30 candles

A little older; somewhat wiser; always young at heart. 

Happy Birthday to me.

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Five for Friday: Tablescapes worth celebrating

In honor of my nephew's first birthday today, I present pretty party tablescapes for your viewing pleasure. Even though most of these themes aren't appropriate for a 1-year-old's party, some of the details like candy stations, bunting flags and fun colors do apply.

1. A trip to the candy shop 

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2. A punch of color

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3. Love and sweets for all

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4. A pretty and sweet treat

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5. Let's take a journey

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Five for Friday: Nice to meet you, 29

This time last year I was celebrating my 28th year of life with the fiance, fondue and some of my closest friends and co-workers in California. It's crazy how much can change in a year. Never did I think I would be out of sports journalism, living in Arizona, venturing into the blogging world and at a crossroads in life.

As I get acquainted with my new friend 29, I have a few goals for our upcoming year together.

1. Career carousel: I grapple each day with where to take my professional life. Do I return to my first love in newspapers? Or do I take a different path? A career in psychology, graphic design, music or sports information is appealing.

2. A healthier me, continued: I've been working out and eating right for a month now and I feel better already. It's something that is a priority for me this year and beyond. I even found a few races I want to enter. Stay tuned for the details.

3. Say yes to the venue: The one thing holding the fiance and I back from becoming Mr. and Mrs. is finding a wedding venue we agree on. We've decided it should be somewhere in Washington, preferably in the San Juan Islands, but that's as far as we've gotten.

4. Rack up the miles: There are a few international destinations I want to visit, but staying domestic is more likely in the next year. Visiting friends in Idaho, California and Indiana is on the agenda. I also wouldn't mind checking out New York, Chicago and Hawaii (again).

5. Computer love: I never imagined the blog would be received so well when I started it back in May. I'm thankful for the continued support, new things I've discovered and people I've "met" as a result. I will work full-speed-ahead to continue producing fun and informative posts. As always, thank you for reading!

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Happy Birthday, Judy

I'm so incredibly blessed to be able to call you mother. I wouldn't be the person I am without your sacrifice, love, kindness and wisdom. Even though I can't be there to help you celebrate, you're always in my heart. I love you.