Thirty, Flirty and Thriving

The day has finally come. I turn the dirty 30 today. I thought it would be fun to look back and see how well I did with my 30 Things Before 30:

* Embrace a healthy lifestyle and stop fad diets. It’s all about staying active and everything in moderation. I do declare that I haven't done a single fad diet this year and I work out at least an hour a day five times a week so I have succeeded in that aspect. I still struggle with the moderation and truly listening to my body.

* Bike 13 miles. I actually haven't biked at all this year, and you know what? I have no desire to anymore. I'm a walker and I walk about 25 miles a week with my co-workers and I love that I've been doing this for over a year now. I'm a walker and proud of it!

* Take more day trips. Explore Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, and Detroit. We could always do more, but we have started doing this. We did a day trip to Royal Oak and Glen Arbor and plan to do an Ann Arbor trip soon.

* Make peace with my body once and for all. I have started the process and I can't put a timeline on when it will officially happen, but I'm moving in the right direction and I know I will get there soon.

* Do three crafts from Pinterest. This was a big, fat FAIL. I had every intention of making a few wreaths for the spring and summer months, but never got around to it. To be honest, if someone doesn't organize it for me I forget about it. With Garth starting a new job he has been too busy to help with a house craft that would require his assistance. So that's my excuse and I'm not even sorry about it.

* Buy something Zebra print for the house. Garth bought me this zebra print chair for my birthday last year and it's my favorite piece in the living room.

* Realize that turning 30 could actually be the beginning of some of the best years. I do think this. I'm optimistic about my 30th. I think my 30s will be full of good times, journeying into becoming comfortable in my skin, mission trips, fearing less, letting go of things I can't change and not caring what people think so much. Garth has paved the way. In his 30th year he ran a marathon, got a new job, and went back to school. 

* Go to a country concert. GAH! No and I regret it! There is a country bar in town that has local country bands playing on the weekends and I just need to not be so busy so we can go to one.

* Read Parenting the Hurt Child. It is next on my list of books to read!

* Go all out on a Halloween costume. Mission. Accomplished.

* Celebrate 5 years of marriage somewhere tropical. We were not able to fulfill this goal due to Garth starting his new job the week of our anniversary. We are planning a beach vacation on Lake Michigan this summer and have a trip to California in January to look forward to so this is not a loss by any means.

* Kayak. Heck yes! We kayaked up north at my SIL's family lake house and last weekend in Glen Arbor.

* Take a wine pairing and/or sushi making class. We haven't...yet! There were a few on Groupon this year but they were either far away or really expensive. It is definitely still on the list of things to do.

* Go to a bar for karaoke night. We went and saw my co-worker's band, does that count?

* Cook Thanksgiving dinner. I'm so glad I did this. It was by far one of my favorite memories at our house to date.

* Get in the best gosh darn shape of my entire life. Working on it! I'm still determined to make my 30th year the year I'm in the best shape of my life.

* And maintain it. Not there yet. I've lost about 7 pounds, maybe more. Since I'm not weighing I don't know and I don't care. Life is too short to obsess over what I weighed ON my birthday.

* Grow something and keep it alive. YES! I kept this mint plant alive and it's still going strong.

* Bake cupcakes. I'm not even sure why I wanted to do this. I don't even like them. I baked a lot of muffins this year so I'll take this one as a success.

* Go country line dancing. We plan to go this August. Anne, lets plan this!

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* Become a wine buff. Maybe not a buff, but I did find my favorite wine of all time.

* Eat something crazy. FAIL. I'm such a chicken when it comes to food.

* Make my great grandma’s spaghetti. 

* Go to Vegas for a weekend. We almost went for my birthday weekend, but I chickened out. I just don't know if I would like it or not. 

* Eat at the Chop House. Check! Just as incredible as I imagined it would be.

* Stop caring what others think about me and just be myself unapologetically. I'm definitely getting there.

* Read Adopted for Life. I'm actually reading this now and it is amazing! I highly recommend this book for anyone who has a heart for adoption.

* Go to a musical. We were totally gonna go to one at a local high school in our town, but worked late and didn't make it. Next year!

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* Cook three meals from Pinterest. Yes, yes, and yes!

* Hike more. Yes, we have been hiking often and plan to do even more.

So there you have it. I was pretty successful, but there is always room for an improvement and there is still time. Bring it on, 30!