It’s an exciting day here at MWLS. Would you believe that it’s my 40th birthday? So, in honor of this milestone, here are 40 fun (and entirely random) facts about me as I celebrate turning 40.
40 Fun Facts About Me To Celebrate Turning 40
Let’s party like it’s 1983. The year the first mobile phone was introduced, Sally Ride became the first woman in space, and Cabbage Patch Dolls were all the rage.
Do you remember those? I know I had a few!
It also happens to be the year that I was born. Yep! Today I am the big 4-0. So, In honor of this milestone, I wanted to share some fun (albeit random) facts about myself with you.
So, let’s dive in and get to know the person behind the blog a bit better with 40 fun facts about me as I celebrate turning 40.
My Midwest Roots
1. I was born and raised in Nebraska and have lived here my whole life. I love the people, the culture, and the pace of life here in the Midwest, and I can’t imagine ever moving anywhere else.
2. Today is also the 3rd anniversary of Midwest Life and Style! I intentionally launched this site on my birthday, so I would never forget my blog-iversary. (You can read more about the day I launched my blog HERE.)
3. I dream about someday buying my grandparent’s 1800s farmhouse in Iowa and restoring it.
4. Some of my favorite childhood memories are of summers spent on that same farm helping my grandma shell peas and my grandpa pick sweet corn straight from his patch. There is nothing better in the summer than fresh-picked corn. (If you know, you know!)
5. In high school, I worked as a tour guide at a historic flour mill in my hometown.
6. I love genealogy and learning about my family’s history.
7. Which more than likely explains my love affair with vintage and antique decor. (If you like decorating with vintage decor too, check out my post with tips on the 15 best things to buy at vintage flea markets.)
8. My passion for cooking and baking comes from my momma…and many years spent participating in 4-H.
9. We live in the suburbs, but I’m really a small-town girl at heart. I hope to buy an acreage someday.
10. I like to watch college sports, and my favorite team is the Huskers. (Go Big Red!)
My Favorite (And Not So Favorite) Things
11. Diet Dr. Pepper is my guilty pleasure.
12. Fall is my favorite season…but I truly love them all. (Well, maybe minus winter.)
13. I don’t care much for beer or wine, but I’m all about a good cocktail like a double berry blended daiquiri.
14. My favorite holiday is Christmas followed closely by the 4th of July.
15. If I could only eat one meal for the rest of my life it would be my mom’s roast with homemade noodles and mashed potatoes.
16. My favorite flavor of ice cream is cookies and cream. A close second is the “Favorite Day” brand monster cookie ice cream from Target.
17. I prefer my coffee with a lot of creamer. Sugar-free caramel macchiato is my current fave.
18. The radio in my car is always set to a classic rock station. I love music from the 60s and 70s and am convinced I was born in the wrong decade.
19. I’m most definitely not a morning person.
20. I don’t like most seafood, but I love anything with shrimp in it like this cheesy shrimp dip…it’s to die for!
Did You Know…
21. I’ve broken four bones in my lifetime, including my left arm twice.
22. I’m an introvert at heart and value quality time spent with my family and close friends.
23. I’m the queen of starting a project and not finishing it! I’m embarrassed to admit the number of half-done projects around our home right now.
24. I think it’s acceptable to listen to Christmas music year-round. (Although my husband, Kirk, strongly disagrees.)
25. I have a sweet tooth and can never pass up an opportunity to indulge in dessert. If you’re a fellow dessert lover, you can check out some of my favorite sweet treats HERE.
26. Kirk and I met at an intramural flag football game in college. I don’t know if you would say it was love at first sight, but I was pretty smitten.
27. I earned a bachelor of arts degree with a major in psychology and a minor in history.
28. I also studied sign language and finished two credits short of earning a second minor.
29. My first job out of college was as a store manager at Target. That experience convinced me that everyone should work in the service industry at least once in their life.
30. I enjoy exploring small towns and discovering hidden gems off the beaten path.
More About Jen: The Wife And Momma Behind the Blog
31. The beach and the mountains are my happy place. Ironically enough, we have neither here in Nebraska.
32. My husband, Kirk, has two brothers, so I always thought I would be a boy mom. Imagine my surprise when we ended up with TWO girls instead.
33. I am the only person in my family (including my parents, sister, and husband) who is not a teacher.
34. Kirk and I have been married for over 16 years, and together for more than 20.
35. Peonies are my favorite flower and were part of my wedding bouquet.
36. I don’t know what I would do without my planner…or sticky notes. Lots and lots of sticky notes!
37. I can’t sew or iron to save my life. Thank goodness for the steam setting on the dryer, and my hubby who can iron with the best of them.
38. I’m a big homebody. I would much rather enjoy a romantic date night in than go out and be surrounded by a crowd of people.
39. I am always cold. You’ll often see me sporting a sweatshirt and fuzzy socks even in the middle of summer.
40. The first three years of this blogging adventure have blessed me with some of the most wonderful friends and amazing opportunities. I can’t wait to see what the next three years have in store!
40 Fun Facts About Me To Celebrate Turning 40
And that, my friends, is it! 40 fun and random facts about yours truly to celebrate turning 40. I hope you enjoyed getting to know a bit more about me.
And now, it’s your turn. I’d love to know more about you, so drop a comment below to say hi and share where you are checking in from.
Xo,
P.s. don’t forget…If you are catching up on blog posts you may have missed, be sure to sign-up to get all of the latest recipes, DIYs, decor tips, and more sent straight to your inbox.
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Yes, to numbers 22 & 23! I’m a starter, not a finisher…takes too much patience. Fun to learn more about you, Jen. Happy 40th year!
I’m glad to know I’m not the only one!😉 Maybe this summer I’ll start to work on getting some of those unfinsihed projects done….maybe.
So fun to learn all those facts about you. We have so much in common, I too was a 4H girl, love shrimp, but not much other seafood and adore the beach and mountains. The only thing we dont share is our age, LOL! I would go back to 40 anyday. The forty’s and fifty’s were great years. Enjoy your beautiful family Jen. I have enjoyed getting to know you.
Thank you, Wendy! How fun that we have so much in common. I’m glad that blogging brought us together!
I have a friend who has a Christmas birthday and we always celebrate on June 35 (a half year party)
My grandma lived in Sutton, Ne. and visited a number of times.
I am a widow for over a year, live on a 360 acre farm by myself (I couldn’t imagine living in a city) have 3 children, 5 grand children and 1 great grandson and another one on the way
My twins were born on June 2. Have a great birthday celebration.
Hi Carol,
Thank you for swinging by to say “hi”. It’s nice to meet you.That is such a fun way to celebrate a birthday. Then they still get a special day and can celebrate Christmas too. I know where Sutton is. What a small world!
Your farm sounds wonderful and just like my grandparents. So many fun memories there. I miss getting to visit it regularly. And congrats on the upcoming arrival of a new great grand baby. How exciting!
A very very happy 40th birthday to you beautiful friend! I loved reading and learning more about you! I think it’s so funny that some of my favorite bloggers are introverts and homebodies at heart and I think that’s why we create some of the coziest spaces! I too love classic rock! Do you like CCR and the Rolling Stones?
Thank you, Nicolle. That does seem to be a common theme, doesn’t it? I think it’s interesting that we are all a bunch of introverted homebodys. And yes! I love CCR, Rolling, Stones, Beatles, REO Speedwagon, Eagles, Journey. Pretty much any music from the decades of the 60s, 70s, and into the 80s is my jam.
It’s nice to find out about the people you read. Hope you had a wonderful birthday!
Thank you, Mary. It was a fun day celebrating with my co-workers and family. Thank you for stopping by to say “hi” I always love to chat with and get to know my readers better.
Such a fun post, Jen!!! I’m thrilled for you and you truly have so much to celebrate! I am so happy that we ‘met’ through this big blogging community. Cheers, my friend!
Thank you, Rachel. I’m so thankful that blogging brought us together. This community is truly the best and I’m grateful for wonderful and supportive friends like you.
Jen I just love you! You make 40 look good and I am so thankful we have met through our blogs. I consider your a life long friend! Kelly
Ps- I am always cold too 😂
Thank you, friend. I am so thankful we met too! I am a firm believer that people come into your life for a reason and I can’t imagine my life without you. Thank you for always being so kind and encouraging and sharing all your knowledge and expertise.
Love you right back! Hope we can catch up over coffee when we visit FoCo in July!
Happy birthday and congrats on your blogiversary!! Loved all the fun facts…I too am a Midwesterner. Born and bred in Chicago. I love Halloween; Thanksgiving comes 2nd. My birthday is on Christmas and being a little selfish, I felt cheated, so it became my least favorite holiday. I agree Christmas music can be played all throughout the year. LOL! Thanks, Jen.
Thank you! I’m so glad you stopped by to say hi. I always enjoy meeting other Midwest friends. Thanksgiving is my husband’s favorite holiday. He loves to roast the turkey and do the whole big sit down meal. And I can totally understand how you would feel that way about Christmas. I have a few friends who have birthdays on/aroud Christmas and I know they have mentioned the same thing.
This was so fun to read Jen! Happy birthday and blogiversary! I too love Christmas & 4th of July and also feel Christmas music can be played all year!!!
Thank you, Heidi. I had a lot of fun writing this post…although it was harder to come up with 40 facts than I thought it would be!😂 I’m glad to know I’m not alone in my love for Chrismas music, too!