Happy 39th to me!

Sorry to scare everyone with this photo, but I promise I won't do it again! lol! I thought for my 39th (geez... how did that happen!?) i'd share 39 things i've learned in my lifetime... they may not all be "deep", but what the heck! ;)

1. Your outward appearance will show others how you treat & think of yourself. Treat yourself well!
2. Children are truly a blessing from God. My reason for living.
3. If you won't give your other half your all, you're missing out!
4. Sisters rock! Be nice to yours!!
5. People will treat you however you allow them to treat you.
6. I miss cheez whiz on white toast. (How's that for random!? It's been so long since i've had that though, i'd probably hate it... lol!)
7. I am probably the biggest coffee snob ever. I will only drink coffee made with freshly ground beans. And they have to be fair-trade & organic.
8. Nothing in life worth having, comes easy. If you want something, work for it. Don't expect it to be handed to you on a silver platter.
9. Don't "hate". What a waste... If someone does you 'wrong', forgive them and move on and hope people will extend the same forgiveness to you. If you don't understand something or someone, learn. Ignorance is not a good excuse for hate.
10. I haven't dyed my hair in 15 years. I never will again. *see that picture above, now picture with with orange roots and platinum blonde hair. Lesson learned. ;)
11. My husband has done so much more for me in my life than I could have ever of dreamed of. He is truly my rock!
12. Kids are brutally honest.
13. It's better to "leave something" to the imagination than to let it all "hang out".
14. God does not give you more than you can handle. Even if it may not seem like it at the time...
15. It is truly the *little things* in life that matter. Moments spent with your children, quiet time with your husband, special events with your family, etc...
16. It is NEVER wrong to give to others. Be generous with your time, money, and friendship.
17. Don't jump to conclusions about someone before really getting to know them, you never know what may happen with an open mind and open heart.
18. Don't "lend" money to friends & family. GIVE it.
19. Everyone has a "gift", it may just take some longer to figure it out than others.
20. Marriage is not a 50/50 arrangement, it's 100/100.
21. If something is truly a priority, you make time for it. Anything else is just an excuse.
22. Some movies are just not worth wasting 2 hours of life on. ;)
23. Everyone should believe in *something*, or else you're just going through the motions.
24. It's better to bite your tongue (hard if you have to!) than to say something you will always regret.
25. Having a daughter that likes to cook & bake is worth more than her weight in gold.
26. Everyone comes in and out of your life for a reason, enjoy the special times, or learn from bad experiences and move on.
27. Calamari is disgusting. Regardless of what you say, Heidi. :P
28. It's worth the time & effort in learning how to use your DSLR on full manual, all the time. Why have a DSLR and leave it on "auto" for every shot? You're not using it to the full potential when you do that!
29. I look like my grandfather. I have his nose. I miss him like crazy. I learned so much about being a mother from my mother in law. I know she's watching over me. I miss her like crazy.
30. Support local, buy local. As much as possible, it's where YOU live, support your community and "give back".
31. Always look out for the little guy and don't ever be afraid to stand up for what's right!
32. Pray for yourself, for your family, for friends, for strangers.
33. Don't listen to people who are mean and say things about you. Hurt people tend to try to hurt others or do it out of jealousy. Don't buy into it.
34. Respect the elderly... They have much more wisdom than we give them credit for. Listen to them. Yes, even the lonely ones at the bus stop and in line at the grocery store.
35. Judging others says more about you, than it does them.
36. Believe and trust in others *before* they give you a reason to. Most people you will come across are truly caring, sweet people.
37. Trust your gut instinct & follow your conscious. It's usually right.
38. If you're not happy on your own, you won't be happy with anyone else. Happiness comes from within you and is something you can offer to others, not something others have to fulfill in you.
39. You can make truly amazing & wonderful friends online and cherish them every bit as much as friends "in real life"!!

And with that i'm off! :) Plans today include hanging out with my friend/neighbor to go fabric shopping, visiting grandma with the girls this afternoon, enjoying a gluten free chocolate cake with icing, (first cake in many years i'll be eating!!) date night tonight with hubby to see Eric Church & Colt Ford!!! Should be a fun day overall!

Do you have any special Valentines Day plans?