35 while 35

The idea of growing older used to bother me and around my birthday, I would feel a bit sad. To combat that feeling, I began making lists of random things I did the previous year. It started when I began scrapbooking, at about the age of 28. I continued the tradition and blogged about it - 30 | skipped 31 | 32 | 33 | skipped 34, but made a 13 things in 2013 list - and now here we are. I've said it before, but even though my 20's were pretty spectacular, my 30's have been the best years of my life.

• Took 2 of my favorite jumping photos ever. Cindy took this one on our hike and Rachel took this one while in Utah shooting for my 8th collection with American Crafts, which debuts Jan 2015.

• Turned in some of my favorite client scrapbooks ever, thanks to the help of my awesome team.

• Learned the reality behind "empty offers" and that not everyone does their best with what they have when they can. And some people are just lazy. Oh well.

• Survived having Buster in the hospital for a week. Since adopting him 9 years ago, he had never even spent the night apart from family once before.

• Read less blogs and books than in previous years, but occasionally read the paper, a magazine and articles on my phone. Oh and looked at Instagram daily.

• Felt extreme gratitude for my overall amazing partner, JC.

• Realized that my time is valuable. And though I cannot do it all, I CAN choose how (and usually with whom) I spend my precious time.

Here we go 36 - can't wait to see what you have in store!