It's crazy to me that my big brother is officially 30 years old. Part of me feels like he's still a 13 year-old singing karaoke to Nirvana's "All Apologies" at the roller rink, and then another part of me is surprised that he's only 30, because he exudes maturity and wisdom that is so far beyond his years. Bro, don't let that go to your head, even if it is the truth ;)

Seriously though, I am extremely blessed to have Adam as an older brother. We're different in a lot of ways - where he's more comfortable having a few close-knit friends, I love being around large groups. He can play multiple instruments (I suppose it's necessary when you're a music teacher!), but I can't so much as read one line of sheet music. He's impeccably neat and organized, whereas I struggle to make the bed on a daily basis. In spite of our differences, our personalities sync so perfectly at times that there's no denying we're siblings. We share the same sense of humor, and I have Adam to thank for my passion for music. It's true that we can't choose our family, but I'm so lucky because I like mine - and my brother is one of my closest friends.

Since no major birthday is complete without some teasing, I thought it'd be fun to post some old photos. Luckily for Adam, the mass majority of my photos are still home in NH, so these snapshots I took of some scrapbook pages will have to suffice! Adam took a liking to me the day I was born because I gave him a special He-Man action figure. Look at that smile! This is proof that, yes, his name was my first word. Highlights here include Dad's moustache, Adam's '90s outfits, the giant balloon heart, and my chubby stature:

People are often surprised when I mention that the mass majority of my friends from Emerson College in Boston, MA have wound up out here in LA. This is largely attributed to Emerson's LA internship program and the fact that many graduates wish to pursue a career in entertainment. Whatever their reason is for migrating, I feel so lucky to have such a strong network of creative minds out here on the west coast! My friend Maggie Dillon is one such person - she is an incredibly talented makeup artist who approached me several months back about working together on a fun, collaborative photo shoot. We spent the day at Maggie's apartment drinking mimosas, eating treats, laughing, playing dress-up, and creating a number of different setups with a bunch of our friends. Here are some of my favorite photos from our whimsical day!