catch-up time for my 30 before 30 list!

So I haven't written in a very long time...but after some encouragement from a friend, I'm going to attempt to be better at this! Let's back-up to last July and I'll fill you in on some things I crossed off my 30 before 30 list!

# 23: We followed through with plans and we did it....we had a HS friends girls' wkd! It was so much fun!! Not all of us could make it- two of my friends were pregnant and unable to travel. But we're hoping they can make it this year :) Jenn, Christa and I went out to Denver where Sarah lives and then we headed up to the mountains and stayed in a condo type place for the weekend. Lots of laughter, hiking, and chill time to make great memories :) I took a lot of pictures, but I'll just post a few here.

together at last!

After our first "hike"/walk on our first night there

movie night! we love to take silly pictures :) It's one of my favorite things that we do :)

start of our first hike of the day!

oops! we broke the "rule"! :)

going on the paddle boat after our 2nd hike of the day- so much fun!

we cleaned up and went out for supper

took one last ride up the ski lift before leaving the condo/resort

#4 on my list was to visit Sarah in CO- so the girls weekend knocked two off my list at once! I was so thankful to get to see where she and Jonathan have made their home for the past couple of years. Hopefully someday we will be closer than 12 hours away from each other :)

I have plans to cross off some big things on my list this year! But you'll have to wait and see what they are :)

my grandma's letters

I'm kind of a pen pal with my Grandma Netten and I LOVE getting her letters in the mail. I hadn't written her since before my Grandpa passed away in December and she moved into a retirement home. I wrote her a couple of weeks ago because I was overdue for writing her and giving her a little glimpse into my life. I can't share too much because who knows who she will tell and how she will change the story! She wrote me back this week and I love hearing about whatever she has been doing and whatever news about the family she likes to pass along. Side note: once upon a time, this is how I found out my cousin was pregnant and was getting married :) She usually only includes a couple of punctuation marks through out the entire letter, but that is what I love and it's always a bonus when she spells my name right.

I had been doing pretty well dealing with my Grandpa's death, but when it came to writing the letter, I realized it was the first time I addressed it just to my Grandma. In my head, I could imagine in the past my Grandma reading the letter outloud to my Grandpa and him saying "what did you say?" many times because he refused to wear a hearing aid. Funny how little moments like writing an address make you realize how much you miss someone... I'll miss him asking me everytime I saw him, "where is your boyfriend" and me explaining that I didn't have one. One time, my uncle overheard and told me to tell him that I had too many boyfriends to chose from :) My Grandpa seemed to like that joke when he realized I wasn't serious!

And to end with a lighter note, here are some snippets from my Grandma's letter.
"thanks for your card was a pretty one good to hear you are good So am I an I like it here starting to know more people an we do a lot of things play cards Bingo exercise So we are kept busy an I do 10 pages in my find the word book every day so Im just not sitting here doing nothing."

"hows the weather we sure been having some cold weather an snow keeps your dad busy scooping"

"I see Leah also brings me the best beautiful flowers about every week I really get the commets on them from people here an they all like her too."

I'm so thankful to get letters from my Grandma :)

Here's a picture I took with my grandparents this fall...on one of my Grandpa's "good days"


love and miss you always Grandpa and so thankful to have more time with my Grandma!

#27

who knew that #27 of my "30 before 30" list would be checked off so soon this year?? :) i'm not going to share too many details, but let me tell you...i'm a happy girl right now! Here's a little blurb from my journal...
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January 19, 2011

I know I need to write this down while it is still so fresh in my head :) And while I’m so giddy/ happy/ excited!

I went on a first date tonight. I was nervous and excited, b/c I don’t go on dates. Ever. Well except for one last summer. But before that, it had been THREE years. Nervous b/c what if I say something dumb or awkward or I don’t know what to say. But really I had nothing to worry about. I was relaxed the entire time. I didn’t feel nervous talking to him and when it was silent, it was okay! It was SO good. He made me laugh and that was important to me. He also complimented me on my brown boots. Bonus points for him! He said they reminded him of pirate boots. Funny. And then at the end, he asked me out for next week. :)

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so to sum up life right now.
contentment.
joy.
BIG smile.

change of plans

Well apparently I'm not so good at this blogging thing because already I'm not keeping up with my "30 before 30" once a week blogging! I will admit the week after my birthday was thrown off with the death of my Grandpa, followed by graduating from college and then Christmas! It was a busy December for me!
Back to my grandpa...our family knew he was not doing well and so we waited...and waiting is the hardest part. He was suffering so much here on earth and was ready to meet God in heaven. Thankfully, he went peacefully in his sleep. As much as I'm thankful that he is in heaven...his presence here will be missed so much!! It was very hard to see him laying in the casket. Makes death a reality.

There is much to look forward to this year! Can't wait to see what God has planned for my life!

Here is a picture of the tulips my sister gave me for graduation. I took them home for Christmas so I could enjoy them longer :)

My "30 before 30" List

I had this idea in September to create a list of 30 things to do/ accomplish/ etc before I turn 30 years old. I decided to start on my 25th birthday in December so I will have 5 years to check off my list. When I was thinking about turning 25 and looking back at my life so far, all that I've done and realized how much more I want to do! There are things I want to accomplish in my life and what I want my life to be...some are out of my control, but a simple wish on my part. :) So here we go! I'm using this as a documentation of achieving items on my list...and my everyday life too. Hopefully I'm better at this blogging thing than when I tried this before :)


Here is my official 30 before 30 List!
1. Visit Maine, preferably in the fall
2. Go on a mission trip
3. Sell something that I have made- such as a painted canvas, homemade cards, etc
4. Visit Sarah in Denver and go hiking in the Rockies
5. Attend a concert, preferably country!
6. Read through the Bible 2x
7. Get married (this one is pretty much out of my control, but it still makes the list!)
8. Have a baby
9. Road trip to the Grand Canyon
10. Visit Harold and Arlene in Idaho
11. Stay at the Netten Campout the whole week
12. Travel to Honduras to visit Christa
13. Start a retirement plan
14. Mail a card one time a month, every month
15. Spend 2 weekends a year unplugged from internet, email, TV, and phone
16. Go camping in the Boundary Waters
17. Pay off loan from Mom and Dad
18. Finish scrapbooks of Rachel's wedding and Sara's wedding
19. Try a new recipe 6x each year
20. Tithe every month
21. Volunteer at a food bank or something similar
22. Devotional time 4x a week
23. Have a girls' weekend: at least 3 out of the 5 years
24. 30 days of no clothes shopping 3x a year
25. Blog once a week all 5 years
26. Go to a zoo
27. Go on at least 1 date a year
28. Travel to Canada
29. Re-finish/ re-do a piece of furniture
30. Buy a new car


I'm looking forward to crossing things off my list!! It's a good mix of easy things to accomplish and good goals to reach for myself.