the countdown

One month from today I will turn 30.  Yayy!  I know that you might think that I am a little crazy to be excited about that but I am honestly really looking forward to this next decade.  The older that I get the more my confidence grows and the better a woman I become so what is there not to be excited about?

It is kind of a funny thing to think about because one of my earliest memories is being at my Mom's 30th birthday party (I would have been 3 at the time).  While it makes me a little bit sad to not be able celebrate this milestone with a child of my own, I trust God's timing and will continue to relish this time that I have with just my man.

Speaking of time lets check in on some of my goals:

Already accomplished:
1.  Dye my hair brown
3.  Become conversational in Spanish
21.  Stop biting my nails
25.  Host a dinner
27.  Establish a weekly family tradition  

In process:
6.  Get approved for a home mortgage (the papers are flying)
8.  Finish our wedding book (just have to hit the "order" button - don't know why I have trigger jitters)
11.  Lose 10lbs (3lbs to go - I can do 3lbs in four weeks right?)
19.  Sew a piece of clothing (started on it this weekend - I think I am going to love it!)
28.  Refurbish a piece of furniture (supplies are on hand just need a free sunny day)

Probably not going to happen:
7.  Take a cooking class
10.  Take guitar lessons
14.  Buy a "timeless" watch (I've had my eye on this one)
18.  Own a pearl necklace (perfect)

If you would like to see the full list you can find it here.  I'm pretty proud of what I have been able to do in just the last six months.  Although the type A personality in me would like to have everything checked off by my birthday, I have come to the realization that it is probably not going to happen (mostly for financial reasons) and I am ok with that.  I look forward to continuing to set goals well past my 30th birthday.

30 before 30

On June 16, 2012 I will turn 30!

While I am more the type to put things on my "to-do" list only after they have been accomplished (so as to have the pleasure of crossing them off), I do also have a mental list of things that have been nagging at me for awhile but I am always too afraid to admit or follow through on them (for the record I have been trying to dye my hair brown ever since I was about 18 but always chicken out in the stylist's chair).  So, I figured why not put them down on paper . . . er . . . the internet and make them happen in the next six months?

So here it is, my 30 before 30 -

1. Dye my hair brown (seen here)
2. Take a photography class
3. Become conversational in Spanish (check)
4. Learn to cook curr (completed 6/12/12 - used this recipe and it was easy peasy)
5. Sell/throw away/give away everything that we don't use or need! ("everything" might be a strong word but we got rid of most)
6. Get approved for a home mortgage (in process)
7. Take a cooking class
8. Finish our wedding book (2 years later)
9. Update picture frames throughout the apartment (done)
10. Take guitar lessons
11. Loose 10 pounds (we're starting at 145 over here) - (getting close 3lbs to go)
12. Learn to appreciate yogurt (who knows I may end up liking it in the process) (love
13. Bake and decorate a cake from scratch (completed 6/9/12 - used this recipe and got rave reviews)
14. Buy a nice watch
15. Learn to apply liquid eyeliner and then wear it somewhere (done)
16. Find a lipstick that I feel comfortable wearing (my two current favorites)
17. Romance my husband
18. Own a pearl necklace
19. Sew a piece of clothing (got the fabric)
20. Attempt to bake french bread at home (done)
21. Stop biting my nails
22. Make a habit of washing my face at night
23. Cook a meal without using a recipe
24.  Forgive myself for my past "failures"
25.  Host a dinner
26.  Compliment a stranger (apparently this is easier than I thought, I quite enjoy it now)
27.  Establish a weekly family tradition
28.  Refurbish a piece of furniture (coming right up)
29.  Clean out my computer - that means you 7th grade English papers
30.  Throw myself a PARTY!

Some of these things are definitely a little bit more subjective than others but I feel confident that I am capable of making it all happen (I am almost thirty after all - that's practically an adult!)

As accountability I will be updating the blog as they happen (and crossing them off here)

Wish me luck!