Lifestyle creep n. A situation where people’s lifestyle or standard of living improves as their discretionary income rises either through an increase in income or decrease in costs. As lifestyle creep occurs, and more money is spent on lifestyle, former luxuries are now considered necessities. [via]

Setting: birthday trip to Turks & Caicos
Scenario: Josh paid American Airlines $88, each? together? I don’t know, to have Priority Boarding in Group 1. With these seats you also get extra legroom, but the main objective was to board the plane with plenty of empty overhead space for our bags. I DO NOT CHECK BAGS. This became a slight issue on our European vacation when we had to gate check our bags from DC to Boston before going abroad. Josh, at that time, attempted to buy first class tickets on the US Airways shuttle just so we had overhead bin space. Those seats were sold out.

Josh: Those Priority Boarding seats were great. We should just go ahead and upgrade to those in the future from now on.
Me: Lifestyle creep!

Setting: birthday trip to Turks & Caicos
Backstory: I thought I had posted this story on the blog before, but all I have is this birthday post photo (oy, ignore the image sizing issues) of Josh holding one of the precious M&Ms. In 2005, Josh and I took a trip to San Antonio. I wanted to eat the M&Ms from the minibar, but Josh was insistent that the hotel would have a vending machine where we could purchase cheaper candy. They did not, and they were not entertained by our efforts to save money and not spend quadruple price on a minibar bag of M&Ms. This was sort of an epic battle for two people who had been dating for mere weeks at the time. There was stubbornness on both sides, but finally he broke down to let me have the candy.
Scenario: We are getting ready to go out for my birthday dinner, but were going to open gifts in the room first.

Me: Hey! Why don’t you call down to room service and have a bottle of champagne brought up so we can enjoy it while opening gifts?
Josh: Great idea!
*Calls down, has bottle delivered, let’s me open it, drinks it with me. Next day, our bill for our stay at the Regent Palms arrives*
Me: Um, why didn’t you tell me that the bottle of champagne was $121 delivered?
Josh: Yeah, it was that much, with tip.
Me: And you didn’t stop me? You didn’t question this?
Josh: No.
Me: Wow, we have come a long way from that bag of M&Ms.

Things about being an adult that are awesome:

When surveying your apartment three days prior to the arrival of weekend guests, you realize your apartment isn’t going to clean itself (it’s also an off week for the maids). Instead of spending hours you (or your husband) don’t have cleaning, you open up your computer and wallet and book a hotel for that overnight guest two blocks down the street from your apartment.

The toilet can stay dirty and you can sleep in.

Team McJohnson: throwing money at our “problems” since 2011.

One day in 10th grade, I didn’t blowdry my hair before going to school. I specifically remember waiting to get into chemistry class, and Joy Hart said to me “Someone used rollers this morning!” Nope. It’s just my natural hairdo.

One year in college, I asked for a hair straightener for Christmas and occasionally wore my hair straight. I have not done this at all since 2006. So the above is my daily look, that I maintain now by getting cuts at a salon specifically for curly haired girls and purchasing the expensive salon quality products.

Given my lack of patience and skill with a round brush and hairdryer, I have wanted to try out the Drybar forever. I’m also a sucker for cute branding and any beauty concept that has a gimmick. I decided to trek to the Georgetown location for a blowout before Justice Ginsburg’s 80th birthday party.

I booked the appointment online about a month in advance, but given our current hectic schedule, I didn’t get around to looking up the exact address until the night before. This is when I realized that by “Georgetown”, this location was in more “Georgetown University” territory and not the more accessible M Street Georgetown shopping district. Thankfully, the bus stops right in front of the salon. I made it from the Metro in Virginia all the way up Wisconsin Ave. in about 45 minutes on a Saturday.

My stylist (whose name I forgot) and I did not go over the Drybar menu. We basically discussed that I wanted it to be straight with volume at the roots. I have two cowlicks that make it hard for my hair to lay completely flat against my head.

The picture on the left is about halfway through the session, when my stylist left to get more product. The right is as I was leaving the salon. I’m not wearing makeup in either photo.

Here I am all dressed up, posing in the bathroom of the gym at my office. This is also the same place I got dressed for the Easter Vigil the week before. It’s my little pied-à-terre in the District.

Outfit details:

Dress – French Connection, purchased at Mint Condition NWT $29
Shoes – Kate Spade, purchased at Marshalls $99
Jewelry – eBay, purchased and worn at our wedding
Lipstick – Nars satin lip pencil in Yu

Every year, the Justice has a reunion for her clerks from her entire judicial career. Usually, it is a family picnic type event. But this year, Justice Ginsburg turned 80 and chambers (with the help of her family) organized a sit down dinner and small concert in her honor held at the Supreme Court.

I wish the photo on the left turned out better; I think it captures the ‘do best. The photo on the right is at the end of the night. We both look a bit tired and I, a little bloated.

My outfit was ever-so-slightly too dressy for the occasion, but I still came in third for best dressed in the unofficial poll behind the Justice and Darcy Miller, Editorial Director of Martha Stewart Weddings (her husband, Andy, clerked for the Gins). Josh’s female co-workers said I looked “hot”, which is the curse of curly haired girls. We don’t always look “hot” with our hair in its natural state. Cute, maybe (hopefully?), but it doesn’t come across as sexy. Or maybe, it’s just hot to switch up styles occasionally.

Next switch-up: blonde?! #40before40list

I went to the gynecologist on Monday.

Sidenote: At work, we had to create a new paralegal schedule. So in true B&K fashion, we all went to lunch to hash it out. My co-worker brought a printed copy of her May Google Calendar that ended up being our drawing board. It was mostly blank except for one very important appointment: GYNO. Now we joke that everyone has to add their annual exam to a shared public calendar to make sure we all go to the doctor.

The last time I went to the doctor was November 2011. I thought I should get in now with our current insurance before Josh’s job ends. When I called to make the appointment, the woman on the other end said that they are now suggesting every two years for an appointment if you are healthy without any concerns. But wait! I have concerns! Like, shouldn’t I be having a baby soon? (soon = next five years)

I first asked this question of my doctor when I was 26. She said she would like to see me try by 33 or 34, but wasn’t too concerned about it. I now have a new gynecologist, and he was like “Eh, sometime this millennium?” No, seriously. Because he went on to discuss how one of his patients that day was 41 years old having her first child, and that was fine with him. We did go over all the facts about having a baby later: eggs are older, it might take longer to get pregnant, risks like diabetes go up. But he really was cool with me waiting until 35 or 36 to have a first child.

That’s OVER five years from now.

That bit above is just the biological aspect of having a baby. This is pretty widely known, but Josh and I are not sure if we want to have children. Or, more to the point, we don’t want to be parents. Just yet (or maybe ever). A parent is someone who helps a young person grow up into a smart, sophisticated adult and supports them through everything. The commitment is for a lifetime.

I still buy clothes at the Gap knowing full well I’m returning something in the bag when I walk out of the store. You can’t return a baby.

Josh has asked that we not have children in the next couple of years, mainly coinciding with his next career move. And I’m actually really excited about that. We have a list of places to travel and adventures to take. Not to mention, I’m looking forward to some personal adventures once Josh has completed his Triple Crown of Clerking™. And this is where my focus should be. I just need a little help focusing on the things I want to accomplish because it seems like babies can wait.

I was not this calm about motherhood a few short months ago and freaked out. Some of the reasons I freaked out (money, education, the universe) are worth exploring more. I may revisit this topic here, because I feel like there are a lack of voices on the Internet of women who are pretty content with just being young and married.

Confidential to Mum:

Happy Mother’s Day!

As I mentioned in my Thirty Before Thirty recap, Mum and Dad visited at the end of April to see one of the last Oral Arguments of OT2012. Because of Josh’s work schedule (or life schedule at this point), the three McMahons spent the majority of the weekend together.

We went to the Newseum (as seen above) where I enjoyed my favorite museum passtime, pressing a penny:

We went to the Zoo:

And, it wouldn’t be a McMahon vacation without eating:

No visit this spring was complete without a chance to dunk like Mike:

All photos can be found here.