Turning 30...and what my 20's taught me and what I am looking forward to

So this past July I turned 30....can't believe it. I hear the 30's are suppose to be super awesome, I hope so. The 20's were such a crazy time. Soooo much change!

 

The 20's teach us so much about ourselves.
They make us strong.
We navigate new and scary/exciting experiences, and hopefully come out of those experiences better and more mature.
We learn who we are, we become our real selves.
The 20's are a time of so much opportunity, the world is open to us.
We are young and can be spontaneous!
You want to go live in a new city? DO IT!
You want to dye your hair a crazy color? DO IT!
Go study a new major? DO IT!
Take a trip abroad? DO IT!
Drive cross country? DO IT!

The 20's was all about taking risks and hoping they payed off. And learning from our failures.

What did I do in my 20's? Let's take a look.

2001 - Age 20 - had a less than stellar experience in college as an English major. Flunked out.
2002 - Age 21 - realized I really wanted to study fashion. Went to Italy and studied fashion design. Fell madly in love with an Italian man named Giovanni. Realized I didn't like fashion design, wanted to pursue more editorial side of fashion.
2003 - Age 22 - started school for a degree in Fashion Merchandising. Fell in love with a boy named Cory, had my heart smashed to pieces. Began a long journey of finding power and destruction in my sexuality. Met an amazing group of guy friends.
2004 - Age 23 - took a fashion school trip to NYC, where I learned I really loved big cities. Many stupid and courageous leaps with my heart. Fell head over heels for an engaged man, who I never told him I loved him, and had my heart torn apart when he left.
2005 - Age 24 - Dated a guy who was sweet, romantic, loving, thought I was beautiful, but also extremely jealous. I learned that that kind of guy sounds nice in a song, but in real life, too much for me. I interned at a fashion magazine in Houston...loved it. Graduated with my Associates in Fashion Merchandising.
2006 - Age 25 - Floundered a bit in life. Worked in retail mostly. Looked into and began the application process to go to school in Los Angeles. True beginning of the realization that all the meaningless hook ups and men in my life wasn't fun anymore. Truly not happiness.
2007 - Age 26 - Drove with my bestfriend to L.A. Began school at FIDM. Realized that staying friends with guys doesn't always work when they have a jealous wife. Started volunteering for as many fashion/film events I could. Dressed the cast for a friend's commercial. Realized I wanted to work in the film industry in costuming and wardrobe. Drove onto my first back lot for a film event. AMAZING! Dressed models for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. Made amazing friends with a new group of guys. Realized a guy from my past was toxic and using me.
2008 - Age 27 - Styled my first editorial spread for ELIZA Magazine. Assisted various stylists on photo shoots. Got kicked out of a crazy stylist's house. Worked in retail. Was horribly broke and had to get help from family and church....sooo humbling, and eternally grateful for that help. Interviewed with the costume department for HBO's show True Blood, they loved me. Then was told corporate couldn't afford the liability insurance for me to be a free intern! CRUSHED! Spent my first Christmas away from my family. Realized I would be ok.
2009 - Age 28 - Got fired from my job, with no time to get a new one and pay rent. Realized I needed to move back to Texas. That was hard. Drove back across country to Texas with bestfriend, got lost and REALLY learned how to read a map! Don't trust mapquest! lol Moved back in with my parents. Floundered. Was seriously depressed. Took old job back. Decided to get back on track with my spirituality and church. Met a man who made me giddy. Let him pursue me. Went to Vegas with him. Told him "I love you" first.
2010 - Age - 29 - Took the next step with my spirituality, went through the temple. Love of my life proposed. Learned a lot planning a wedding with my mom. Had to reevaluate what I truly want from my life and work. Had an amazingly fun wedding. Realized that sometimes you just have to say things how they really are. Decided last minute that Texas might not be where we would end up. Sent hubbby off to find work in Elko.
2011 - Age 29/30 - Moved off to an unknown future with the man I love.

My 20's taught me to be more assertive, to speak my mind and be extremely honest. To go for what I want and take risks and be adaptable. I learned that my worth is not dependent on what anyone thinks of me, especially men. I learned friends come and go, and that's ok. My religion is something I truly believe and gives me purpose and joy. I am a very different person now than I was at 20. I like who I have become.

For my 30's I look forward to growing in marriage with my husband. I want to grow in my spirituality and understanding of the gospel. I want to have kids and learn from them. My 30's will have sadness and joys, they will be crazy and amazing. I look forward to it all. Except maybe the wrinkles!

We moved to SLC!

Gabriel and I moved to Salt Lake City, UT in July and so far so good. We have a cozy little one bedroom apartment that is a work in progress when it comes to decorating. I am currently loving the fun colored lights and sparkles on the Christmas tree and fireplace mantel. I love me some sparkles!

Can't believe it's Christmas in 10 days! Been running around getting presents and wrapping them up in pretty purple and gold paper :0) It's always obvious which presents under the tree are from me. I believe in fun, pretty wrappings for presents....I like to make it a fun experience.

I am excited for this Christmas, as it is the first Christmas Gabriel and I will actually get to spend together since getting married. Last year he was in Elko and I was in Houston. It will be a new experience doing Christmas with his family. I am hoping it is a white Christmas....would be extra special, since we really don't have those in Texas.

I am excited to be working as a volunteer for the Sundance Film Festival this coming January. I will be working in Special Events....soooo, helping throw parties....should be an experience for the books :0) Wouldn't mind seeing some sexy celebs....Ryan Gosling....GO TO SUNDANCE!! I want to see you!!!

- Paige

Rainbow Cake!

I saw this tutorial online, and have been in love for quite some time. I decided to go the slacker way and used a box mix and 2 cans of Pillsbury icing, and made my very own Rainbow Cake!

You have to use white cake in order to get the colors to show their most vibrant.


Then Gel food coloring. I got both the Classic and Neon colors.

You divide the batter up in six bowls...you can have as many layers as you want depending on how many colors you choose to use. Then color each bowl of batter a different color.
From the Classic Colors I used, red, blue, and yellow. From the Neon Colors I used, green, orange, and purple. I used about a cup of batter for each bowl, it wasn't precise and some layers were kinda thin cause I started to get low on batter.

I used 8 inch round pans, I got mine at Wal-Mart from the decorative baking section. I made sure mine had the straight edge. I used three pans.

Pour batter into pans, after having greased bottom of pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 mins each. I put three in at a time. Then let cool in pan for about 10 mins.

I used squares of foil and tapped each layer out onto a sheet of foil to finish cooling. Clean pans and re-grease and pour in remaining colors into pans and bake according to previous time.

You can freeze your layers for 30 mins if you like, that way stacking and icing is easier and yields less crumbs. Place first layer on cake platter, I started with purple, then take some frosting and cover top of layer with frosting. Stack next layer, and cover with frosting, continue till all layers are stacked and have a basic amount of frosting to cover thinly. Let chill for 15 mins in fridge to make final layer of frosting go on smoothly. (I didn't chill the layers or the cake before frosting and had more crumbs and crumbly bits with the frosting.) Take remaining frosting and with frosting spatula start on top of cake smooth frosting out and working your way down the sides.

Final result was sooo fun to eat! and soo colorful and happy :0) So go make yourself a happy rainbow cake!

Wedding Fun

Formal Couple Shot

Houston LDS Temple






Photobooth with Maid of Honor Mandy


I loved my shoes!

Rings!

Photobooth with the hubby....silliness!!


YAY!! We're Married!!

The Wedding

Gabriel and I got married on November 6th 2010 at noon in the LDS Houston Temple. It was a perfect day. My hair was finished sooner than expected, and looked pretty, so I was able to have a relaxed time to eat breakfast and get ready. The weather was cool and it was a clear day with blue skies. The ceremony was so meaningful and had me bawling with happiness.

After the temple sealing/marriage we went outside and took photos on the temple grounds. The family shots were done first and then we sent everyone to the church building for refreshments while Gabriel and I did our couple shots. It all went very timely.

We went to the church building and mingled with family and had some refreshments and then everyone was escorted to the Relief Society room where we were to have the exchanging of rings ceremony.

Much of my family is non-mormon, so we decided to have a ring ceremony to honor them and share a special moment with them.

It was cute and sweet. My dad lead me up to Gabriel and my Young Single Adult Ward Bishop (he's like our pastor) officiated the ring ceremony. He spoke about Eternal Marriage (we believe that when you are married in the temple you are sealed, in God's eyes, to your spouse and your future children for eternity rather till death do you part.) Then Gabriel and I shared off the cuff remarks of love as we presented eachother with our rings.....ok ok ok I forgot to write anything and then we both remembered as we were driving to the church building....LOL. Then as a nod to my dad and stepmom and them being Jewish we stomped on the bag with glass. It was fun!

The reception officially began at 5, and we had pretty tight schedule. We were announced and then had our first dances. Our first dance as a married couple was to Darius Rucker's "History In The Making", it's a song that we both really liked and both would kinda think of when we would think of our relationship.
My dad and I danced to "Daughters" by John Mayer, which he chose and I liked. Since I have my dad and stepdad, we split the time dancing, and then asked all dads and daughters to come join us, and my dad and I finished the song together. It was so fun to see everyone come up and share a sweet moment with their loved ones. One of the best moments was when my brother Sean came up and "danced" with his new baby girl, she was asleep in her carrier so he twirled around the dance floor with her in the carrier. It was so precious. I believe Gabriel and his mom danced to Rod Stewart's "Forever Young".

After the first dances we cut the cake. Our cake was beautiful and soooo yummie! It had 7 or 8 different flavors, with the main being lemon raspberry. The grooms cake was chocolate mousse. We didn't shove cake in eachother's faces....I let Gabriel know I didn't really care to have to redo my make-up....lol....she we were sweet and placed in carefully in the mouth.

After the cake we announced that we would be doing a special Jewish dance called the Hava Nagila, we had everyone join in, the guests danced in a circle around us and at one point Gabriel and I were lifted on chairs.....thanks for not dropping me!! lol......and we get danced around as we hold a handkerchief between us. It was sooooo much FUN!! and really got the party kicked off!

Two highlights were the delicious candy buffet (thank you Marla!) and an awesome photobooth that we DIY'ed (thanks Dad!). People loved it and it was just so much fun. It was all very laid back and really a party.

We were suppose to end at about 7:30 ish....but didn't get outta there till 8:45 ish...lol. People tell me they would have loved for it to be longer....and it would have been fun, but I think an 8 hr day for wedding party people was long enough....lol.

I changed into my leaving dress and we made our way through bubbles to our car lovingly decorated by my lil bro's then made less naughty by my maid of honor (thanks Mandy!)

The next day we had brunch with my mom and stepdad and some of Gabriel's family, and we were able to visit and we opened presents. Then mom and Larry drove us to the airport where I was surprised with tickets to Orlando, Florida, which meant were going to DisneyWorld and Harry Potter World!!!

Best husband EVER!!

I got married and moved to a small town

In the past year since I last blogged, I fell in love with a wonderful mormon man named Gabriel, got married, and recently moved to Elko, NV, where we are currently inhabiting his parent's basement apartment.

It a pretty little town, with mountains all around, and it has snowed a few times, but it doesn't stick too long. The people are friendly and his family is wonderful and sweet.



Gabriel got a job working for Union Pacific as a signalman's helper. So far he is enjoying it, but it does take him out of town. He works 8 days on and has 6 days off. I am now a housewife, which is interesting. I will admit I'm a little bored and am brainstorming things to do.

And I now have more time to work on a blog :0)

Hugs

-Paige