27 years young

27 is here. 27 years on this earth. how is that possible?! i feel like yesterday my dad was teaching me to ride without training wheels. and my mom was cheering me on at swim practice. and my sister and brother were launching mini halloween m&m packets at our kitchen ceiling fan to see them shoot around the room. boy, how fast time flies.

but october 5th showed up again, as loyal as ever (unless the mayans prove to be right and this is the last time my charming fall friend and i will meet). but i have to be completely honest and unabashedly cheesy with you. i woke up smiling. i honestly could not be more grateful for the place that i am at in life right now.

first off, i'd say the many facets of my career are great. so many exciting things are happening for the everygirl (including partnerships with gap, banana republic, kate spade, rue, vanity fair, qvc, random house, coach - to name a few). gosh, i scroll through our features and am flabbergasted at the amazing, talented, inspiring women we've had grace our site. founders, ceos, vice presidents, artists, entrepreneurs, authors, chefs, bloggers... i am ever so humbled that they wanted to be a part of this little [huge] project my dear friend danielle and i dreamt up.

oh - and have you heard of decorBase? it was just announced here. i know most of you are familiar with the delight that is peppermint bliss, and if you are then you know the author bailey's husband pete. i think i've mentioned before, but pete and i are lifelong friends. we met in sixth grade and despite spending the majority of the past - oh my god, has it really been 15 years?! - in separate states, we have remained great friends. pete's kinda sorta brilliant, one of the characteristics that i most admire about him, and this new idea of his is really quite great and will help a lot of people and companies. it's one of those win win win situations. seriously - read about here. i was so honored that he asked me to help and look forward to helping launch this new site over the next several months.

and... i'm going on five years with every child matters, the child advocacy npo i've worked at since graduating from syracuse. yes, i still have my day job - i know most people don't realize that. although i fortunately get to do it from home. it's always an exciting time with work during the election season, and i love each of my coworkers in dc and feel lucky to have gotten to work with all of them these past several years.

then there's my family, which is growing by the week! this past month with tiny, sweet jack martin - my brother and sister-in-law's son - has been such a joy. he makes the most darling sounds while he sleeps and as you can see, i think it's apparent he really likes my bosom. no matter the age, what is it with men and bosoms?! i love babies, and he is the best. and in a matter of days, i'll get to meet my teeny niece! i have a super secret gift surprise for both of them that they know not what it is. i'm so excited to give it to them. but seriously, two babies in two months. oh, could fall be any better?

then there's my girlfriends. next week i'm having dinner with my everygirls - danielle and caitlin, who if i'm being honest, are probably the closest things to what i believe soul mates are (have i filled my cheeseball quota yet? screw it. it's my bday. when in rome!). you know when you meet people and you just get each other? when you have the same reaction to nearly everything? like you share a brain? that's us. we be like peas and carrots.

and tomorrow i'm heading off to the lovely michigan for some relaxation and girl time (read: wine tasting!) with my dearest, lifelong friends - these beautiful ladies, whom i love dearly and will easily be friends with for the rest of my life. through thick and thin, we've got each others' backs.

so, with a blossoming career, relationship, family, and friends, i think, ole' 27, it is clear that we can expect great things from you. 

26, adios, it's been grand!

in this post, there are quotes from forrest gump, napoleon dynamite, and harry potter. bonus cool points if you caught them. i love games.