Another Year Down, This One's Just Beginning

I celebrated my champagne birthday this past Saturday and I can truly say that I celebrated. I'm so happy about it I'm nearly delirious. 

For the past few years I've dreaded my birthday. I hated it. It was the worst time of the year, right at the start of my favorite season. 

I guess it's normal, women hate their birthdays because they're getting older? That wasn't my problem. I was competing against my "ideal" self and where I thought I should be by now. Married, kids, dog, house, picket fence. I was married, sure, but I didn't have the rest of it. I was in my mid-twenties and I hadn't accomplished nearly any of my life goals. I was way behind my mom and some of my friends. What was I doing wrong? Why could these people have the things I wanted so badly? Didn't I deserve them? It wasn't fair.

It took me a while, but I've worked through the vast majority of those feelings and questions. So much so, that I could enjoy my life and what I have accomplished.

I realized that in the course of my life, I want children. I'm almost positive Ryan and I will have them in about five years, when I'm 31-32. I want to own a house but I don't need to buy one in the next year. We'll save for the one of our dreams. If it doesn't have that picket fence, we'll build one. As for the dog, well, I'll enjoy being just us two for now. It's nice to be able to drop everything at a moment's notice and go do something. 

In this past year, I've focused on what makes me happy. Making my marriage stronger. Baking when the mood strikes. Cycling nearly a thousand miles. Running. I freaking run! Committing to run the first 5k of my life by November. Committing to do five triathlons next year. And working on my relationship with my mom. 

For the first time, in my most recent years, I'm so happy about my life and where it's going. I look forward to each and every sunrise. For the first time, I realize that I'm a work in progress. I'm not defined by one outcome or one experience. I'm this winding, roving road that's headed into a pretty spectacular sunset. 

What can I craft this Tuesday? Jolly Rancher Vodka

"Pssst...I've got a secret...Santa's coming." That phrase makes me smile just about every year. Right around this time, maybe a week or two earlier, my mom starts telling me this. It's like a highlight of the year. 

In case you've been procrastinating gift buying, like my husband, here's a last minute project you can make today that'd be ready for gifting on Christmas next week. I made it for my brother for his 28th birthday back in November. He hasn't tried it yet but it's sure to be delicious.

Here's what you need:

1 large bag of Jolly Ranchers

5 glass swing-top bottles (buy at Hobby Lobby when they have the half off glass sale)

1 handle of the cheapest vodka you can find (I used Fleischmann's)

Here's what you do:

Step 1. Wash all your swing-top bottles with hot water and let air dry as you're going through the next step.

Step 2. Unwrap each and every single jolly rancher in the bag. You should end up with about twelve of each flavor and possibly a hand cramp. If not, no biggy. 

Step 3. Add about eight candies of each flavor to separate swing-top bottles. I did twelve and I think it was too many.

Step 4. Open your cheap ass vodka and using a funnel, pour in the vodka until you hit the bottom of the bulb at the top. This is very exact. Not really.

Step 5. Set it and forget it. For about a week. You don't need to shake them. But let's face it, it's fun and feels rewarding. Here's a couple pictures of what'll happen. You'll know it's ready when the candies are no longer visible and the corn syrup it was made from is no longer coating the bottom. Gross, I know.

that one of the right is vanilla beans in vodka

the morning after I put it together

then I shook them 

Step 6. Wrap and give those bad boys away. Or enjoy. Either way.

Do you have any left to shop for? Does anyone you know fit the bill for this gift? Any last minute things you're trying to put together?