I turn 40 next year and I've already started planning. I'm going to have a 20 X 2 party and theme is going to be 2004. Weird, early aughts fashion, a MySpace Top 8 photo booth, Garden State and/or Jackass playing in the background, a playlist swinging wildly from Usher's Yeah to the Shrek soundtrack. This feels like the dumbest decade for a theme, but I am SO excited!
I turn 40 this month too. Iāve contemplated how to celebrate, but the email and comments encouraged me to make a plan. A friend chose to have sex every day for 40 days leading up to her 40th birthday. š«£āŗļø She raved about how amazing it was for her and for their marriage. But my hubby works 8/14 nights so that seemed unrealistic.
My husband is very introverted and party planning would be stressful (and honestly prob not turn out great). I have a history of not taking care of myself (to an extreme of seizures caused by stress and exhaustion) and Iāve been learning to do better these last couple of years (without feeling guilty). So this is a perfect opportunity to practice self care. What will make me feel happy, special, rested, loved? I donāt care about a big deal celebration but I want it to be sweet. My hubby works my birthday weekend so we will do a lunch date before he goes back while the kids are at school. Pizza on my birthday (always a splurge with our budget and a family our size) so thatās special to not have to cook. I will probably bake whatever Iām in the mood for because I enjoy baking if Iām not cooked-out. Then a family celebration on his next work break complete with favorite desserts I am ORDERING (never done before bc SPLURGE! but I am worth it!). I made a specific gift list and gave myself permission to buy anything I donāt receive. Itās just a few reasonable things that I value, and I donāt need others to understand or value them too. Iām learning to be clear in my expectations and communication and then not take it personally if I donāt get the response I hoped for. I can take care of myself.
Iāll be 45 this year. Itās the great awakening when you realize the body is slowly puttering but the heart and the mind are growing. Why does the container have to get so weak and wobbly (donāt come at me exercise experts - yāallās bodies are weaker too) but the control center become better equipped to be human? Everyday I wake up and I feel a ālittle less lostā and I like who I am about 99.9% more than I did 20 years ago. I love my 40s, but I still cry over collagen production loss and plantar fasciitis. Happy Ruby Jubilee, you beautiful woman you! Maybe we could run a race together? I can hear the announcer...āComing around the last turn, looking strong as they limp in...here comes weak ankles and planters fasciitis! Theyāre gonna finish just a hair in front of our IBS and rheumatoid team!ā
I turn 40 this May! I debated renting out the nearest skating rink for all my friends and fam, and DJāing all our elementary-high school favorites. Then someone mentioned the amount of potential injuries š
I might get a photographer friend to do my 40th cake smash. Ya know, get super dressed up, get lemon bars, red velvet cupcakes, and a tiramisu, and eat them on the floor under a balloon arch while she snaps the pics.
I turned 40 this past December. As a single woman & in-between jobs (aka broke), I wanted to do something to celebrate but couldnāt afford a big trip or anything fancy. So I talked with a couple of my good friends, and we decided to throw me a party with me designing the evening just how Iād want it. Iāve never been married, so I decided this would kind of be my party in lieu of that. I told my party-planning friends I wanted friends from various, unrelated parts of my life invited, food I could eat (thank you, food allergies), games & kidās activities, music & dancing, and, most importantly to me, a table with second-hand books I love & want to share with others. Everyone could take a book (or two or three) as a memento of the night. We had the party at a friendsā apartment party room, the cakes were made my friends, and the food was from a local Mexican restaurant. It was low-key & cheap in many respects, but I had so much fun.
Celebrate every day! Happy birthday Erin! Your 40's are magical! And so are your 50's! It's when you start living life on your terms. And learn that life is short and there's just no sense at all in putting things off until you...what? Grow more courageous or confident? Have more time? Do all the things and celebrate every little thing! I know you will celebrate all month and your 40's will be epic!
Erin, my baby sister turns 40 this month as well on the 25th! Her bff and I are throwing her a unicorn themed party! I canāt wait! Complete with an over the top unicorn birthday cake, a photo booth and propsā¦.heck, I even did lantern lightsš¦š¦
I'll be 40 in March of 2024, so taking lots of notes at all these amazing ideas. I think my dream would be an outdoor vacation with just my husband with lots of hiking and amazing food, and in the evening we'd binge all the shows we've been too tired to watch lately in our cozy mountain cabin.
Iāll be 37 this year, so a few years to 40, but after reading these comments I am infinitely more excited to be 40 than I was to be 30. My 30s have been the best decade so far, by far, but if it just keeps getting better then I am here for that.
Also my birthday is in July, so my birthstone is the ruby, so I think Iāll be referring to every birthday as my ruby jubilee for the rest of forever.
{also #2 this is my first lil swipes comment after being a lurker for so very long. hooray for me stepping out of my comfort zone and joining in things.)
For my 40th, my husband invited my closest friends who live far away to come for the weekend, and he asked my besties to send me a note or video of love/encouragement. Now almost 2 years into my 40s, I'm finding confidence and contentment I didn't have before. I started taking ballet just this year (my previous ballet experience was like a year or two when I was 6 or 7). I'm the oldest person in my classes (and the least, shall we say, skinny), but I'm LOVING it! I feel like I'm just learning how to take myself less seriously and find things that bring me joy without feeling guilty about it.
Yes!! Turning 60 in June & really EXCITED about itā¦ yet always feel guilty spending $$ on myself, esp in this inflation-crazy time. And who to include, am I being selfish asking people to come to a party?
Annnnnd ya knowā¦ a good friend lost her battle with cancer last year. Just after her 56th birthday. And I was very sick last year, hospitalized, PT after, scary. So the party is on, friends. Not sure what it will be & who even WANTS to come, yet life is A GIFT !! Erin, YOU CELEBRATE YOU! And Susan, 70 is gonna look great on you!!
The 40s are the best. For my 40th, I did a two week road trip with a friend from North Carolina all the way up to Maine. It was amazing. I set a goal to see all 50 states by the time I turn 50, so I was able to cross a lot off the list.
40 is when I stopped caring what other people thought of me and started living my life on MY terms! Itās a fun decade! But go easyā¦things twist and break much easier than they used too. Two weeks before my 40th birthday I threw my back out getting up off the couch. My brother told me it was my welcome to 40 gift.š
Also, if you donāt yet have some mysterious ailment, one will be assigned to you shortly.š¤Ŗ
Cuz you wanna be like mešš. I felt great in my 40āsā¦ 50ās have been a WHOLE NEW BALL GAMEšš. And itās God lil reminder how much we need him & each otherš¤
Forty is awesome! For my fortieth birthday, we sent the kids to my mother in law's, invited three other couples over, and made sushi together. One of the guys brought (illegal) fireworks, so at the end we all went into our cul-de-sac and set off a couple fireworks and floating lanterns. It was my best birthday ever. I'm still riding the high from that, and I'm 46.
I turn 40 next year and I've already started planning. I'm going to have a 20 X 2 party and theme is going to be 2004. Weird, early aughts fashion, a MySpace Top 8 photo booth, Garden State and/or Jackass playing in the background, a playlist swinging wildly from Usher's Yeah to the Shrek soundtrack. This feels like the dumbest decade for a theme, but I am SO excited!
I turn 40 this month too. Iāve contemplated how to celebrate, but the email and comments encouraged me to make a plan. A friend chose to have sex every day for 40 days leading up to her 40th birthday. š«£āŗļø She raved about how amazing it was for her and for their marriage. But my hubby works 8/14 nights so that seemed unrealistic.
My husband is very introverted and party planning would be stressful (and honestly prob not turn out great). I have a history of not taking care of myself (to an extreme of seizures caused by stress and exhaustion) and Iāve been learning to do better these last couple of years (without feeling guilty). So this is a perfect opportunity to practice self care. What will make me feel happy, special, rested, loved? I donāt care about a big deal celebration but I want it to be sweet. My hubby works my birthday weekend so we will do a lunch date before he goes back while the kids are at school. Pizza on my birthday (always a splurge with our budget and a family our size) so thatās special to not have to cook. I will probably bake whatever Iām in the mood for because I enjoy baking if Iām not cooked-out. Then a family celebration on his next work break complete with favorite desserts I am ORDERING (never done before bc SPLURGE! but I am worth it!). I made a specific gift list and gave myself permission to buy anything I donāt receive. Itās just a few reasonable things that I value, and I donāt need others to understand or value them too. Iām learning to be clear in my expectations and communication and then not take it personally if I donāt get the response I hoped for. I can take care of myself.
I hate I missed the "Ruby Jubilee" detail when I turned 40...Ruby is my birthstone, what a great opportunity for a theme!
Iāll be 45 this year. Itās the great awakening when you realize the body is slowly puttering but the heart and the mind are growing. Why does the container have to get so weak and wobbly (donāt come at me exercise experts - yāallās bodies are weaker too) but the control center become better equipped to be human? Everyday I wake up and I feel a ālittle less lostā and I like who I am about 99.9% more than I did 20 years ago. I love my 40s, but I still cry over collagen production loss and plantar fasciitis. Happy Ruby Jubilee, you beautiful woman you! Maybe we could run a race together? I can hear the announcer...āComing around the last turn, looking strong as they limp in...here comes weak ankles and planters fasciitis! Theyāre gonna finish just a hair in front of our IBS and rheumatoid team!ā
I turn 40 this May! I debated renting out the nearest skating rink for all my friends and fam, and DJāing all our elementary-high school favorites. Then someone mentioned the amount of potential injuries š
I might get a photographer friend to do my 40th cake smash. Ya know, get super dressed up, get lemon bars, red velvet cupcakes, and a tiramisu, and eat them on the floor under a balloon arch while she snaps the pics.
I turned 40 this past December. As a single woman & in-between jobs (aka broke), I wanted to do something to celebrate but couldnāt afford a big trip or anything fancy. So I talked with a couple of my good friends, and we decided to throw me a party with me designing the evening just how Iād want it. Iāve never been married, so I decided this would kind of be my party in lieu of that. I told my party-planning friends I wanted friends from various, unrelated parts of my life invited, food I could eat (thank you, food allergies), games & kidās activities, music & dancing, and, most importantly to me, a table with second-hand books I love & want to share with others. Everyone could take a book (or two or three) as a memento of the night. We had the party at a friendsā apartment party room, the cakes were made my friends, and the food was from a local Mexican restaurant. It was low-key & cheap in many respects, but I had so much fun.
Celebrate every day! Happy birthday Erin! Your 40's are magical! And so are your 50's! It's when you start living life on your terms. And learn that life is short and there's just no sense at all in putting things off until you...what? Grow more courageous or confident? Have more time? Do all the things and celebrate every little thing! I know you will celebrate all month and your 40's will be epic!
Erin, my baby sister turns 40 this month as well on the 25th! Her bff and I are throwing her a unicorn themed party! I canāt wait! Complete with an over the top unicorn birthday cake, a photo booth and propsā¦.heck, I even did lantern lightsš¦š¦
I'll be 40 in March of 2024, so taking lots of notes at all these amazing ideas. I think my dream would be an outdoor vacation with just my husband with lots of hiking and amazing food, and in the evening we'd binge all the shows we've been too tired to watch lately in our cozy mountain cabin.
Iāll be 37 this year, so a few years to 40, but after reading these comments I am infinitely more excited to be 40 than I was to be 30. My 30s have been the best decade so far, by far, but if it just keeps getting better then I am here for that.
Also my birthday is in July, so my birthstone is the ruby, so I think Iāll be referring to every birthday as my ruby jubilee for the rest of forever.
{also #2 this is my first lil swipes comment after being a lurker for so very long. hooray for me stepping out of my comfort zone and joining in things.)
For my 40th, my husband invited my closest friends who live far away to come for the weekend, and he asked my besties to send me a note or video of love/encouragement. Now almost 2 years into my 40s, I'm finding confidence and contentment I didn't have before. I started taking ballet just this year (my previous ballet experience was like a year or two when I was 6 or 7). I'm the oldest person in my classes (and the least, shall we say, skinny), but I'm LOVING it! I feel like I'm just learning how to take myself less seriously and find things that bring me joy without feeling guilty about it.
I LOVE THIS EMILY!
Your all caps comment just made my weekend!
When I turned 40, I threw a big birthday party for myself. Had a blast! I should do it again when I turned 70 in a few years
I think that's where my head's at. Just gonna go all out.
Yes!! Turning 60 in June & really EXCITED about itā¦ yet always feel guilty spending $$ on myself, esp in this inflation-crazy time. And who to include, am I being selfish asking people to come to a party?
Annnnnd ya knowā¦ a good friend lost her battle with cancer last year. Just after her 56th birthday. And I was very sick last year, hospitalized, PT after, scary. So the party is on, friends. Not sure what it will be & who even WANTS to come, yet life is A GIFT !! Erin, YOU CELEBRATE YOU! And Susan, 70 is gonna look great on you!!
The 40s are the best. For my 40th, I did a two week road trip with a friend from North Carolina all the way up to Maine. It was amazing. I set a goal to see all 50 states by the time I turn 50, so I was able to cross a lot off the list.
This is such a fun idea, Kristin!
Hooray for 40! š
40 is when I stopped caring what other people thought of me and started living my life on MY terms! Itās a fun decade! But go easyā¦things twist and break much easier than they used too. Two weeks before my 40th birthday I threw my back out getting up off the couch. My brother told me it was my welcome to 40 gift.š
Also, if you donāt yet have some mysterious ailment, one will be assigned to you shortly.š¤Ŗ
How come I got many mysterious ailments?!
Cuz you wanna be like mešš. I felt great in my 40āsā¦ 50ās have been a WHOLE NEW BALL GAMEšš. And itās God lil reminder how much we need him & each otherš¤
Forty is awesome! For my fortieth birthday, we sent the kids to my mother in law's, invited three other couples over, and made sushi together. One of the guys brought (illegal) fireworks, so at the end we all went into our cul-de-sac and set off a couple fireworks and floating lanterns. It was my best birthday ever. I'm still riding the high from that, and I'm 46.
That sounds magical, Heidi!