11,12,13 out of 30

Hola!

So, this summer I completed three things on my 30 before 30 list, which leaves me with 17 items to go before June 18th of next year, and I can already tell you for certain that I won't be doing 50 consecutive push ups (what was I smoking?), I probably won't be going to Disney World, and some of the other items are up in the air too... I need to change my list.

In the meantime... this Summer, I

• took a kid-free vacation- Pictures below.
• completed the year long Austin Stone Institute's Women's Development program (concluded with a trip to London)
• and learned about a different culture (actually religion and cultures- with an S).  If you are wondering, I learned a great deal about Islam and middle-eastern cultures, but of course am by no means an expert.  I also read three and a half(ish) books about the FRENCH people... how they parent, how they eat, etc.  So, while I am not going to be teaching "World Cultures" anytime soon, I definitely know a lot more than I did.

Me and my Women's Development gals on our day off in London... about a month before royal baby.  No royalty sightings for us...

Kid Free Vaca in Mexico... nothing like spending the 4th of July in Mexico, watching a Mexican band sing "Sweet Home Alabama."

#nofilter in this one Mexico!

10 out of 30!!!!

SOOOOO, I just got back from the Dentist.  An appointment I've been postponing since I broke my filling back in December.  (Remember this post??)

I had X-Rays, AND...

NO NEW CAVITIES!!!  Never mind that I have two broken fillings, but the fact that there is not any new decay trying to take over my mouth has me feeling on top of the world today. Maybe I will celebrate with Dr. Pepper and Sour Patch Kids, jkjk.

So I have officially completed 10 out of my 30 (with 13 months to go).  Here is my original list.

Here's 8 & 9.
#7
#6
#5
#4
#3
#2
#1

8 and 9 out of 30

Oh my gosh!  I can't believe it's March and I have only posted THREE times this whole year.  Today is a new beginning.  I am coming back, friends.

Get excited! I completed two more items on my 30 before 30 list!  For our SEVENTH anniversary, we went to Uchi AND afterwards went to Gordough's... yes, all in the same night.

Reasoning... we aren't cool and don't make it south of Town Lake very often, so we figured we'd kill two birds with one stone while we were already down "south."

On the patio at Uchi.  I'm sporting the black shirt I've owned for 9 years.

Because you aren't cool unless you take pics of your food.

I love donuts.

We got the "Son of a Peach Donut."

Note, if you are going to go to Uchi, I totally recommend what we did - going EARLY on a Monday night.  We waited for 30 minutes!  It was dreamy.  Oh, and definitely lived up to expectations.

7 out of 30

Please forgive me for my bad attitude about the neighbors' kids. Ha. Maybe a little bit of an overreaction?  With that I present to you...

I ran a half marathon!  As you can see, I placed very high. (Joking.)

There were 16488 competitors overall (it was extremely crowded, dodging people the whole time).  There were 1588 competitors in my division, and there were 10,110 females.  Apparently women are way more into running half marathons than men.

I ran the whole time minus to stop for water.  I was happy with that.  It was fun to spend the weekend with my pal and training buddy, Becky, my sis in law Mary, and my brother David - all who finished the race strong!

And now I'm glad it's over.  I celebrated by getting 2 out of 4 of the seasonal Blue Bell flavors.

Till next time blog friends.

Best part of the race was seeing my little cheerleaders along the side of the road!

6 out of 30

While on our trip to the beach, not only did I finish The Great Gatsby, but I also read The Help, completing my sixth item on the 30|30 list-- to read a fictional book (but not a classical fiction). (You see, normally I ONLY read non-fiction books, so reading something fictional really is new to me.) I LOVED the book, and I can't wait to watch the movie now.

5 out of 30!

A couple of weeks ago we went to Gulf Shores, Alabama with my family for our annual trip. WAY more fun when you aren't preggo. (I had been pregnant the previous couple of times.)  We actually had way more pictures (via Matt's iPhone and camera, but if I don't post this now, it may never happen.)

All the kids on the beach! (This was not stressful, I'm telling you...)

Look at our 2 and 1/2 year old

In the car on the way to the beach...

Figured it was only fair to have one where Henry was smiling...

We decided to be brave and take all the kids out to eat... here is Sam and Laura!

Mommy and her boys!

The babies with Uncle Peter

My pretty sister and my bro in law... we took a double date.

Me and Matt on our date (instagram style)

Sam on the beach!!

There were never such devoted sisters.

We had a rockin' condo.  It was awesome.

And that, my friends, is 5 out of 30.

4 out of 30

I have officially now re-read The Great Gatsby and earned another accomplishment on my list (to read classical fiction).

The book was waaaay better as a 28 year old than it was as a 16 year old. Perhaps there is more classical fiction in my future!

3 out of 30 + My 8 month old!

On Wednesday, two of my close girlfriends and I took our oldest boys downtown to the Children's Museum, officially giving me ONE MORE completed 30 before 30 item.

But to make it even cooler, we took the Metro Rail downtown and walked from the Convention Center to the Museum... had two different people who thought we were tourists, by the way.  Apparently real Austinites don't take the metro, OR bring their running strollers downtown?

It was so easy, and I'd HIGHLY recommend taking the metro if you ever want to go to the children's museum and you live in North Austin... don't have to worry about parking, and it's probably just as cheap to ride as it is to pay for parking.

Everyone minus Leah waiting for the train.

Henry in his stroller on the train.

Henry and Gideon at the museum.

Measuring our height at the museum.

So thankful for these girls!

Henry was frustrated that the pretend sink didn't actually have water in it.

My little construction worker!!

While we were having fun at the museum, Sam was busy enjoying his new status as "8 month old!"

Once again, I literally cannot believe this kid is 8 months.  He started crawling like the day before he turned 7 months, and he started cruising the day before he turned 8 months!  I really hope he doesn't continue that trend for walking... (seeing as Henry crawled at 8 months and didn't walk till 15 though, I have a little hope.)

My favorite thing he does right now is when I leave the room, he follows me!  If I am in the kitchen, I can hear him crawling around the corner, and then he will craw up to me and pull up on my legs.  It is the SWEETEST.

Baby had a nasty virus this week called Roseola that apparently is really common, but it makes them have a high fever and stuff.. so I layed off the solids starting on about Monday, just cause of the fever... he just now seems to have an interest/appetite again... but on THAT note, I think he's kind of thinned out over the last two months, since he's been crawling.  Kid is SO active and actually pretty uninterested in his bottle or food.  I mean, he's interested at first until something else more interesting (ie his brother) comes along... SO, we will see how THAT goes when we have to weigh in next month.  He still only has two teeth, and besides that I don't know if there is much more to tell.

The other more unique thing about Sam (compared to Henry) besides the fact that he's hyper and CRAZY is that he is a cuddle, snuggle bug.  He loves to cuddle, and I love it too!  Oh and he is like way more stable and tough than Henry was - which I assume has to do with the fact that he's about a whole inch shorter and gets beat around by his brother.  The kids will love me for these comparisons later in life.

Anyway, we love our little HAM.  How could you not?

Have I mentioned his hair is like strawberry blonde?

2 out of 30! Woo hoo!

I have officially completed a "do it yourself" project that I am proud to show off! When you are an amateur at crafts, easy does it. So I sponge painted a canvas with one of my favorite Psalms on it. Since I am a little bit less than a perfectionist, I had to go back and cover up the yellow because there was not enough of a contrast... I forgot to get the whole progression captured on iPhone, but here's what I did get...

I kind of think it would look better completely gray, but I don't have enough color in my life as it is (hence, the black wardrobe, gray walls in my house, etc.) so I left it with the blue and green and yellow.

BUT, I was actually quite an overachiever last night... I started another DIY project that I am going to be glad to show off!!  It is not finished yet, but I will give you a hint... it starts with this boring lampshade.

1 out of 30

Matt and I became true Austinites last night. And yes, I can officially cross one thing off my 30 before 30 list. We saw Gavin DeGraw, Colbie Caillat, and Andy Grammer at The Backyard. It was a perfect, breezy night! Way fun.

psychopath face... i applied makeup at 9 am yesterday and never reapplied. i regretted that decision.

we were really there.

Gavin DeGraw... I think I liked Andy G the best. I'm really not a music person, unless it's like... Phil Collins.

we tend to dress on the casual side. and those sandals of matts are the same ones I found on the side of the road about 6 years ago (after they had fallen off of his car because he forgot to put them INSIDE the car).

Thirty before Thirty. Two Year Edition.

Yours truly is 28 today!  You read it right, today is my birthday, and I'm hoping I can remember how old I am over the next year.  So I've seen some of my older, wiser friends creating their very own "thirty before thirty" bucket lists.  Most of them do this on their 29th birthday, but I am going to be a trendsetter and give myself two whole years to do complete my list.

Yes, I put things on here that I was already planning on doing anyway. :)  Is that cheating?  Don't know, don't care. Here's the list.

1. Run a half marathon.
2. Memorize Romans 6-8
3. Go to the dentist and leave without a single cavity.
4. Take a kid-free vacation.
5. Go one week without eating out at all.
6. Complete 50 consecutive push-ups.
7. Go to the Austin Children's Museum.
8. Learn to mow the lawn.
9. Take a day at the spa.
10. Sponsor a Compassion International child.
11. Go to a concert at The Backyard.
12. Go to a concert at Stubbs.
13. Complete a "do it yourself" project that I would be glad to show off.
14. Complete the Austin Stone Institute's Women's Development Program.
15. Learn about a different culture.
16. Go to a Hill Country Vineyard.
17. Eat at Uchi.
18. Go stand up paddle-boarding on Town Lake.
19. Read a book that's classical fiction.
20. Read a book that's fiction, but not classical.
21. Take a vacation to Gulf Shores Alabama.
22. Go one week without any caffeine at all.
23. Start my "dream" blog.
24. Disney World!
25. Eat at Gordough's.
26. Learn to garden (like flowers, not vegetables).
27. Write a Bible Study
28. Go to a workout class at my gym.
29. Go rock climbing (like indoor).
30. Host a guest at my house who I don't already know.

I plan to expand on some of these later, but time is not going to allow me to do that today.

Much love to my bloggy friends.  I am thankful for YOU on this 28th birthday.