Well hello 33,

This birthday just like everyone that celebrated between March and now was……very different! At first, I was a bit in a funk about it. Before COVID, I planned to throw a brunch with a theme around women's empowerment in my hometown. Location, speakers, DJ, menu, decor. You name it, I was ready. That didn't happen.

I had to come up with another plan. So many ideas ran through my mind. I finally settled on one. I would take the entire week off of work and spend the first few days just sleeping in, catching up on reading, some self-care, and fall cleaning. Later in the week, I would spend three days in Charlotte, with my sister and cousin We would have a chef cook us brunch and dinner, self-care activities, games, and overall just having a good time. Well, that didn't happen either. So much for planning!

I ended up spending my actual birthday with my mom. I must say that time was priceless. We laughed, talked, and shared a sub, which I bought for us, and birthday cake. I also spent part of the day with my aunt. She is a ball of fun and made sure I knew how special I was on my birthday. On my drive back home, I felt a bit emotional. Had I been in another state or having a brunch, I would have never had that time with my immediate family. My mom even sent me the sweetest text to let me know that she really enjoyed our time together. I'm not crying. You're crying.

I spent the next few days just relaxing, which was harder than I thought. I wanted to do everything, just because I was off! Well, I made myself relax. It really was a Netflix and Chill situation during the first few days. I watched a few shows: Emily in Paris, Girlfriends, and One on One. To close out my birthday week, I visited Chateau Elan. YALL!! This place is a dream. I was in awe. It has a bit of a contemporary European flair. I spent the day at the spa, where I got a full body massage and a facial. I had lunch at the spa and then had dinner at the pub because I wanted fried pickles.

I must admit that I needed this particular birthday celebration. It was a quick reminder that I didn't need to do all that I had planned to really enjoy myself. Social media will have you thinking that you need to have big celebrations. Even the simplest things can make great memories. I would have thoroughly enjoyed my birthday with others, but I would have been too consumed with making sure everyone was okay and enjoying themselves. Selfishly, I'm glad it didn't happen that way. I did a lot...alone and it really did feel good. One of my goals for 33 is to do that more often. I will enjoy my own company.

Here are some pics that I captured during my birthday week!

With Love,

Krissy