Happy birthday to me! 
I was born bright and early on the morning of June 19, 1980. So, I guess I’ve been a morning person since birth! 
Before looking forward to my 29th year of life, I want to look back on what a great year my 28th has been. Hands down, it’s been the best yet for me!
- I married my favorite person!
- Honeymooned in Turks and Caicos
- Pursued potential career change
- Carrots ‘N’ Cake got a facelift
- Quit my job and started a new one
- Was a finalist in a national recipe contest
- Hosted a blogger dinner at Small Plates
- Started a freelance writing “career”
- Ran a half marathon
- Planned a Healthy Living Summit!!!
V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N
I am so psyched to head out to the west coast for a week-long vacation. It is much-needed, let me tell you!
Mal and I fly out this evening for Seattle, where we will celebrate his sister’s 30th birthday and spend a few days seeing the city. Mid-week Mal and I are visitng Victoria, British Columbia for an early wedding anniversary celebration. We figured since we were traveling all the way to the west coast, we might as well make a vacation out of it. We’ve got LOTS of fun stuff planned! Can’t wait!
Packing is always stressful for me, especially when it’s for a week or more. I’m one of those people who wakes up feeling a certain way and picks my outfit accordingly, so it’s hard for me to decide what I want to wear in 5 days. Plus, I hate being unprepared, so I pack an outfit for every possible scenario– a fancy dinner, sightseeing, a beach day, rain, sun, snow, tornado, etc. Long story short, it takes me awhile to pack. I give myself a head-start on this project by packing a few days before the actual trip, but then I continue over-analyze everything. Man, I feel like a total freak telling you guys how stressful packing makes me! 
I love to pack beauty product samples when I travel. I tend to order from Sephora a lot, so I always end up with the most luxurious samples to try out. I save them for my travel because they’re tiny and easy to pack and it’s fun being on vacation and pampering myself with fancy-schmancy products.
I also packed some easily transportable workout gear: iPod, Garmn, and a strength training band. My goal is to fit in 3 workouts on my week-long vacation. My sister-in-law and I have a run planned while we are in Seattle, so the other 2 workouts shouldn’t be too tough to squeeze in. I think our hotel in Victoria has a gym. Plus, I love running in new places!
And, of course, I packed healthy snacks for our travels. I’d much rather bring my own food than purchase expensive, not-so-healthy food from the airport or when we are on-the-go. (The snacks pictured are for both Mal and me.)
Breakfast
I thought about planning a special breakfast for myself this morning, but I am going out to lunch with a friend, so I decided to save my splurge for later in the day. I’m thinking cake for lunch!
This morning’s breakfast was pumpkin oats with wheat bran, vanilla hemp milk, and topped with Peanut Butter Puffins, and 2 scoops of peanut butter.
I also poured myself a glass of iced coffee about 5 minutes after I snapped this photo.
Question of the Day
What has been your favorite/best year of your life?
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Happy Birthday Tina!!! I hope your vacation is great!
Happy Birthday!!! I hope you have an amazingly perfect day!! You are a fabulous woman!
Enjoy your vacation and have fun visiting my country! British Columbia is soooooooooooo beautiful!!
My 19th year was my favourite thus far
Happy Birthday!!! Have a great vacation, you have totally earned one
Hope you have a great birthday! Be safe on your trip to Seattle!
Happy Birthday Tina!
Hope you have a great trip to Seattle; sounds like you’re super prepared with healthy snacks, workout gear, and a plan for exercise.
YAY happy birthday! I hope you have a fab vacation – I can totally sympathize with your overthinking the packing! I do the same.
Can’t wait to see what kind of cake ends up on your lunch plate. 
Wishing you a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Have a fun and safe trip too.
My favorite year was probably 2006 when hubby and I celebrated our 10th anniversary with a vow renewal on the beach in Jamaica. We still talk about it every day. It was an A.MAZING experience.
I am hoping that the next year will be the best (it’s my 24th on the 24th of July)! Happy Birthday to you!
HAPPPPPPPPPPPPPY BIRTHDAYYYYYY!!!! I hope you have a wonderful day and I hope the weather is nice for you today up in Boston….Have a wonderful time in Seattle and safe travels…can’t wait to see your trip recap!
Have a wonderful Bday.
Best,
Amie
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY DEAR!
Happy birthday, Tina!! Enjoy your vacaaa!
Gosh, good question…I don’t know! haha.
But I wanted to say yaaaieeee for your trip to Victoria! I was born and bred on the island and lived in Vic for 8 years, until moving to Halifax about a year and a half ago. I’ve already been home 3 times and visiting makes me miss it even more. I can’t wait to hear about what you and Mal get up to in my home sweet home.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
Oh, make sure you stop at the Bengal Room at the Empress Hotel for an evening cocktail. Fantastic room, fantastic view…especially if the weather is warm and breezy. Must do!
Happy birthday!!! Be safe =] We can’t wait to hear all about the trip.
Happy Birthday! That trip sounds like a fun time, enjoy!
Happy birthday, Tina! I hope you have a great day, a great vacation and a great year!
Have a WONDERFUL day, Tina! I’ve heard fantastic things about both Seattle and Victoria… I hope you post some pictures!
Happy Birthday! Have a great vacation!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Happy Birthday! The summit sounds awesome, nice work!
have a great vacation. I love how organized you are with packing!
HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Tina!
Fun question.
Your post got me thinking, and I think this past year (23), was the best. I got married, got fit, and things really started to come together. 24 has had a slightly rockier start but I hope to finish it off well
Can’t wait to hear more about the summit! I might try to integrate it with my summer trip home to California!
Happy Birthday!!! Can’t wait to meet you at the Summit!
Happy Birthday Tina! Hooray! My 24th year has been pretty good – ran 2 marathons, promotion at work, and I started my blog
Happy Birthday, Tina! Have a wonderful time in Seattle… I’ve always wanted to go there
Happy Birthday and have an awesome vacation! I’ve always wanted to go to Seattle!
Happy Birthday Girl!!!! I would have to say the year I got married was pretty darn amazing, YEAR 25!!! But they years keep getting better and better!
Happy birthday Tina!
Honestly, every year gets better.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Happy Birthday!!! And enjoy Canada, it’s beautiful! (drink some beer and get some maple syrup
)
Happy happy birthday!!!
I think every year just gets better and better
Happy Birthday, Tina! Have fun on your vacay.
Happy Birthday!!!!! My favorite year so far was when I was 19….I went to Boston for a regatta with the UGA rowing team, got my nose pierced (and then took it out a few months later…), worked at a sushi restaurant, skied in Jackson Hole with my best friend, studied abroad in Austria, bungee jumped in Switzerland, and drank champagne under the Eiffel Tower. I would love to relive that year
Happy Birthday! You have had a great year.
Have fun on the vacation. It’s always so fun to have a get
away.
Happy birthday to you!!! Hope your have a wonderful vacation!
I have a couple of different favorites for different reasons and I am loving 27 so far, but its only been a month, haha. I have to say 25 was my least favorite because it made me realize how old I am (haha) but also my favorite because its when I started my healthy lifetsyle, lost 70 lbs and ran my first half marathon!! It was a turning point.
Hi Tina! Happy Birthday
Mine is coming up next Saturday – such a fun time of year! I wanted to write – my first time saying hello – b/c you are coming to Seattle! Which is my hometown and where I currently live. I’ve been reading your blog for a looong time and its a part of my ‘morning’ blogroll every day. 
I am all about healthy eating and both your and Jenna’s blogs are super inspiring.
I love love Victoria (my hubby is canadian 
) so you guys will have a blast.
Please let me know if you guys need any tips or want to meet up for a pint somewhere while you’re in town
Much love and have a wonderful trip!!
Carly
Happy birthday Tina! Enjoy your vacation!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
I think my best years are ahead of me
Have a great trip…Seattle is on my list of places to visit one day (haha, along with a zillion other places!)
Enjoy the northwest! I’ve lived in the area for more than 10 years and it’s definitely my favorite part of the country.
I’d say my favorite year was when I was 17… weird, huh?
Happy Birthday! I turned 29 recently as well, getting closer to 30 isn’t that fun but I think I’m getting used to it!
happy birthday!!!!!!
Happy Birthday!
I think this year has been pretty good or 2004, which is when we got married.
Happy Birthday! Sephora is my favorite store and you’ll love the smashbox photofinish…it’s awesome! I live near Seattle and it’s raining all this week (surprise
) so bring a jacket. Mmmm…love me some peanut butter puffins! Hope you have a great birthday and a wonderful, relaxing vacation. 
Happy Birthday! Victoria is GORGEOUS and Seattle is pretty awesome, too. Have a great time! I don’t know what my best year has been. They just keep getting better!
totally a toss up between year 25 and year 30… hard to choose!
Happy Birthday Tina!!! Best Wishes and Many Blessings in the upcoming year
Happy Birthday! The best year of my life was when I was 20-21 and studying abroad in Ireland. I loved living there!
Has everyone who’s read your blog gotten married at such a young age?? I’m 27 and have a wonderful bf. Guess I’m the odd-woman out (and happy that way!)
@Jennifer: I noticed that too, but I guess if you’re ready, you’re ready!
happy birthday!!! have a great time on your trip!
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