I’m 40…

I woke up 40 this morning. I had a lot of plans for the last year in my 30’s. Some of them I accomplished. Some of them I didn’t. Some of them I realized I just didn’t care about anymore. But that’s ok as with each year that I have grown older I have come to understand that many things don’t matter as much as I once thought they did.

I’ve been thinking about how much things have changed over the last ten years. When I turned 30 we had only been married 6 years. We didn’t have kids. We had just moved into our house in Mandeville. We spent Mardi Gras in Chicago at the Drake Hotel eating around the city for Restaurant Week and shopping at all the fancy shops. I was working as an event coordinator for Special Olympics Louisiana and I owned a hat shop.

At 40 I didn’t think I would be changing diapers still (6.5 years and counting) but I also didn’t think I would be living out one of my dreams by writing this blog. I didn’t think that I would be a stay at home mom or that we would be supporting a family of 5 on one income. I definitely didn’t think that we would celebrate my 40th birthday in Disney.

At 40 I am happy. I am loved. I am doing something that I think is important and inspires me daily. I have a wonderful husband who gets me and pushes me. I have great kids who challenge me and while I am teaching them they are teaching me. I am blessed to still have both of my parents who are not only fantastic but a huge part of our lives. I have friends who support me and make the effort to be a part of my life.

So this year for my birthday I told my photographer Melissa that I just wanted to do something glamorous. I wanted something that is the outward expression of how fun I feel on the inside. These photos are the result of that conversation. The Southern Hotel in Covington was gracious in letting me use their exclusive Garden House for all of my pictures. Johanna Bobb-Semple with She Laughs Hair & Makeup helped style the shoot as well as do my hair and makeup. Melissa Breedlove Photography is my long time friend and photographer and I couldn’t do any of this without her. Megan with Endless Summer Tans did a custom color on me to help warm up my winter white legs.

Dress: Nordstrom // Earrings: Golden Lily // Shoes: Steve Madden

Ok, so my list from last year… I am going to give you the things I accomplished and the things I didn’t.

Accomplished:

• Get 10K on Instagram
• Finish my office
• Go blonde
• Monthly time with friends
• Donate to a friend
• Make someone smile
• Leave a big tip
• Try 5 new restaurants (Jack Rose, Meril, Ale House, Disney, Pythania Market, Auction House, there are more and I cannot remember them)
• Invest quality time into my kids talents
• Coach a soccer game
• Give away something special
• Write a Hand written card
• Wean Pops
• You Tube Channel
• Spend more time at the Lakefront
• Porch Cocktails
• Prima Donnas
• Keep a journal
• Renew my license
• Take better care of my skin
• Made a good habit: new bedtime routine with the kids, skin care, journaling
• Throw a party
• Give each kid a Yes Day
• Make more vulnerable and transparent posts on the blog
• Spend more time focusing on something Justin wants to talk about
• Call my grandparents more
• Help a friend work on a dream

Things I didn’t accomplish…

• Lose 30 pounds of fat
• Define my shoulders and back
• Swim half a mile
• Squat 100 pounds
• One unassisted pullup
• Have everyone in their own beds – maybe next year
• Night away with Justin – tried and one of the kids got sick, currently rescheduling
• A new tattoo – cannot decide
• See a play with my mom
• Write my book – started but not finished
• Register for a blogger conference

So we will move the things I didn’t do to next year and maybe I will accomplish them by then. All I know was 39 was a great year and I am so looking forward to 40!

XO,

Tippy