40 before 40

I was over ambitious in the early 2010s and wasn't able to accomplish my 30 before 30, so it became 40 before 40!!!

As I turn 30 at the end of 2012 I decided to create a list of thirty things to do before the big day. It started because I am running a mini-marathon this year so I decided to think of other things to accomplish before the big 3-0. Below is my list and I hope to provide updates as the items get checked off.

30 before 30 40 before 40

1. Run a mini-marathon
• Finished my 2nd Mini in May 2013 via the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon.
2. Develop a budget and stick to it for 6 months
• I'll count this as accomplished because we are focused on savings rather than large amounts of debt (thanks to accomplishing #11)
3. Master driving a manual vehicle
4. Write thank you notes to five memorable teachers - 3 down, 2 to go
5. Go vegetarian for one week, one month then decided if it is a lifestyle change
6. Get below 140 pounds (ideally I don't want to be lying anymore on my license which says 130, oops)
• Accomplished in 2018 thanks to eating more vegetables and working out with Beach Body!
7. Try canning vegetables from our garden
8. Get a tattoo
9. Attend a youth group event that impacts someone's life
10. Purchase a $1000 CD
• Purchased 2x $500 in each of the boy's names.
11. Pay off one student loan
• ALL Paid OFF thanks to hard work and teaching for 5+ years in a Title One School
12. Drive a car that costs more than $50,000
• Accomplished in April 2012
13. Read 30 40 books - 40 down
• Updated to 40 before 40 - 35 read as of March 2018
14. Go white-water rafting in West Virginia
15. Visit one of Nate's family members, somewhere we haven't been before
16. Go to Mardi Gras
17. Trace our family trees back to the 1700s
18. Go for a road trip that involves driving through 4 states
19. Do something that scares me
20. Attend an MLB game - preferably an Atlanta Braves game
21. Ride a motorcycle
22. Sing karaoke in a random bar
• Butchered a George Michael song at Sonny's Birthday Party!
23. Attend a wedding in another country
24. Become a Mom
• Accomplished July 2012 and repeated September 2014
25. Figure out a way to visit Asia, Africa, and South America
26. Visit New York City
27. Visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
28. Frolic in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of one of the original 13 colonies
29. Find a second job that brings in substantial income
30. Go fishing, catch my own fish, and remove it from the hook
31. Travel to England with the Boys
• Took them to visit Nan and Aunty Greta in Nov 2017.
32. Experience Disney World with the Boys
33. Visit another NFL Stadium - after seeing Lambeau Field (July 2018), I want to see another historic stadium!!!
• October 2018 - Attended a Pittsburgh Steelers game
34. Visit the Louisville Science Center
35. Cross 10 Bands off my Bucket List
1. Mumford & Sons
2. The Lumineers
3. Kings of Leon
4. Modest Mouse
5. Nathaniel Ratelieff & the Night Sweats
6. Jack Johnson
36. Visit XX States
1. Arizona = Work Conference, Feb 2014
2. Florida = Work Conference, April 2016
3. Washington = Rachel's Bridal Shower, Feb 2017
4. Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois = Girls Kayaking Trip, July 2018
5. Pennsylvania - Pittsburgh Steelers Game, October 2018
37. Experience breweries in 5 different states
• Milwaukee, WI - Lakefront Brewery
• Pittsburgh, PA - The Church Brew Works

30 before 30 #24 - BABY GREEN has arrived

Baby Green was born July 16th after 23 hours of labor and a C-Section! 

Welcome to the world, Quinn Alexander!

UPDATED (40 before 40) - Read some more books......30 before 30 - #13 Read 30 Books

Read 30 books including Siddhartha, To kill a Mockingbird, Catcher in the Rye, Crime and Punishment, An incomplete Education, Clockwork Orange, The Great Gatsby, 1984, Lord of the Flies, Grapes of Wrath

Life of Pi, Charlemagne Pursuit, Paris Vendetta,  Siddhartha,

 Romanov Prophecy, Catcher in the Rye,

 Emperor’s Tomb, To Kill a Mockingbird, Chelsea Lately My Horizontal Life,

 The Hunger Games Trilogy,

 Genesis Code, The Stonehenge Legacy,

 The Help, Quiet Strength,

The Templar Salvation,
 Belly Laughs, Choosing to SEE,

Wicked, Rules of Prey,

 Shadow Prey, Nineteen Eighty Four,

 The Jefferson Key,

25 - Finally finished An Incomplete Education 3-10-18
Also read:
26 - The King's Deception
27 - The Lincoln Myth
28 - The Patriot Threat
29 - The 14th Colony
30 - The Lost Order
31 - Fifty Shades Trilogy
32 - What to Expect when you are expecting (finished in 2012, why I didn't record it above baffles me)
33 - Gone Girl - I am still mad about reading this, I truly hated the female main character and am still angry about it!!!
34 - Our Altered Life
35 - The Bishop's Pawn
36 - Shaken, Tim Tebow
37 - Origin
38 - Grace not Perfection
39 - Cross
40 - Hamilton

Images found on a Google search.

30 before 30 - #24 Update

So I am nearing the end of this pregnancy and my hubs and I will soon welcome our first child into the world.  It has been a fairly easy pregnancy, no morning sickness, a little back pain, and a moderate weight gain.  I have survived the heat of the summer by not departing our home when the sun is up. 

Here is a pictoral progression of the pregnancy:

30 Before 30 - #24 Continued

I realized that it would be cool to chronicle the progression of this pregnancy for all to see.  Here is the pregnancy so far in pictures:

13 Weeks, though the placement of the picture was horrible with that wicked shadow on the wall.

16 weeks, much better location for picture

22 weeks, plus that shirt enhances the pregnancy look

25 weeks, starting to really feel pregnant

Today, 31 weeks, another pregnancy enhancing shirt.

30 before 30 - #12 Expensive Car

Another perk of our spring break trip was I got to drive Sue's BMW 328i, which is worth more than $50,000.  It was a very smooth drive and pretty awesome

30 before 30 - #18 - Road Trip

During Spring Break 2012, Nate and I ventured south to visit our dear friends Sue & Dave.  We spent 4 days on Lake Wylie in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Our trip took us through IN, KY, TN, and NC.  Once in NC, we ventured into South Carolina via the boat.  It was a glorious trip, 80s and sun shine.  We spent a day on the boat and played 18 holes of golf.  Nate drank a bunch of beer and I laid around preggo!!!

30 before 30 - #24....Baby Green due July 2012

Baby Green is due July 12, 2012…..I heard the heartbeat on 12/20/11 and we told our families around Christmas.  Nate heard the heartbeat on January 17, 2012.  We saw our baby for the first time on February 17, 2012

At first, Baby Green was kicking up a storm then BG cross its legs.  In the above picture, left leg is resting upong right knee.

30 before 30 - #29 - Find a second job that brings in substantial income

This is probably an immature post as I didn't actually define substantial income.  During the 4th of July weekend (Madison Regatta) my husband had to work and I didn't want to Regatta alone so I volutneered to work at the Historic Broadway Hotel and Tavern.  It started as a simply help a friend out and has expanded into some weekend catering gigs and another weekend shift.  I loved working during Regatta because that was spending money for our honeymoon to England.  Now I like it because it is helping pay down some bills faster.

30 before 30 - #7 - Canning

Thanks to my amazing friend Casey and her mom, I was successful in my first canning endeavor. I grew quite a few tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers this summer. The tomatoes were used to make pico de gallo most fo the summer but a batch made it into salsa. I also planted cucumbers and was unsure what to do with them as my hubby doesn't eat them. We were also involved in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) so we had a bunch of beans as well. I am most excited to eat the green beans!

30 before 30 #23 - Attend a wedding in another country

I will still strive to achieve this to-do another time, but this may have to count in the end. Whilst on our honeymoon, my husband and I visited Edinburgh Castle in Scotland. While there we witnessed a proper Scottish wedding. Though we were not invited to the wedding, we attended the picture portion of it. It will count for now.

Oh yeah and there was the cutest ringbearer in his kilt as well.

30 before 30 - #18 - Road Trip

At the moment #18 is accomplished. I flew to North Carolina to attend my big sister in Phi Mu's wedding. When I originally wrote my 30 before 30 list I intended for this to be a driving trip. There is still the possibility that a road trip will be accomplished before December 2012 which will also be heading to North Carolina.

So back to the #18 - Go on a road trip that involves driving through 4 states (not to Maryland or Michigan). I flew into Charlotte then jumped in the rental car with my bestie roommate from college to drive to Morganton for our pal Patty's wedding. The drive was about 90 minutes so that would fit the road trip component.

It was a great weekend and the first time I have seen Lara since her wedding in 2006. I was fortunate enough to see Amber, Patty, and Bo in 2009 at our college's homecoming. I saw Mich back in October at our wedding.

dding

30 before 30 - #1 Mini Marathon Completed!!!!

First thing to check off the list MINI-MARATHON!!!! My dear friend Casey and I ran the Derby Festival Mini-Marathon in Louisville on Saturday April 30th. We have been training since the start of January and were so glad to finish! My other dear friend and bridesmaid Erin drove down with us and took all our photos before and after the race. She is running the Indy Mini in a week so hopefully we eased some of her anxiety!

One task down, 29 to go!!!!!

Oh yeah, I finished in 2 hours and 32 minutes, an 11 minute mile pace, which I am so proud of!!!!