To help me ring in the big 2-3 I have my most favorite fairy princess and blogging bestie Jordyn from The Fairy Princess Diaries. I have been so lucky to make such an incredible friend through blogging who is gorgeous both inside and out. Over the past few months Jordyn has been an amazing friend and confidant, and I am so happy to have her here today. Thank you Jordyn for always being there to listen to me, have frequent Twitter chats about Taylor Swift, and more. You're the best! Everyone make sure to check out The Fairy Princess Diaries, you will love it!
stay sassy,
Kristin
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Today Kristin turns 23. The thing about 23 is that it feels scary to a good portion of the population (that is anyone under 23) but still seems young to the vast majority of the world (that is everyone over 23). As a child I used to imagine my life as a grown up. I imagined an amazingly fulfilling job (as a dolphin trainer and teacher and singer obviously). I imagined a perfect husband (because clearly I would have found true love and been married by 23 already) and I imagined living in the real life equivalent of Barbie's Dreamhouse because in my mind by 23 I could afford that. With each passing year I started to realize that 23 doesn't necessarily look the way I envisioned it to at age 8. 23 doesn't automatically come with a fairytale romance (hello Tinder dates...) or lavish apartment (see also my carpets are stained and I don't know why) or grown up career (why yes I did graduate college and yet I'm still working as a nanny, it's cool). 23 isn't about having it all together and in that sense it's a lot like 22 (happy, free, confused and lonely at the same time). 23 leaves a lot to be desired: how do I balance a diet of all take out while still saving enough money for cute Tory Burch flats? How do normal people work 40 hours a week and still have time to do their laundry? Why does life at 23 look so much easier on Gossip Girl than it does for me? 23 is pretty weird.
Kristin hits the perfect balance of embracing the weirdness of 22 while also offering a sense of classy maturity beyond her years; I have a feeling she's going to do a pretty stellar job with 23 as well. I met Kristin through blogging and penpal letters and eventually we started texting (on the daily). Kristin is an amazing daughter, sorority sister, student, blogger and the role I most closely associate her, a perfect friend. Kristin is intelligent and girly and vibrant and fun. She's level headed and a bit sassy. She's the friend who can help you pick out the perfect outfit for your hot date and is there the next day to comfort you because you realized your hot date was a total jerk. Kristin is the friend that will chew out your ex boyfriend's Mom when she leaves a catty comment on your blog. I don't have any experience with this...but I know that if the situation were to arise...Kristin would be all over it (;
23 is awkward. 23 is liberating. 23 is horrifying. 23 is magical! Happy 23rd Birthday Kristin! Let's all sip champagne and toast to enjoying awkward ages filled with Tinder dates and sticky frat walls with the realization that soon enough we will move past them but always let us keep the doe eyed exuberance for life that allows us to keep dancing like we're 22.
Here are 23 wishes I have for Kristin for the next 365 days:
1. I hope you receive more puppy kisses from Coco Chanel than you really know how to handle.
2. May your hair always fall in the perfect Blake Lively fashion especially on the mornings you wake up late and end up sitting next to the cutest guy in class.
3. May your shoe collection grow plentiful but not as plentiful as the loved ones surrounding you.
4. I hope your lips never get chapped but if they do I hope you have the perfect sugar lip scrub to turn a bad thing into a mini spa treatment.
5. On days that it's snowy I hope your favorite cozy sweater is clean and you'll be able to accessorize with a chic blanket scarf.
6. On days when it rains I hope you don't get caught on campus in your cute new flats.
7. And when the sun shines I hope you can bask in its beauty without worrying about finals or papers or stupid boys who don't text back.
8. But when you are forced to deal with stupid boys (which inevitably you will be) I hope you're able to channel Blair Waldorf worthy sass...
9. And the courage of Taylor Swift so you can move on, get over it and continue believing in love.
10. I hope that you'll win one of those gigantic blog giveaways with a huge cash prize or gift card to Nordstrom.
11. Of course you'll need to visit Seattle and spend the gift card at the flagship store which means a girls brunch and shopping day with me.
12. I wish only cute boys on you but I hope when creepy old men ask you to be their sugar baby you have the ability to laugh it off (and of course send me screen shots of everything they say).
13. May all your cupcakes be red velvet and all your baking experiences be as chic as those of Taylor Swift and Karlie Kloss.
14. And you might as well be gifted with all of the fancy lingerie they rocked at the Victoria's Secret fashion show right?!
15. I hope your spotted on the beach and asked to walk at the Victoria's Secret Fashion show next year (and maybe you bring me with you).
16. If you should fall in love, I hope your man treats you well and may his Mother treat you even better (#NoCrazies).
17. And if you don't fall in love I hope you fall even more in love with yourself, because that's more important in the long run anyway.
18. May you find the perfect shade of lipstick and a signature cocktail.
19. And may many fabulous opportunities arise for you to adorn yourself in jewels and pretty dresses.
20. May you never lose sight of the necessity of a night in spent practicing curling your hair and binging on netflix instead of going out.
21. I hope your year is filled with friendship and good health and overwhelming happiness.
22. And I hope Taylor Swift stumbles across your blog and sends you cookies and homemade paintings.
23. My wish is that at 23 you can maintain the same youthful spirit that allowed you to dance maniacally and happily at 22.
Please wish my bloggy bestie a Happy Birthday. She truly is the kindest and most lovely person (inside and out), I am so lucky to have her sparkly presence in my life!
