growing up

Two Meatballs: What Does 32 Look Like?!

My 32nd birthday is today!!! #imadeit #iloveabirthday #thisiswhat4lookslike #ilovesprinkles

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I love everything about a birthday…i love surprises, tearing open wrapping paper, i def love cake, being with family and friends…everything!!!! But this year, I have honestly never felt this amazing in my entire life.  I have also never felt this grown up.  I will always be a kid at heart but now my fun, free spirit has a healthy retirement fund, a nearly paid for home of my own, less anger, more responsibility,  less of a wall, healthy relationships with those around me and I am wellll on my way to my own personal mental, emotional and physical health.  When I came back from Aruba for my 30th birthday I felt 150! #cryptkeeper I was in such a different place!

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#swollen

I drank, smoke and ate my way through a week of hedonism and when I got home I told my boss Joelle that I had literally never felt worse!  So she planted a seed in my mind.  She said, “What does 31 look like?!” It was such an interesting concept to me.  Anything was possible and that excited me. Well, a seed was planted but I didn’t do much with it that year. I wasn’t quite ready to grow up.  I continued doing whatever the f I wanted.  Then right before my 31st birthday…typical procrastinator… I reached out again.  She helped me come up with a budget and helped me take a deeper look at my finances and investments.  Now I have an emergency fund and I can plan for my future as well as my fun. Finances…check!  Then I turned 31.  Joelle and I took a bunch of communication and self discovery courses after that over the past year. I learned how to be present, how to dig deep and strive to treat everyone with respect.  I learned how important empathy is and how all people really want is for you to listen. Emotional Currency…check!

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Then in February this same amazing woman gave me the intervention I needed to finally make my health a priority! #bestmentoroflife #itseithergoingtobethebestoneorthelastone

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#twinningsohardrightnow #thoseglasses

Then Jenny and I birthed Two Meatballs Get Fit and we haven’t looked back since.  Getting healthy…check!  So now the day has come and I’m another year wiser.  So…what does 32 look like?  You guyyyyys….it looks and feels incredilbe…unbelievable…dare I say adorable…grown up!

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Some times I am overwhelmed with emotion when I think about how far Jenny and I have come.  We are healthier on so many different levels and now we are truly good for each other.  Now it is a balancing act of keeping all of these great things going….it’s not a this for that, it’s a this AND that.  Even though I am still heavier than my lowest weight as an adult, I’ve never lost weight this healthy before.  It feels different and it feels sustainable. I have literally changed my life.  And none of this would or could have been possible if I wasn’t surrounded by the most loving, supporting, caring, selfless people in the world #bestfamilyandframilyoflife, if I wasn’t doing it with my best friend #loveyoujenny, if we hadn’t started a blog for honesty, accountability and inspiration #meatballnation annnnnnd if I hadn’t become sober.  Getting your mind right and clear, committing and having a healthy support system are invaluable.  I feel so different and yet so the same.  This feels a lot better though I have to say. My dad asks me all the time…who are you?!  I have no hangovers now…literal or figurative.  And speaking of partying…what’s a gal to do for her birthday when all I’ve ever done is party my ass off?!  Family dinner and healthy paleo desserts with your nearest and dearest #myfamilyisthegreatest #beardsforlife…Double feature and sleepover with your meatball #cantwait…phone date with your seafoam friend #katieyouaremylobster #hushlittlekatie.  It’s hard not to feel like the luckiest girl in the world. #gratefuleveryday Now, what does 33 look like!?  You know I love a photo montage…here are the ghosts of birthdays past!!!  I LOVE A BIRTHDAY!!!

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It all started early in the morning on November 20, 1982! A little scorpio was born!

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This is what 1 looked like! #did

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And 2…

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This is number 3! My mom always made us a special cake…i loved this Cabbage Patch cake topper! #thatface #shybaby

 

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This was my 5th!  I had a Pound Puppies party #jealous?!and yes that is Katie with the bowl cut!!!  Love you tizzle. #heyangela

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This was 7…I lived for board games!!! And look at that stance…what a lady!!! #makinmamasoproud

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This is 8 and my first birthday sleepover!  Mom made english muffin pizzas!  Soooo fun!

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This is 9!  I rocked the shit out of that glitter necklace pin!!!

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I think this is 12…blue rasberry blow pops and spin the bottle!!!! #boygirlparty

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16!  Katie and I housing a cake!

 

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17…my dream was a food fight! #kems

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18…surprise party at Rock-ola with my ACE family!

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19 party at Kristina and Tims!

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21!!!!  No pictures exist of actually going out that night but these nice sweet ones are a better memory! Ha!!!  My mom Martha Stewarted it up on the decorations #soloved

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24! House party!!!

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My mom made me a scrapbook for my 25th birthday. My family is amazing!  Then in was off to downtown to celebrate with friends!

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27 at Falls Tap Room with my favorites!

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29 at Fork and Barrel! #nightofthebrokenglass

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Infamous Dirty Thirty Hipster Party!

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Good ol’ 31!

Thanks to everyone who has taken this journey with us and thanks for all the birthday celebrations.  My heart is full and blessed doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel. Xoxo