Year in Review

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! 

Here are photos from after the Christmas Eve Service and my Christmas Day OOTD:

All is Calm, All is Bright

 

Merry Christmas to all, & to all a goodnight

So this year-- our Christmas Day movie was, Into the Woods, it was incredible! I'm not sure when the Bailey tradition began but for the past few years, on Christmas Day the Baileys go see a movie, the last two were Les Mis and Saving Mr. Banks.

December 26th, mom and I had a marathon of the two Hobbit movies and then on the 27th, we went to see the newest movie, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. It was incredible- I probably cried more than would be expected.

My favorite Christmas gift- Sleeping Beauty phone case

December 28th, my favorite pretty girl turned one. Mom, my sister and I went to Akron for her birthday party.

Since the 16th, time seems to have ceased to make any sense. I genuinely don't even know what day or week it is without my planner and so I've missed a few posts, my bad. But even crazier- it's cliche but another year is coming to an end- the fact that 2014 is over, somehow seems wrong. 

2014, may be my favorite year of my life thus far. I learned you don't always get what you want, and sometimes that's for the best. 22 is easily my favorite age, I met Gavin DeGraw! I had my amazing summer internship at the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio. Sadly, we lost Robin Williams and Joan Rivers this year. We got a dog, my puppy brother, Harry. Amazingly, Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, Taylor Swift, and One Direction came out with new albums. I graduated college and left Akron. I became an alumna of my sorority. I learned you determine the way people treat and you get to decide the type of people that you surround yourself with. I got two new tattoos (the two I've wanted since high school: alis volat propriis & alis grave nil). I say this each year- but I've grown a lot this year. Honestly- wouldn't it be worse if I couldn't say that, change or perish. Growth and change is important and I'm glad I finally learned that change isn't a bad thing. I am a better, happier version of the person I was in January. I learned how to be the person I've always wanted to be. I applied for my dream job, hopefully I'll hear back next week. Whatever happens, God is good and will provide. So I'm just gonna stay happy and not stress about things I have no control over anyways. It's crazy to think that 2015, will be my first year without school, and I'm so excited to see what can happen. 

“I urge you to please notice when you are happy.” — Kurt Vonnegut

When I was younger I had a lot planned for 23- consequently 2015 (marriage, or at least engaged, a home of my own), and I've come to terms that most likely that won't be happening for awhile. It's freeing to accept that you don't have any control in how the plan unfolds and all I can do is go out and experience life...

Now as I wait for 2015, I'm excited to think about all that can happen in a year, 365 days: Good, Bad, and The Ugly, but life endures! 

Happy New Year... almost! 

xoxo

KJB

KJB Does Adulthood

Last weekend* was a big weekend for KJB!

I graduated from The University of Akron on Saturday and there was a Christmas party with my sisters on Sunday.

 

 


Then on Monday, adult life began... I moved out of my sorority house and moved home. Saying goodbye to Akron was a traumatic experience. My first act as an adult come Tuesday, you'll never guess it-- this girl had jury duty! It was definitely an experience, that I get to have again come January 6th, yay me!

So Wednesday and Thursday, I'm not sure what I did- I know I slept a lot which was great because the last two weeks of the semester were rough... Then Friday, I finally ventured away from home with momma and instead of making it to Target and the grocery store, I got two tattoos. Tattoos that I've been wanting and toying with since I was 18, alis volat propriis and alis grave nil, it was spur of the moment and the first time I've gotten a tattoo alone. Friday was also the 5th Annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Party. It's always fun to see friends from childhood and some Akron friends showed up. 

 

The exciting thing about adulthood is while typically I both look forward to and dread my Christmas party- this year when it was over, there wasn't any dread of concern over it being over. Usually I now start to think about Christmas' fast approach and the looming semester, I woke up Saturday feeling free (cause now I can just look forward to my friend's daughter's first birthday)-- so adulthood looks good on me, I am able to sleep more again- my mind is finally resting and I'm just loving life... Check back in January when everyone goes back to work/school and graduation settles into my mind, but for now...

 KJB loves being an adult! Color me shocked! 

“I urge you to please notice when you are happy.” — Kurt Vonnegut

xoxo

KJB

*12/29/14: I have completely lost track of days and weeks, I apologize for being MIA.

KJB's "Christmas Break"

So technically as a college graduate, I don't necessarily have a Christmas break... But my mom is a teacher and obviously my little sister is still in high school- so both of them are on Christmas Break- so I've given myself a Christmas break.

So not only are the people in my family on Christmas break, but after the semester I just had- where the last 2 weeks were probably the most stressful and strenuous of my entire 4 1/2 years college career, and I finished a job application for a job I really, really want- I'm giving myself this time to enjoy this break.

So my Christmas Break has/will consist of:

• Watching YouTube videos
• Sleeping
• Eating
• Tumblr
• Pinterest
• Twitter
• Watching Christmas movies
• Netflix
• Catching up on the shows that I stopped watching this semester/season

I figure once everyone starts back at school in January- I can become a real adult... until then- I'm enjoying this time!

Happy Holidays!

xoxo

KJB

KJB Says See You Later

If you had asked me when I was a freshman how I felt about Akron, I would not have had nice things to say... At this time 4 1/2 years ago, right before Christmas break, I had decided not to transfer closer to home. But now at 22 years old and a recent college graduate, 12/13/14, I can honestly say that I love Akron and that I am leaving a proud alumna.

For the past 3 semesters, I have had the pleasure of living in the "prettiest house on campus" and I'm going to greatly miss it; the walks to class, my fabulous bed, my room with the perfect view, and the too perfect for words Alpha Gam couch:

 

For 2 of my 3 years my sorority gave me the very best roommates I could've asked for:

Life is found/lived at the end of your comfort zone. My time in Akron has been just that. First, I moved 2 1/2 hours away, then the friends I thought I had made the first two years in the dorms- turned out to be anything but that. So I left my comfort zone and joined my sorority:

The girl that I met on freshman orientation day, somehow became my life line and grand supreme best friend, without her I would be utterly and completely lost:

The girl I met at random on Preference Night became my other half:

A beautiful girl from the inside, out became my Ride or Die:

A girl I sat down to talk to on a whim at a Recruitment event at Starbucks became, my little my perfect one and only:

                      

 

 My first roommate and 2 quasi-roommates still manage to keep me sane and always laughing, 3 years and counting:

The girl, who've I've known longer as an alum than I did as an active. My tv companion, the girl who no matter what can get my anxiety and irrationalities in line: 

My adventure buddies, down for anything- be that a Saturday adventure or laying on the couch watching Frozen on repeat, playing Pinterest and "Look Who I Went to High School With" on Facebook; the kind of friends that want a "candid" laughing photo- and that's exactly what they get, with 15 minutes of genuine laughter:

                          

The kind of friends I always wanted and never knew I needed but would be completely lost without them:

The girl who swears more than anyone I know, and taught me it's okay to be passionate about important topics and that if you mean what you say- you can say whatever you feel:

My sarcastic, partner in crime, full of life & love & jokes:

 

The pretty, pretty princess that loves sitting in the dark and watching Jason DeRulo videos while looking on Tumblr and Pinterest wedding boards and talking nail polish and painting our nails:

 

 

My first beautiful secret squirrel:

My beautifully perfect Alpha Gam family continued on by the most wonderfully perfect people imaginable:

The only girls to truly understand my Taylor Swift obsession:

My three perfect legacies from my time as a Rho Gamma:

A best friend that taught me life is about more than a plan. Things don't always happen as you would want them to or as you imagined them but we are capable of absolutely anything. I was given the opportunity to spend time with her and her daughter and grow up along the way:

 

THE Be All End All of Pledge Classes, Fall '11:

 

When Carrie moves to Paris, in the series finale of Sex and the City, she says, "Today, I had a thought: What if I had never met you?" It's almost too painful and unimaginable to even fathom but as I pack up and set out on my way, with Akron in my rearview mirror I know that these people among so many more taught me how to be myself and 100% comfortable in my skin. 

Akron, this place, this time in my life will always hold a special place in my heart. I can say unequivocally these people are the loves of my life. Come hell or high water, these people will be here for me and I will be there for them. I am so glad to say that I am an Akron Zip. 

Close beside Cuyahoga’s waters, Stream of amber hue,
O’er old Buchtel Summit’s glory, Waves the gold and blue.
Hail we Akron! Sound her praises, Speed them on the gale,
Ever stand our Alma Mater, Akron hail, all hail!

Staying when all I wanted to do was leave is one of my proudest moment. You can't move forward while looking back, while it's bittersweet to be leaving college, I'm excited to see what this BIG WORLD has in store for me. So while this is the most kick ass chapter yet, it's time to turn the page and see what's next. 

It's the end of the beginning, and the start of something new.

xoxo

KJB

To grow up would be an awfully big adventure