With summer comes GUESTS and I for one am typically an unprepared guest. It’s inevitable that I’ve either forgotten my toothbrush or been cleaned out of products by TSA due to absentminded carry-on packing.  So I very much appreciate a well stocked guest room.  It’s nice to offer your guests a space of their own that is complete with every little thing they might need without having to ask for it.

It’s not hard to set up an impressive guest room- comfy sheets, space for luggage and good lighting.  In addition, setting up a little basket or tray of goodies and useful items that your guests may have forgotten or need makes a HUGELY good impression.  Here are my must haves for a guest room- travel sized items feel individual and special and can be picked up at Sephora, a drugstore or swiped from a hotel room! I have a drawer full of fancy travel size shampoos and lotions I like to set out for guests!

1. Hair elastics 2.Travel size of my fave facewash 3. Travel size body lotion 4. I feel like a jerk getting mascara on guest towels- place a black makeup towel with a fresh bath towel for them 5. An interesting read 6. I love these adorable kits for sleep trouble, headaches and cuts 7. Mini shaving cream for him or her 8. A razor (also for him or her) 9. A fancy travel size toothpaste 10. Great shampoo and conditioner 11. Mini Tide stick 12. Disposable wooden tootbrushes labeled “guest” 13. Travel dry shampoo and hairspray 14. Sewing kit with safety pin and button 15. Tiny bottle of Crease Release spray for wrinkled clothes 16. Travel candle in a clean scent 17. Mini relaxation balm for unwinding after stressful travel 18. A welcome gift like these tiny chocolate mice with silk tails 19. A big tray to keep everything on (easy to hide under the bed when guests are not coming!) 20. Nail scissors 21. A carafe filled with ice water (add lemon and fresh mint to take it over the top).

Another really nice offering is a mini Keurig on the dresser and coffee, tea and mugs so that they can make a fresh cup of coffee in the morning without having to get dressed and bother you for it (or a lesson in how to use whatever machine you have).  A happy guest is a good guest!

1. Assortment of sweetners and individual creamers  2. Mini- Keurig  3. Mugs  4. Coffee pods  5. Assorted teas

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1) “Why is the music so damn loud in here???”

2) “What, is this dress cut for toddlers??”

3) “This needs to be looser”

It used to be the case that these are the phrases that I would only hear when out shopping with my mother– from my mother.  But now all of the sudden I am saying them!

THEN  I was backing out of my driveway the other day and almost ran over an entire family when I caught the sight of, like, 30 new grey hairs sprouting out of my head. Evil, wiggly things! GAH!

And finally I went to the doctor and was smacked upside the head by the knowledge that I am 1/2″ shorter than I thought (am I shrinking??) and 8 pounds heavier!  Could my metabolism be shutting down at 33??? No more mindless hummus and chips???

No, seriously, what is happening?  I feel like the aging process went from 0 to 60 in a matter of 6 months and now all I want for my impending birthday is to have a bunch of lasers pointed at my face to help erase all these ridiculous sun spots that are multiplying like friggin’ rabbits despite the SPF 2,500 I wear now.  I am pretty sure my mom warned me about this when I was a 16 year old lifeguard slathering on OIL and baking in the sun 8 hours a day. Why didn’t I listen????

It’s so strange to watch yourself change in this way, and I know this is child’s play compared to what’s to come, but you also couldn’t PAY me to be 21 again.  No thank you. I was one of those weird people who did not like college and felt kind of lost and tortured in my early 20′s.  Although I still feel unsure of a lot of things, time and life has given me a more solid ground to stand on and understanding of myself.  I can only assume (and hope) that that only grows with age along with a greater acceptance of one’s self.  Like Sally O’Malley. She’s my role model.

This whole recognition of getting older thing just means it’s time to be more diligent about taking care of myself and knowing that confidence and happiness is the best beauty treatment there is (#besideslasers). Because no cream is gonna do it. And fighting it tooth and nail is like trying to staple jello to the ceiling. Pointless. I’m a little less scared of cutting my hair for fear that men only like long hair (I got a man and he better like my hair whichever way) and a little MORE scared of everyone’s health and making sure I do something important and real in this life. It’s a re-balancing of concerns and desires, I suppose.

How about all of you??? Anyone else feeling like they have entered a long term relationship with Father Time?