The 26th Year
29 Sep
I admit I wasn’t organized enough to find a photo of myself as a young girl for today’s post so a photo of me from my 21st birthday will have to do:

I’m 26 today (and the end to the birthday-blogging theme)! The last year has been one of the best years in my twenties and I’ve enjoyed every moment, new opportunity, my new and old friendships, my fantastic family, my amazing dog (who I’m convinced is a Border Collie mix after much discussion this past weekend), Irish, this blog, my readers, and the many new experiences I enjoyed.
A quick, down n’ dirty list of things I’ve learned over the years:
* You can’t go wrong with hugs.
* Baking is therapeutic.
* Sex & The City relates to my life more than I would have thought (or cared to admit).
* Sleeping in until noon is rejuvenating.
* Love is worth the fall.
* Getting a Blackberry will change your life, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse.
* After a long day there’s nothing like a hug from your man and smooch from your dog.
* It’s true: if you pluck one white hair, at least three more grow in its place.
* Sweatpants are fabulous.
Birthday request time! If you’re a reader but rarely comment, please, let me know who you are. If you’re a regular reader/commenter please share your words to live by or favorite life advice for me to add to my arsenal.













Happy Birthday! My words to live by have always been, “wherever you are, be all there,” and it’s still as challenging to remember and practice now as it was when I first heard those words.
Yay – happy birthday! Love what you’ve already learned about life so far. My words of wisdom are, you know who your true friends are after you fall; don’t forget to be there for them when it’s their turn.
Happy birthday Nora!
My words of wisdom don’t rhyme and it’s not cute and clever, but I firmly believe that if you don’t like something about your life, then do something about it. I’ve finally learned this, as you know, and am going back to school for my teaching certificate. I don’t really hear your complain about much, but this is sort of my current life lesson that I am pushing with a lot of people.
Happy Birthday!
Advice? Be in the present. That’s it. Simple, but it makes ALL the difference.
I hope you have another wonderful, joyful, healthy, adventurous year!
Happy Birthday! Words to live by? Er…don’t eat the yellow snow?!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOVE!!!! Hope it’s a great one!!
And I think that this is probably one of my favorite quotes to live by:
God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.
Yay! Birthday!! I love your list lady
I’m a sometimes commenter, but an always reader. Happy Birthday.
Little about me: late twenties, just started grad school, married, no kids, loves books (wish I could read novels all day instead of go to school), avid blog reader, but tend to fall short when it comes to writing my own.
Oh and here’s my life advice:
I like the poem desiderata by Max Ehrmann
“Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
And Remember what peace there may be in silence…”
I love the whole thing, but the first line is my fav.
Happy Birthday, Friend! I could offer up many wise words like lie about your age, always take some time for you time, enjoy the simple things, believe in yourself,all that fun stuff. But I think perhaps the best advice I can offer is follow your bliss. Always, always, always do what makes you happy. The rest will fall into place.
Happy birthday!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Nora!! I am a regular reader AND commenter but I just have to say that I’m so glad we’ve become blog friends and I can’t wait to meet you in real life one day!
Also, that picture is PRICELESS and quite hilarious! Haha
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Happy Birthday! I just turned 26 a little over a week ago and I’m excited for the year before the “late twenties.” Hope it’s a great day for you!
Happy Birthday baby!
I love you!
HAPPY BIRTHDAYYYY! Those things to learn are awesome and you look hilarious in the picture.
Happy, happy birthday, Nora! I hope you have a fantastic day! & that picture is hilarious. ;]
Wooooo Happy Birthday, Nora! My advice? Come to Texas!!!!
Happy Birthday!
My best advice is “Recognize joy when it arrives wrapped in the plain brown paper of everyday life”. Joy in small things has helped me through a lot of hard times.
And also, 5kg (10kg, 20kg, even 50kg) is not the difference between happy and sad, unless you let it be.
Happy Birthday!!!!
my words of wisdom (which could really not be wise at all) are Go Big, or Go Home! and i am a firm believer in everything happening for a reason!!
Happy happy birthday Nora! I hope you’re enjoying your day and celebrating a great 26th year, and the 27th to come!
Oh, and words to live by?
Um…er…oh! Got it: Calories don’t count when you’re standing up. Or when you’re on your period. Or during the entire year between your 26th and 27th birthday.
It’s true. The tooth fairy told me.
Really though…I’m sure you know this already, but cherish every moment.
Much love!
Happy birthday! Words to live by: “You’re always insane when you are in love.” -Sigmund Freud
So, be insane. It’s okay.
happy happy birthday beautiful lady
<3 tbrooke
happiest of happy birthdays! hope it’s been absolutely amazing!
Happy Birthday Nora!! My words of wisdom come from Dolly Parton – find out who you are and do it on purpose!
Happy birthday pretty lady. LOVE that picture. Hey it’s your big day, do whatever you want.
Happy Birthday!!! I hope you had a fabulous day. Can’t wait to hear how you celebrated. What did Irish get you? Always fun to hear what significant others buy each other for their birthday!
I don’t have any profound advice, so I will leave you w/ one of my favorite quotes by Dr Seuss:
“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind”
Happy Birthday!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
My fav advice – sometimes in life you just have to take it day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute or even second by second. I live by that and it helps me get through tough times. =)
Happy birthday! I hope it was a beautiful one.
woo! happy birthday lady! hope it’s fantastic!
Ok. So, I am glad you had a great birthday, you deserve it!!!
My favorite “wisdom” was from my grandpa, and I blogged about it. He told me that every single emotion comes from one of two places, love or fear. I love it. It has changed the way I react to things.
Happy happy birthday!
“We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.”
I’m sry i’m so late! I’ve been so busy! But Happy belated birthday love! I hope it was wonderful! and that picture of you at 21? priceless! <3
Happy happy happy belated birthday!!
In all the madness this week, I missed your birthday! Happy belated!
Happy belated birthday, lady! I know it was an incredible one!