30 Before 30 - Months 6, 7, and 8

I haven't been as good at updating this as hoped, although admittedly it's been a light few months for my 30 Before 30 project. Winter has been particularly cold, dark, and generally yucky which leaves me a bit unmotivated. I have crossed a few fun things off of my list. It's a bit shocking that I only have a few months left until the big 3-0!!

Since it's been cold and dark, the biggest thing I've worked on is the movie list. I've crossed a TON off - I finished the Star Wars trilogy, watched the entire Back to the Future trilogy, The Goonies, The Princess Bride, Pretty in Pink, Can't Buy Me Love, Ghost, Zoolander, Robin Hood: Men in Tights.

It's been an interesting experience - some movies have FAR exceeded expectations. For example, I always had the impression that The Princess Bride was a stupid movie. I had tried to watch it a couple times in college, and always managed to fall asleep. It isn't as funny coming in and out of sleep. However, this tops the list of favorites of the movies I've watched so far! It's hilarious!

I always thought Ghost was a sweet, romantic comedy. Not so! It's scary (well, it's scary for whimpy me). Even though it was scary, I thought it was a really good story.

Since my last update, I also got not one, but two LASIK consultations. The first was mid-December at Associated Eye Care in Stillwater. My friend Beth worked there for many years and referred me there. The experience was good - everyone was really nice, the process was smooth and painless. Since the price I was quoted at was higher than desired, I decided to go for another one. This time I went to Whiting Clinic in St. Louis Park. The experience was very similar - lots of tests and funny machines. Nice people. I had found out at Associated that I have thin corneas (weird, huh?). Associated has more or less a flat rate for their LASIK procedures. Though Whiting has different levels of pricing, I was bumped up to the higher level because of my thin corneas. Boo. Basically $1,000 more because of it. The quotes ended up being very comparable...and simply too much to justify right now. I'm disappointed, but it's good to know. I'm glad I got the consultations.

At the end of January I asked my friend Jonathan Rundman to teach me how to string my guitar. Jonathan is a professional musician, the husband of a former co-worker of mine, and an all around awesome guy. Jonathan gave me a short tutorial, and then we took turns doing each string of the guitar. Although it takes a little bit of practice, it is much easier than I expected to string my guitar. I'm really glad I learned - it's been something I've wanted to do for a long time!

Also at the end of January I started taking a belly dance class through Minneapolis Community Ed. I taking the class with my good friend Susan (it's fun to have a buddy!). We're both a bit disappointed because the "90's Hip Hop" class that we wanted to take filled up, so this was our plan B. We've done the first two classes. I like it, but definitely don't love it. It's much, much harder than I thought. Even though I consider myself a decent dancer with pretty good coordination, belly dancing makes me feel like a klutzy baboon. 

My meals have been going well too. I've really noticed a difference in my confidence level. I am feeling much more comfortable in the kitchen. I've even found myself making other meals, and being a lot better at it than I have been. In fact, we've discovered that I make the BEST scrambled eggs. Who knew?! It may not sound like a big deal...but it's a big improvement for me! In the last few months I've made Honey Lime Tilapia, Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas, and Coconut Chicken with Garlic Fries. The Coconut Chicken is probably one of my favorite meals I've made so far.

Although there haven't been a ton of things crossed off the list in the last few months, the ones that have been have been a lot of fun. I'm coming to the home stretch of this project...time to get in gear to wrap this up!

30 Before 30 - Months 4 and 5

I'm a little behind in blogging about my 30 Before 30 project. Time has just flown! I can't believe that it's November already!

It's been a slow last few months for the project after a pretty busy summer.

Mid-September we took a family trip to the Mill City Farmers' Market. We went with our friends, the Imbodens. Although it was an unseasonably chilly day, we had a great time. I loved that the food was clearly local and fresh. So many delicious smells and sights to take in! We enjoyed mochas from a little coffee shop, meandered through the market, and warmed up a bit in the Guthrie. It was a great time, and we will definitely go back next year when it's warmer!

Also during the last couple months, I put the finishing touches on my very first photo book. It turned out great! It's an ABC book for Linnea, filled with our pictures, with words of Mama's choice. Linnea likes it too - I think she likes seeing herself in a book. This will not be my last photo book. Next up will be a book of Linnea's first year...a much bigger undertaking!).

At the end of September, Jeromy and I headed out with our WOWZA/MANZA friends for dinner. The dinner was strategically planned - for a place that had a mechanical bull!! I was a bit surprised that when it got down to it, I was a little nervous! But on I went for a ride. It was much harder than it looked. The bull was very jerky, and whipped me around like crazy. I managed to stay on for a little while before getting bucked off. A few other friends took a turn, and then I had one more try. I don't know if this is something I'll do again, but I've always wanted to try it - and I'm glad I did.

In October I hosted the first of hopefully several craft nights. In preparation, I bought some basic crochet materials. My dear friend Kirstyn taught  me how to get started with crochet. I've been practicing and getting a bit better - it's a work in progress right now!

The last couple months also had two new recipes - both were pretty good, if I do say so myself. First, Avocado Chicken Parmesan. This was one of my favorite recipes I've made so far! It's tasty, and I like that it looks fancy, even thought it's fairly simple to make.

In October, I made Spinach Fettuccine. It ended up okay, although I got stressed out when I was making it, so I was pretty crabby by the time we ate. I have a few changes I'll make if I make it again - which I probably will.

I also crossed off a few more movies - Big at the very beginning of September, then the first of the Star Wars trilogy, and Field of Dreams. Big was my favorite out of those - gotta love Tom Hanks!

All in all, a good couple months - although I gotta get going on some more thing to keep the momentum going. Stay tuned!

30 Before 30 - Month 3

August was a fun, busy month for my 30 Before 30 project!! I had SUCH a good time crossing things off my list, and experiencing all the fun those things had to offer. :-)

The month started with a HUGE weekend - something every day!! That Friday started with a trip to Mall of America to get my eyebrows threaded. A week or so before I had done some very scientific research (read: polled my Facebook friends and did some web browsing) to find out if I wanted to thread or wax, and where I wanted to go.

The overwhelming opinion of my wise and well-informed Facebook friends was that threading was the way to go - less damaging in the long run to the sensitive skin around your eyes. A place at Mall of America was recommended. It's close, and inexpensive, and comes recommended - how could I go wrong?

After a bit of a wait at the salon, it was my turn. I was surprisingly nervous, because people warned me that it hurt quite a bit. However, it wasn't as bad as I thought! It was like tweezing on steroids. Uncomfortable for sure, but fleeting. In the spirit of the project, and letting myself splurge I decided to get my lip done too (okay, that's a bit embarrassing...but the little baby hairs there were really getting to me!). Overall I was pleased with the results. (See before and after shots to see for yourself). I had to do a bit of clean up with some stray hairs, but it wasn't bad, especially given the price. I think that this is something I can maintain with tweezing, and maybe just get them threading occasionally. I don't know why, but I always feel better about myself when my eyebrows look good. :-) I'm not really a girly girl (understatement), but I guess this is where a bit of that side comes out.

The next day (Saturday), Jackie, Sarah, and I participated in the Dirty Girl mud run at Welch Village. It was SO much fun. The race was a little tougher than I expected - not the obstacles or the distance, but the hills. UFFFDA.

Throughout the 5K route, we climbed through mud pits, scaled walls and cargo nets, stepped through tires, and got really, really dirty. It was nice, because the race was a woman's race, which made for a very supportive and fun environment. Strangers cheered and encouraged each other, apologized for missteps, and aided each other down scary obstacles (the wall and the cargo net).

The three of us had a GREAT time. This is one item on my 30 Before 30 list that has been something I've really wanted to do for a long time. It lived up to (and perhaps even exceeded expectations). I would definitely do a race like this again!

The next day (Sunday) was a TWO ITEM kind of day! In the morning, I decided to mix things up from the previous months, and try my hand at making breakfast. I've really been getting into some recipe blogs lately, and found the recipe on one of the new blogs I started following (http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/). The recipe was for Strawberry Chocolate Banana Baked Oatmeal. Uhhh...yum!

The recipe was easy - oats, some sugar, cinnamon, etc., along with strawberries, bananas, and chocolate chips. Yum! The consistency was a bit different than I was expecting. I thought that it would be a bit firmer - like a soft cookie or granola bar, but it was more like thick oatmeal. Either way, it was super delicious.

I made that, along with a side of bacon (my first time making bacon) and some strawberries. We got to enjoy the meal as a family (which is a treat these days because of schedule coordination). It was really wonderful, all the way around. :-)

The breakfast fueled me up for the event of the afternoon - water skiing! The weekend before we had gone to Jeromy's family's cabin, with hopes of going water skiing. Unfortunately, because of issues with the boat it was not in the water, and thus not able to be used for water skiing. So upon our return, I somewhat frantically looked for another alternative. Luckily, it didn't take too long of a search. Thanks to my well-connected Pastor Mom, I discovered that the Minister of Music at our church (Gary) is a boat owner, avid water skiier, and enthusiastic teacher! AWESOME.

Lucky for us, the weather was PERFECT. So out we headed onto Lake Riley in Eden Prairie (with my parents, for moral support). Our afternoon started with a skiing lesson on land, which I thought was kind of funny (at first). But when I gave it a chance I realized the land lesson really helped me get the feel of what it's supposed to feel like. Gary had me do it the right way a couple times (using your core strength to get you up) and then the wrong way a couple times (using your arms and upper body to pull you up). After running through that, we were ready to get into the water.


After a little bit of awkwardness on my part (getting the skis on, and then in the right position is harder than it might seem), I was ready to go. The land lesson paid off because I got up on the skis on the very first try!!! This was much improved from the first and only other time I've gone water skiing, when I spent all afternoon trying to get up on the skis with no long. This time it felt AWESOME. I was so proud of myself, and I'm sure I was grinning from ear to ear.

With a bit more practice I was riding over the wakes, and skiing one handed! I had so much fun.

Oh! I forgot! I also watched Good Will Hunting. Like I said, it was a big weekend! The movie was great...and not just because it stars my biggest celebrity crush (Matt Damon). Clearly, it deserved all the acclaim it's received...well written, good acting, interesting story. A good choice for my list. :-)


The final item crossed off the list this month was a trip to the Blue Door Pub. Blue Door Pub is a well known and popular burger joint in St. Paul. The restaurant is famous for their specialty juicy lucys. Jeromy and I decided to bring our friend Deb to join in the fun. Deb had taken family pictures for us a few weeks before, and lives in the area.

We started the meal with "Latin Kisses" - cream-cheese filled jalapenos, wrapped in bacon - delish! Next - the burgers! I had a Hawaiian style burger - filled with mozzarella cheese and Canadian bacon, and topped with pineapple and a sweet chili sauce. Add in a side of fries, and you've got one delicious, list worthy meal!

I had SUCH a fun month, and have been having such a good time with my 30 Before 30 challenge. I've done so many things I've wanted to do for a long time. I've gotten some good practice at letting go, and learning how to enjoy myself a bit. I've got a ways to go on the list, but I look forward to every bit of it!

30 Before 30 - Month 2

Another month gone of my 30 Before 30 challenge. This month was a bit quieter than last. I've been doing a lot of planning and thinking about some of the items, but not a whole lot of action...I still have time. :-)

July started with a family trip to Midtown Global Market. To be honest, I really had no idea what to expect...I didn't really even know what it was! I just had heard people talk about it, and have wanted to check it out for a long time - I knew I needed it on the list!


We had a really good time at the market. It turns out that Midtown Global Market is a large enclosed space that has many smaller markets/restaurants/stores inside. The "global" in the tittle is very accurate - countries all over the globe are represented! It was awesome because we entered the market right where the Scandinavian store was located! Yay, Scandinavia! The store had lots of "Linnea" items. We were tempted to buy some things, but ultimately decided against it.

We spent some time wandering around, checking out the different stores and markets. There is a "produce exchange" at the center of the market - lots of fresh produce and other food...almost like a little grocery store. We sampled DELICIOUS peaches... all three of us loved them. We bought some to take home with us. Yum.

Next, we got lunch to enjoy together. Jeromy decided to get a gyro from Holy Land Deli. It was HUGE and very delicious. I went with a torta from Manny's Tortas, along with a strawberry pop. Yum! Linnea even got to enjoy little samples of our food.

After a little more exploring, it was time to head home. We really had a good time, and hope to go back sooner rather than later.

On the 4th of July, Jeromy and I had the day off, so we decided it was a perfect day to head to Fort Snelling! It's pathetic that we live no more than 5 minutes away AND have a MN History Membership (meaning we get in for free) and we STILL hadn't been there in the 5 years we've been living in Minneapolis.

Unfortunately, the weather on the 4th was incredibly hot. We decided to brave the heat, but didn't last long in the sweltering sun. Poor Linnea was very red faced and sweaty. We stayed long enough to get a good look around, albeit not as long as we would have liked. Good thing the fort is so close - we can definitely make a return trip when it's a little cooler.

 Another movie was checked off the list - ET. It was funny to watch it, as I apparently was too scared to watch it as a small child. As I was watching it I did not blame little me in the slightest - the first 10 minutes or so are all dark...foggy...scary dudes running around after ET. I had to remind myself now that it's a family movie. Yup, I'm a baby! :-)

The meal for the month was a Chicken Broccoli Braid - a recipe I found online. I'm generally not a big fan of broccoli, but I'm REALLY trying to get better with that. The braid is made of crescent dough, with a chicken, veggie, and cheese mixture inside. It was pretty easy to make, and was SUPER good (in my opinion). I definitely would make this again - perhaps with a few modifications.

It was a good month. Next month promises to be a big, fun month for 30 Before 30. Coming up: mud run, water skiing, and more!!

30 Before 30 - Month 1

Well, the first month of my year-long mission is already gone. I think I'm making good progress on the list, and I've had fun doing it!

I kicked off the year right by tacking item 21 - a spa day - in honor of my birthday! I took the day off of work (which is a personal rule for my birthday), and scheduled an hour long massage and hour long pedicure of myself...ahhhhh. I hadn't had a massage since our wedding (almost 5 years ago), and I think my last pedicure was 3 years. It was time that this mama took some time for herself!

To start the day off, I had lunch with my mom at one of my favorite restaurants - P.F. Chang's. The meal and company were both wonderful! It was fun to dine with my mom as she remembered the day 29 years ago! It's crazy to think that Linnea and I will do the same some day!

Just next door from the restaurant was the spa. First up was my massage. The masseuse talked to me about my desired focus areas - upper back and legs (especially since I had just run a half marathon!). She asked if I was interested in upgrading to a hot stone massage. Initially I said no. But we started the massage and I found that I was mad at myself. Wasn't the WHOLE POINT of this thing to learn how to let myself live a little??! So I gathered up my courage (you may laugh, but it really took courage for me) and interrupted the massage to ask if it was too late to upgrade. "Not at all!" the masseuse said, and immediately brought out the stones. It was wonderful! I'm glad I upgraded. I didn't really know what to expect - I thought that she would just put stones on various areas, and that would be it...but she actually uses them to do the massage! It felt great. The pedicure came after the massage. It was pretty good...although more soaking and less massage than I would have hoped for. It came time to choose the polish, which is something that I always struggle with - I'm so stinkin' indecisive! But this choice was easy...right away I saw gold polish. Although it wouldn't usually be something I would choose I thought it would be perfect for my golden birthday! :-) Item 21 was a success - check!

I thought that my list tackling would end there for the day, but I was wrong! Shortly after I got home, and Linnea and Jeromy got home, my in-laws unexpectedly came over - unexpectedly to me, at least! Jeromy had something up his sleeve. I thought we were just going to have a quiet dinner at home. But shortly after my in-laws arrived, Jeromy and I headed out for a surprise date. When we arrived I realized he had done good - we were at a hibachi restaurant! Item 3! Dinner was awesome. Our chef was great...he really played it up, and was very nice to me because he knew it was my birthday. It was very fun to watch him do all the tricks - twirling the silverware, making an onion volcano, and spinning an egg on a spatula...so fun! 2 items down on the first day! Woo hoo!

 On the way to dinner, Jeromy gave me my gift...water balloons. When I opened them he said, "Ohhhhh no...I got the wrong kind??!" I was so confused. He dug a piece of paper out of his pocket. When I opened it, there was a picture of a hot air balloon on it! Jeromy, who is very afraid of heights, is taking me on a hot air balloon ride (item 28)! We don't have it scheduled yet, but I'm so excited!!

Aside from my fun birthday day, there were a couple other items that were crossed off the list. First, I tackled the first movie from the movie list (item 26, movie 5) - Top Gun! It was pretty good. I'm planning on writing reviews for all of the movies I watch, so stay tuned!

Also in June, I made the first month's dinner on my own (item 4). I made Pretzel-Crusted Chicken Milanese. I always get nervous when I cook that I'll screw something up, which is why I don't cook very often, and consequently why it made the list. The chicken turned out really tasty! Chef Jeromy approved too...the only thing we would change is to season it a bit more, since it was a bit bland. I kept the rest of the meal easy and simple...mashed potatoes and apples. Success!

Finally, on a beautiful Friday near the end of the month I enjoyed item 2 - buying food from a good truck. Two of my work friends and I went to Hola Arepa, a yummy Mexican food truck that parks close to our building. They specialize in arepas, which is a Mexican sandwich type thing. After a bit of a wait, we had our food in hands. Again, I worked hard to let myself splurge. I paid extra to get chips and guacamole, and an Arnie Palmer with their specialty lemonade. It was delicious! With so many more food trucks downtown, I might need to try more!

Also near the end of the month, Jeromy and I bought a Groupon for our hot air balloon ride, and I registered for my mud run!

The most interesting part of this month is realizing that I don't need the list... at least I hope to not need it. Let me explain... I find myself thinking of things that I wish were on the list. I've told Jeromy, "Ahhh! I wish I would have put such and such on there." Jeromy wisely points out, "You can just do that. It doesn't have to be on the list." Of course it doesn't! Hopefully having this project will really help me realize this...and just do the things I want to do...without needing it on a list.

Stay tuned for more updates!

30 Before 30...

As I approached my 29th birthday, I realized there were a lot of things I hadn't yet done in my life. For those who know me well, you know that indulging in myself is not something that comes  very easily for me. I have a hard time taking the time, energy, and money to do stuff for me. I decided it was time to get better at it.

So I created a list of 30 things that I will do before I turn 30. For the most part, the things are not super extravagant. It's not meant to be a list of the most fun, crazy, etc. things I could do before I turn 30. Rather, it's a list of 30 things I've always wanted to do, that for whatever reason I haven't allowed myself to do, or simply have not taken the time to do them. In some cases the things seem little and trivial (and maybe they are). But they are things I've always wanted to do. It's not a bucket list - I don't believe "my life is over" at 30. Quite the opposite in fact...perhaps it's just begun! :-) I plan to provide updates throughout the next year...so stay tuned!

Food & Cooking
1. Eat a Juicy Lucy at The Blue Door Pub.
2. Buy food from a food truck.
3. Dine at a hibachi restaurant.
4. Gain confidence in cooking, by cooking one new recipe/month on my own.
5. Have a lobster dinner.

Around Town
 6. Go to Mill City Market.
7. Explore the Walker Sculpture Garden.
8. Visit Midtown Global Market.
9. Take a trip to Fort Snelling.
10.  Go on a tour of the Surly Brewing Co.

Crafts, Hobbies, & Projects
11.  Hide a cache on my own.
12.  Crochet something.
13.   Create and order a photo book.
14.   Make a t-shirt quilt (or at least start it).
15.  Learn how to string my guitar.

Health & Fitness
16.   Participate in a mud run.
17.   Try water skiing (again).
18.   Try a new winter sport or two… skijoring, downhill skiing, and/or snowboarding.
19.   Climb a rock wall.
20.  Take a belly dance or hip-hop class.

Self-Care/Wellness
21.   Have a pamper day – at least 2 spa services and a meal out in one day.
22.   Get eyebrows waxed or threaded.
23.   Get a professional bra fitting done.
24.   Have a LASIK consultation.
25.   Get a make-up consultation.

Entertainment/Fun/Misc.
26.   Complete the 20 Before 30 movie list. **
27.   Take a carriage/sleigh ride.
28.   Go on a hot air balloon ride.
29.   Ride a mechanical bull.
30.  Learn how to drive a stick shift.

**

1. The Goonies
2. Back to the Future series
3. Star Wars trilogy
4. Sixteen Candles
5. Top Gun
6. Pretty in Pink
7. ET
8. The Princess Bride
9. Schindler’s List
10. Field of Dreams
11. Ghost
12. Footloose
13. Good Will Hunting
14. Rain Man
15. Big
16. Pulp Fiction
17. Can’t Buy Me Love
18. Zoolander
19. Robin Hood: Men in Tights
20. Ghostbusters