Hello 29!

Sunday, May 19, 2013



Oh my goodness how I love birthdays and lucky me, today is mine! Seriously guys, birthdays are the absolute best. It's not about presents or anything like that. I love having an excuse to celebrate life, to do fun things that you might not normally do and to spend time with all the people you love. Instead of presents, the Huz always spends a whole weekend having fun adventures with me around the city. We check out new restaurants and go to museums or events that I've always wanted to check out. 

I've never dreaded becoming a year older. I think it's fantastic. I've never regretted one year of my life or the way I've lived it, so each new birthday is a chance to celebrate another year of possibilities. Who knows what adventures this year will hold! 

So here's a few lists to celebrate turning 29! 

5 Things I'm doing during my birthday weekend:
1) Attending my first roller derby game
3) Touring Monument Circle 
4) Drinks at a cool new martini bar
5) Check out the local craft brews at Tomlinson Tap Room

5 Things I'm planning to do this year:
1) Go to Harry Potter World in September! (already bought the tickets!) 
2) Celebrate my BFF's destination wedding as the MOH in June, so freakin' excited for her!
3) Visit Margaret Mitchell's house in Atlanta 
4) Swim with Dolphins 
5) Attend my first Indy 500 Race (I'm a Hoosier and I've never been, shameful)

5 things I'm grateful for:
1) The Huz, always
2) Health, I take it for granted, but all of the people who are incredibly important to me are healthy, such a blessing.
3) Steady jobs for both me and the Huz
4) My niece and nephews. I may not be ready for kids, but these guys are such a joy.
5) The pup, I post way too many Ollie photos on Instagram, but I seriously love that dog. 

5 awesome things I'm grateful for in the past year:
1) Lots of weekend trips and the friends I've taken them with: Shakespeare plays in Wisconsin, a lake house in Kentucky, the Smokey Mountains, Washington DC, Louisville, and Chicago. Each one of those trips was a chance to spend time with family or friends who I love so much. There's something about traveling with people that gives you a chance to get to know them so much better, I love it.
2) Every new thing I learn how to cook
3) Time to read and the desire to do so, such a gift! 
4) A massive road trip to Montana with the Huz
5) All of the joyous events in the lives of the people I love: graduations, babies, marriages, success at work, new houses, new pets, new adventures; each one makes me so happy.

Image from here, because birthday pie is way better than birthday cake.

18 comments:

Sandy Nawrot said...

Now THAT was a joyful post! Happy birthday girl! I've always pretty much had the same attitude towards birthdays, maybe with the exception of 40. I snarled a little bit, but then went to the beach and said what the hell. So hey if you are coming to Orlando, I must see you. And if you are down here, and you want to swim with dolphins, then you have to go to Discovery Cove. It is a wonderful attraction and place to have that experience!

Anonymous said...

Hope you have a great birthday, Melissa! You'll love Bluebeard restaurant. Often, the attendees of the Kurt Vonnegut Mem. Library's book club have an 'after party' there.

Jay

Arenel said...

Congrats! Have a really unforgettable birthday weekend! :)

The Relentless Reader said...

Happy happy happy birthday!!!

JoAnn said...

Loved this post... Happy Birthday!!

Kristi said...

So many May Birthdays! My son's was yesterday and my daughter's is on Sunday. I hope you have a fantastic day. Last year as a 20 something! Don't worry about 30 next year. It's pretty amazing too!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday! A Kurt Vonnegut inspired restaurant sounds like a lot of fun!

Brooke said...

I hope you had a fabulous 29th birthday! Also, I live in Atlanta and still haven't been to the Margaret Mitchell house - shameful, I know.

Amy said...

Happy Birthday, Melissa! I definitely need to adopt your attitude toward birthdays! It sounds like you had a lot of fun, and what a great year you have planned out!!!

annieb said...

Happy belated birthday! I didn't check my blogs yesterday so I am late to the party. Your past year and your future year sound great, but no matter what, you have the attitude to live life to the max.

Sarah said...

I'm a bit late, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I hope you have another wonderful year ahead of you :-)

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Thank you guys for all the wonderful birthday wishes! It was such a wonderful weekend!

Sandy - We will have to get together in Orlando! I'll email you and we'll figure it out :)

bibliophilica - I absolutely loved Bluebeard! It was incredible.

Kristi - That's so great, May birthdays are the best! My Dad and I share the same birthday and my sister's is the day before mine.

Brooke - I'm excited to go and I'm thinking about rereading Gone with the Wind before then. It's been 10 years since I read it!

Jeanne said...

Harry Potter World! And swimming with dolphins! Happy Birthday! My mother always told me that once you turn 29 you don't ever have to get older; you are old enough to know better.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Jeanne - Ha, I know quite a few people who have been 29 for a decade now!

Jenny Girl said...

Happy Belated Birthday! What a wonderful post! Hope the roller derby and remainder of your birthday weekend was fun :)

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Jenny Girl - Thanks! We had such a wonderful time!

Jenners said...

Happy Birthday (belated) to you!! You have the right attitude about aging … and I think your lists are awesome. You are living a lovely happy life and I'm so happy for you.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Jenners - :) Thanks!