48

Each year for my birthday, I post an annual birthday photo… and on Friday I celebrated turning 48. But this photo is a little different than previous years…

This year on my birthday, I had a fun pinup photo shoot with Atomic Cheesecake! Longtime readers may remember my first pinup shoot from when I was 40 (you can find it here). Well, a month or so before my birthday, the photographer opened up some additional slots for an amazing background I had been drooling over. It was giving screen siren + gorgeous black widow + a sprinkle of Taylor Swift’s showgirl era. And she had a slot open on my birthday, so I figured WHY NOT!

And that is the energy I’m bringing to 48.

“WHY NOT” energy. Bad mamba-jamba energy. Owning myself energy. Get in my way and I’ll run you over energy. Down with the patriarchy energy.

Last year, I said that I felt change coming. It was too early to say in writing then, but I had interviewed for my new job and was excited for the switch. I’ve been loving the new company and it feels so great to be appreciated for my work. I also enjoy the work-life balance of having a mostly remote position.

Also in last year’s post, I said:

I want to spend my energy on people and activities that ‘fill my cup’ and focus less on the unbalanced relationships in my life. And travel. Of course. Traveling with Travis and Jack absolutely fills my cup and I hope to have the opportunity to explore more places this year.

And YES TO THIS again. Yes to this always. Life is for living and I feel most like I’m living my life when I’m exploring new places and having new adventures with the people I love.

If you feel like doing a little clicking, here are my previous birthday posts: 47, 46, 45, 44, 43, 42, 41, 40, 39, 38, 37, and 36.

Empty’s: September 2025

A few years ago, I started a series called “Empty’s” where I revisit an item after it’s been used long term, and decide whether I want to repurchase it.

You can find my previous posts here:

Here are the items in my Empty’s bin today:

Eclat Vitamin C Serum (find it here)

I checked my Amazon orders and I started using this Vitamin C serum in October 2022 and have purchased it 10 times since then. I love this serum, it’s easy to purchase on Amazon and depending on the day it costs between $9 – $12. I use this daily in the morning (cleanse, then CosRx snail serum, then this, then moisturizer). This one is a forever reorder for me.

Naked and Thriving Renew Resurfacing Night Serum (find it here)

I purchased this serum almost exactly a year ago and just used the last dregs in the bottle. I was influenced by Instagram for this purchase and was convinced that it would be a hero product… but it was just… fine. The consistency was fine, the smell was nice, but I didn’t notice it doing ANYTHING to my face. Other than costing me $69. I will not be reordering this one.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream (find it here)

I’ve been using this cream pretty consistently since February 2023 and just finished my latest tub. I like this product because it goes on nice and thick, but then soaks right into my skin rather than making me feel sticky. While I do like this cream, I’m going to hold off on reordering it at this time for a couple reasons. First, the pump sucks. It only works for maybe a quarter of the tub and then you have to unscrew it and dip your hand in to get the lotion. Second, it has no scent. Which is great if you don’t like scents. But my Palmers Cocoa Butter smells delicious AND works well, so I’ll be using that for a while.

Disclosure: Not sponsored. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that clicking on a link may help me earn a small commission at no cost to you.

Healthcare Provider Switch: Tips to Make it Less Stressful

2025 has been a year of much needed changes on the medical front. Over the past six months, I’ve moved our whole family to a new dental practice, and after more than a decade with the same primary care doctor (Travis went there too!), I finally decided I’d had enough of that office’s endless incompetence and jumped ship.

Here’s the thing about switching healthcare providers: even if you end up loving the new place, the process is still a giant pain in the butt. There are forms to fill out, records to hunt down, and a million little details you don’t realize you’ll need until someone asks for them. Totally worth it once you’re settled, but actually making the change? That part takes work.

Through this process, I’ve learned some tricks to make it less stressful:

Tip 1: Don’t Forget Your Insurance Card

Sounds obvious, right? However, our health insurance companies no longer send physical cards and you need to have the app to access them. This can be kind of a pain when the doctor’s office is in a dead-zone and the app won’t load. For me, I screenshot the benefits card I need so that it’s ready to go.

Tip 2: Bring a Medication List

Write down every single prescription, over-the-counter med, and supplement you take, including dosages and how often you take them. When the nurse asks, you can just hand over the sheet instead of scrambling to remember if your vitamin D is 1,000 or 2,000 IU. EVERY TIME I do this, it is very much appreciated.

Tip 3: Keep an Appointment & Surgery History

Before your first visit, jot down the dates of key appointments from the past year, including mammogram, dermatologist check, eye exam, whatever applies. That way you’re not scrolling through your phone trying to remember when you last had a mole check. Same goes for the dentist: when switching to a new provider having your last cleaning date handy makes it easy to schedule the next one without risking an insurance overlap.

Tip 4: Bring a Questions List

Some intake visits might feel rushed, or you may just get nervous or distracted while you’re filling out a million forms. If you have anything you want to make sure to discuss, write it down so you don’t forget. Bonus tip: if you’re seeing a specialist, bring relevant info with you. I’m currently keeping a food diary so that I have it ready for when my allergist appointment comes up.

Healthcare transitions rarely feel seamless, but a little prep work makes a big difference. Once you have everything gathered, you can focus on the reason for your visit instead of fumbling through your phone trying to fill in the blanks.