Bye, Bye 35.... Hello...Mid-Thirties?!

This is me at 29, acting like and idiot at the Grand Canyon

And I would still do this again. 

I plan on doing this at 40 at Volcano National Park on the Big Island

Today is my last day being 35 years old.  Wow, 35, what the heck?  Like many of us, I still feel like my 17 year old self.  Well, a smarter, rounder, more worldly 17 year old self. With 2 kids, heck if I was 17, I could be making $60,000 per episode on Teen Mom.  Alas, I'm not.

So, this 36 thing, kinda bothersome.  Closer to 40 than 29.  40 - THE BIG FOUR-OH?! Where the heck has this time gone?  See, a 17 year old would never say that, so I must be showing my age.  Dang.  Stupid 36.

Ok, well, 36 and I will have to be friends.  I'm sure I'll get over my "holy crap I'm 36" thought eventually.  I remember my Mom was 36 when I was in like 2nd grade.  Lucky for Mom, I had her stalemated at 36 for at least 8 years.  I was a good kid like that.  :)

Alright, I guess I a now officially an adult.  I'm married (happily I might add), I have a mortgage, a car payment, 2 kids, I have good credit, I have health and dental insurance, a 401-k, an IRA, and a bank account - with a balance greater than $20.  Yep, adult.  I have pains in joints (especially in my neck and hip- a REAL adult would go to the doc), I have gray hair, some laugh lines, a little crows feet, a little less elasticity in my skin, sun damage, and stretch marks. 

I don't shop in the junior dept anymore, I am not digging the fashion of wearing everything tight, but I'm not ready to wear sweaters featuring animals in winter scenes or such.  Nor am I prepared to begin wearing polyester pants and "jogging suits" a la the older gang seen summering in Florida.

Mid-thirties a transitional time.  I guess a time to start defining the adult I want to.  Do I want to be that 40 year old still trying to cling to her youth by be-boping to the tunes in the jr dept - heck no.  I was to be that classy adult, with timeless fashion without grasping for youth or looking years too old due to frumpy dressing.  I will still listen to my Hair Metal, my 70's hippy music, and I will probably continue to shun any pop music since 1999 to now.  I will be that classy adult with a Kim twist.  Classy, but still farts and burps with the best of them.   Classy, but not scared to get down and dirty with her kids. Not scared of sled riding, or making mud pies. 

I'm in the middle of things here.  I'm not as wise as I'll be at 80 nor as naive as I was at 17.  I will continue to evolve and learn more about me, as a person, as a Mom, as a wife, friend, daughter, family member, etc. 

We never stop growing, but I also think we never stop thinking we are still a lot like our 17 year old self. 

Bring it on 36- I'm ready for you.