Well friends, it's true. I turned 30. I celebrated the much anticipated Golden Birthday. In honor of The Big Day, I am going to review the thirty things I wanted to complete before I turned 30.
30 Before 30
1.
Go on a Hot Air Balloon Ride, completed in July 2012.
I was able to soar 3,000 feet in the air over Asheville, North Carolina. Incredible.
I was able to soar 3,000 feet in the air over Asheville, North Carolina. Incredible.
2.
Take a Photography Class, completed May 2011.
My Dad and I took a course on how to use our DSLRs in full manual mode.
3.
Lose and Keep Off 12 pounds, no progress
As I started this challenge I sprained my ankle and shortly after recovering got pregnant. Battled post-partum depression...and well....I now need to lost closer to 30 pounds. Gulp.
4.
Run a second half marathon, completed Feb, 2011 and April, 2012
I had to walk both due to the issues list above. I give myself full credit, I walked two half marathons!!
5.
Compete in a second Iron Girl or “real” sprint triathlon
See # 3
6.
Run a Muddy Buddy or Warrior Dash type race
See #3
7.
Be Debt Free, completed September 2011
Hell Yeah! Read our week long series on our debt freedom story!
Hell Yeah! Read our week long series on our debt freedom story!
8.
9.
Go to a Dayton-Xavier game as an alum, partial credit
Between the game schedules and my calendar, I could not make it to a game Dayton-Xavier game. Though I did go to a game in Charlotte, NC
10.
Volunteer with the Sisters of Charity twice, no progress
Sadly, I didn't even make the effort. I did think about it but I just couldn't get out of my comfort zone to go.
11.
Actually finish Jane Austen’s Emma, incomplete
11.
Actually finish Jane Austen’s Emma, incomplete
I picked it up a few times, but never made it to the end. I regret not reading more while on bedrest instead of being addicted to playing solitaire on my iPad
12.
Return to Mustard Seed Nicaragua, decided not to
Eric and I had the opportunity to go, but we prayerfully declined. It just something you have to be called to and that's not where we are right now. Some day we will go back there.
13.
Visit Ireland and Scotland, August 2012
Yes!! We made a huge effort to make this happen. It took two years of savings and a lot of planning, but we made it to Ireland. We decided against traveling to Scotland. It would have wasted at least a day of travel.
b) Dublin, Ireland
c) Belfast, Northern Ireland
(I did not actually take a flight to/from here, but since we rented a car, bought coffee, and went to the bathroom, Amanda and Eric said I could count it!)
(I did not actually take a flight to/from here, but since we rented a car, bought coffee, and went to the bathroom, Amanda and Eric said I could count it!)
15.
Hike a Volcano or 14k footer, not attempted
I don't know what I was thinking. I saw this on someone else's blog and thought it sounded cool. This would have required a trip out West or to Hawaii.
16.
Visit David and Paige for a non-holiday / no reason trip, completed April 13-15, 2012
We packed up Little Bit and spent a fun weekend with my brother, his wife, and their son (who is only 5 months older than Evie)
Amen.
18.
Go skiing (preferably out west), incomplete
We talked about this a few times like when or if, but put our travel money towards other things. It's still on the list.
19.
Go to Las Vegas or San Diego, incomplete
We had planned a trip to Vegas with Eric's family. But, by the time it rolled around I was 8 months pregnant. I figured Vegas was the last place I wanted to be.
20.
Commit to a Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration, total fail
I didn't even try.
21.
Attend daily Mass during Lent (one Lent), attempted
I decided to do this for Lent in 2011 but about a week in I was soooo tiiireeed all the time. Oh, then I found out I was pregnant. I started sleeping about 10 hours a night so this one quickly faded out. And there was no way this was going to happen with a 3-4 month old in 2012. Those who can do that, I am very impressed.
22.
Take a cake decorating class, attempted
I signed up twice but work got in the way. I did teach myself how to use fondant and decorated a few cakes for parties. I still need a lot of practice, but I am pleased.
23.
Buy a sewing machine and learn how to use it, intentionally did not complete
I decided before I bought a machine I should learn how to use one and then decide if it's a hobby I'd like to take up. I worked on two sewing projects, one with my mom and one with my friend Lisa, and well...I can say that sewing is not a hobby for me right now. I'd rather focus on a few other things than learn something new. This will stay on a list for the future, but it's not a right now thing.
24.
Visit a small town for lunch, completed
The original goal for this was an intentional visit to a new small town for a lunch, but we live near a historical small town, visit a small town in North Carolina on a regular basis. We also dined at plenty of small towns in Ireland. I think I met this one on technicality.
25.
Learn to make homemade gnocchi, not completed.
Oops. I forgot this was even on here.
26.
Have a friends weekend at the cabin, not completed.
But we did have a siblings only weekend, which was awesome.
27.
Learn to use Indesign and Photoshop, I give myself a B+
Instead of Photoshop I learned Lightroom. Indesign is like sewing, it's another hobby I will take up once I've become more proficient at some other skills.
28.
Have blog visitors from all 50 states, completed May 2011
Hooray! Thank you!
29.
Earn the Pizzaiolo Badge on Foursquare...visit 20 different pizzerias. (10/28/11)
This badge used to be a big deal before they changed how you earn it. You used to have to visit 20 unique pizzerias to earn the badge (which is what I did), but now you earn it after 5 and then "level up" for every additional five. This isn't nearly as prestigious.
30.
Earn my Brewniversity Master Degree at Taco Mac, in complete.
I did my best for being pregnant and nursing during most of the time I had this challenge running. I had 125 unique beers on my beer list before I started this challenge. My goal was to reach 225 (a Master's Degree) before I turned 30. I only made it to 161.
18.
Go skiing (preferably out west), incomplete
We talked about this a few times like when or if, but put our travel money towards other things. It's still on the list.
19.
Go to Las Vegas or San Diego, incomplete
We had planned a trip to Vegas with Eric's family. But, by the time it rolled around I was 8 months pregnant. I figured Vegas was the last place I wanted to be.
20.
Commit to a Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration, total fail
I didn't even try.
21.
Attend daily Mass during Lent (one Lent), attempted
I decided to do this for Lent in 2011 but about a week in I was soooo tiiireeed all the time. Oh, then I found out I was pregnant. I started sleeping about 10 hours a night so this one quickly faded out. And there was no way this was going to happen with a 3-4 month old in 2012. Those who can do that, I am very impressed.
22.
Take a cake decorating class, attempted
I signed up twice but work got in the way. I did teach myself how to use fondant and decorated a few cakes for parties. I still need a lot of practice, but I am pleased.
23.
Buy a sewing machine and learn how to use it, intentionally did not complete
I decided before I bought a machine I should learn how to use one and then decide if it's a hobby I'd like to take up. I worked on two sewing projects, one with my mom and one with my friend Lisa, and well...I can say that sewing is not a hobby for me right now. I'd rather focus on a few other things than learn something new. This will stay on a list for the future, but it's not a right now thing.
24.
Visit a small town for lunch, completed
The original goal for this was an intentional visit to a new small town for a lunch, but we live near a historical small town, visit a small town in North Carolina on a regular basis. We also dined at plenty of small towns in Ireland. I think I met this one on technicality.
25.
Learn to make homemade gnocchi, not completed.
Oops. I forgot this was even on here.
26.
Have a friends weekend at the cabin, not completed.
But we did have a siblings only weekend, which was awesome.
27.
Learn to use Indesign and Photoshop, I give myself a B+
Instead of Photoshop I learned Lightroom. Indesign is like sewing, it's another hobby I will take up once I've become more proficient at some other skills.
28.
Have blog visitors from all 50 states, completed May 2011
Hooray! Thank you!
29.
Earn the Pizzaiolo Badge on Foursquare...visit 20 different pizzerias. (10/28/11)
This badge used to be a big deal before they changed how you earn it. You used to have to visit 20 unique pizzerias to earn the badge (which is what I did), but now you earn it after 5 and then "level up" for every additional five. This isn't nearly as prestigious.
30.
Earn my Brewniversity Master Degree at Taco Mac, in complete.
I did my best for being pregnant and nursing during most of the time I had this challenge running. I had 125 unique beers on my beer list before I started this challenge. My goal was to reach 225 (a Master's Degree) before I turned 30. I only made it to 161.
Overall I only truly completed 11 out of 30. A few of these I could have made a better effort. I also realized that this list wasn't well thought out. A lot of them involved money. To get out of debt and save 20% for a house prevented traveling out West, skiing, and buying expensive software. Having a baby prevented me from drinking beer, going to Vegas, or hiking a volcano. Blah, blah, excuses! Only kidding.
This list was purely for fun. And honestly, I think I shall consider myself very successful for turning 30. I am married to an incredible guy and have a beautiful daughter, and this is all that really matters :)
I want to start a new list. I already have a few ideas. I am just not sure the time frame I want to give myself. Turning 40 seems SO far away...and who knows what life will be like then. We might finally get those hovercrafts I have been patiently waiting for.
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