of my liquid makeup comes from Maybelline or Cover Girl, I don't have a preference. I just had to buy a big set of drawers to store all of my makeup in. Oops!

 But, I digress! The makeup itself is incredible. It is such good quality. Before I had pledged to sleeping naked I used to fall asleep occasionally with my makeup on. When I would wake in the morning my eye makeup would be the same as it was the night before. Can you say staying power! I don't condone sleeping with your makeup on so be sure to take it off every night ladies!  Why don't you just head over to this little website and pick yourself up some makeup!! You wont be disappointed, I promise!! Until next time!

XOXO

Shawna