Tuesday, January 18, 2011

30 Before 30

Have I mentioned that I'm TOTALLY looking forward to being 40? I know that may sound strange to some people, but I think it will be a fantastic age. I know some fabulous woman who are in their 40's and they have shown me how great it really is. I have nothing to fear.

But in order to get there I have to still live through my 30's. They don't seem all that bad either. But before any of that, I need to finish my 20's. They say 30 is the new 20, so that means I'm basically still a teenager. Hmm. That may explain a lot! Ha!

I like the idea of living a full life. Trying new things and pushing ones self. I love being home with my girls, but sometimes I forget to live outside of the feeding, changing, cleaning, laundry routine. Sometimes I need a purposeful motivation to remember to do other stuff. Fun stuff.

So I created a 30 Before 30 list. These are not resolutions but things that I want to do. Things that are fun, or a challenge, or just sound yummy (a lot of them are food related. You shouldn't be surprised). Some of them are to help me develop a skill, or prove something to myself. But all are things I WANT to do (so there is no marathon running or skydiving here!)

I was going to wait until the 26th to post this list, because then it would be exactly 28 months until my birthday, but then it feels like I have to wait to start on the list until its posted and I'm itching to start. I'll update you on where I'm at with the list as I go. I need to do about one thing a month so if you haven't seen a post about it in a while, kick my butt, okay?

So, here we go.

1 Sew something I can actually wear - Completed with my 50's Apron
2 finish all the Jane Austen books (0/8) (I've started a few times, need to finish!)
3 plant a vegetable garden that actually produces something (hopefully the squirrels and bunnies won't feast on it)
4 cook/bake through a cookbook (I haven't picked one yet. I'll take suggestions. Either all the recipes if it's small, or 3 from each section if its bigger)
5 Go on an overnight trip without my kids
6 Make a fondant-iced cake
7 make something successful with a candy thermometer
8 Learn Chopin's Minute Waltz on piano
9 Finish the Wilton classes (1/4 done)
10 eat something I've never tried before
11 Go a week without going on-line (0/7) Mark doesn't think I can. He obviously hasn't seen my determination out full force. Ha!
12 Make an entire meal using only food from the farmer's market Completed July 2, 2011, posted about here.
13 Go tobogganing, you know, like in the cold
14 Give blood (haven't been able to since my first donation because I keep having kids!)
15 Go to a spa and have a facial
16 Make ice cream
17 Host a girls dessert night
18 Go berry picking
19 Make care packages for unsuspecting people
20 Finish decorating 3 rooms in my house (help me! I'm decorating challenged)
21 memorize 30 Bible verses
22 Go door to door Christmas carolling (I need some friends to do this with, let me know if you want to!)
23 Take my kids to the Stampede Parade (where does one purchase tickets? I don't want to drag preschoolers downtown at 6am)
24 send homemade birthday cards to my family for a year (0/20)
25 Go see live local music
26 Eat dessert first
27 Build a snowman, you know, outside, in the cold
28 Make really awesome shoeboxes for Samaritan's Purse
29 Do 30 random acts of kindness (big and small) and document them (0/30)
30 Throw myself a hardcore 30th Birthday party!

Do you have a similar list? If so, I want to see it!

10 comments:

  1. Have you heard of Sandi Richard? She does weekly meal planning recipe books - you'd probably be totally in to her!

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  2. Great list, Melanna. Now you've got me adding to mine. I'm not nearly brave enough to post my though. Then I'd actually have to follow through on them!

    At first I thought it was 28 *days* until your birthday and I thought you were quite crazy. Glad to see you're giving yourself more time than that! :)

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  3. Jen, I haven't heard of Sandi Richard. Does she use normal ingredients?

    Leanne, now I want to see your list. You should send it to me. :) And 28 days would be crazy! I would have to do nothing else! Ha!

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  4. I live and die by Sandi Richard - Cooking for the Rushed is my favourite one of her cookbooks. And, yes, she does use normal ingredients. Remember all those yummy meals that people used to comment on that I would bring from left overs to work - yeah, all Sandi Richard! My step-kids think I am a great cook. They still do not understand that without Sandi, it's take out!

    Hey, and I'm in for the Girls Dessert Night and Carolling! (Isn't that nice of me to invite myself! LOL)

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  5. Oh I have seen the cooking for the rushed cookbooks. I just didn't know the author. :)
    Christen, I'll add you to the list of invitees for both parties. When I told Mark that I had carolling on there, but would have to find friends, he didn't think anyone would do it with me. Ha! It might just be the two of us, but hey, that's enough for harmony. Hehe!

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  6. Wow, this is a great list!! some of those could be done pretty easily!! you could always combine your girls dessert night and the fondant cake into one!! and as long as it's not freezing out i will totally come caroling with you! makes me think I need a list but I have less months to go off of!! I think I only have 21 months!!

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  7. Great list! I've got a couple of those on my list too. Can't wait to see how it goes... good luck!

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  8. We should do 13 together...when it snows. I know a really great place downtown for 15. I would also love to find a place to go berry picking (18). And I would also love to go caroling with you (22). An invite to a girls dessert night would also be right up my ally ;)
    Jackie

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  9. There are definitely some things on this list that you have completed. Time for another update! (aka cross off)

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  10. also, we were talking the other day about caroling with our small group... so come join us.

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