I Will Be 30 Before I Know It and My List Isn’t Budging
Posted on: April 12, 2011
- In: Life
- 16 Comments
I have a habit of biting off more than I can chew. I set goals for myself that seem achievable, but are pretty unrealistic {especially when raising 2.5 kids}. And then when I fail, I am overly hard on myself.
In January 2010, I set out on a quest to accomplish 30 things before I turned 30. All great goals, though some were a bit lofty. Like knitting my girls a blanket, when I can’t even knit. Or sewing a dress, when I don’t know how to sew. Or getting my teacher’s certificate {which in Iowa would have meant getting my Master’s and in Texas means redoing part of my undergrad}. Then there was a cross country move, financial choices for not taking a trip overseas and realizing why on earth would I want to start my own business {I am so not a business type person – I will leave that to Jon}.
Now, while I typically would hang my head in defeat, I’ve realized, my 30 before 30 is about setting goals for things I want to accomplish. And it’s totally okay to change them up some along the way. While I might not have learned to knit in the last year, I did learn to finally bake with yeast {and that’s saying something!}.
So, without further ado, here is my revised 30 before 30 list {the first ten are the new additions}. And, if things don’t get done, I’m okay with that – so long as I keep making progress.
1. Learn to play Over The Rainbow on my ukulele
2. Potty train Hannah
3. Learn to build a fire without using matches
4. Learn to crochet {pot holder}
5. Form a pen pal relationship {specifically with my friend in Switzerland}
6. Finish War and Peace {currently reading}
7. Attend a UT football game as a family
8. Learn to bake with yeast {I’m still experimenting, but I’m feeling pretty confident with yeast now}
9. Take the girls camping overnight
10. Take both girls on a horseback ride
11. Run a half marathon (DONE!! 4/18/10)
12. Learn to sew a dress (Learned to sew, now just working on a dress, still)
13. Learn conversational Spanish – 25 phrases {I am up to about 15 phrases – Muy bueno!}
14. Write a children’s book for the girls
15. Learn to play 3 Christmas carols on the piano {I can currently play 2}
16. Read through the Bible {I am about half way through}
17. Have a Girls’ Getaway Weekend (DONE! 9/16/10-9/19/10)
18. Go on a family mission’s trip
19. Visit Colorado
20. Host an over-the-top 5-course dinner party
21. Finish my wedding album (DONE!! 12/27/10)
22. Get a tattoo (DONE!! 4/3/10)
23. Read The Great Gatsby
24. Submit a recipe to Southern Living
25. Speak before a large audience (50+ people) (DONE! 3/3/10)
26. Boldly share the Gospel to the people on my prayer list (While this is on going, my brother did get saved!!)
27. Own a Leg Lamp (DONE! 11/18/10)
28. Learn to make crepes (DONE! 2/21/10)
29. Have another baby {due November 2011!}
30. Learn conversational French – 25 phrases
Do you have a bucket list? What is on yours?
Visit Oh Amanda for more Top Ten Tuesday.
16 Responses to "I Will Be 30 Before I Know It and My List Isn’t Budging"
April 12, 2011 at 10:37 am
Looks like a great revised list! You’ve done a great job so far and what a wonderful attitude to take on!
I do not have a list but have been thinking about it because I feel like my only goal right now is to get through the day, which is fine sometimes but gives me nothing to really plan or strive for.
I’d like to host more often (a difficult task in the PNW) including hosting a community group. I’d like to run again and possibly complete a half marathon. Hike and camp at Mt. Rainier, visit the Olympic Peninsula, go to Portland, get to know our new state/area better…hmm perhaps it’s time to start my own list.
April 12, 2011 at 10:40 am
Fun! Glad you’re changing this to work for you. Makes me feel freer to do it myself! I was planning on being a vegetarian forever when I decided I wanted to be vegan for a month. Not so much anymore. Very excited for you–especially for #29!
April 12, 2011 at 10:45 am
Great post 🙂 I don’t have an official bucket list, but I’m thinking I need to make one. I especially love the over-the-top-dinner party idea. I love anything that’s over the top! Hah! 😀
April 12, 2011 at 10:48 am
Yay! I was glad to see you added #3! I should add that to my list (30 in my 30s. 😉 )
April 12, 2011 at 11:36 am
Good for you! You have a lot of them checked off and some great new ones! I really want to learn #3. I think it would be fun! I have always said I want to do #4. How fun to have a pen pal!
April 12, 2011 at 12:50 pm
Thanks for the encouragement guys! I was kinda nervous about admitting my failure to be able to complete my list, but realized it is totally ok to change along the way. That’s life, right? 🙂
April 12, 2011 at 2:14 pm
Point 5 – done! We’ll do that! What a wonderful idea. I hadn’t had a pen pal relationship in a very long time but always loved it. We just start it… on Thursday…. we’ll be in Venice and start sending cards again 🙂
Did you have any french yet?
Et pour le français.. je peut d’aider avec le français aussi (Switzerland does have some benefits:-)…. alors…
Bonjour, Madame/Monsieur, comment d’allez-vous? Or
Bonjour, Madame/Monsieur, ça va?
(in good old english… “howyadoin’?”
The answer could be…
Merci, ça va trés bien! Et vous?
I’m fine, thank you! And you?
Oh, we are just going to have fun…:-)
Liebi Grüess
Isa
April 12, 2011 at 2:17 pm
You’re awesome Isa! Thank you! Be sure to give me your address so I can finally write back to you. 😉
April 12, 2011 at 2:36 pm
This was such a sweet post to read. I love your list and wish you the best of luck to knock it all off!!
April 12, 2011 at 3:03 pm
i like #19! 🙂 you could always just morph this into a “40 before 40” list to give you some more time 🙂
April 12, 2011 at 3:24 pm
He he he! I love ’em! I also like Leah’s idea, why not keep the fun going? 😉 You are much more ambitious than I am!
April 12, 2011 at 4:20 pm
I admire the fact that at your YOUNG age, you are introspective enough to have a bucket list. I am OLD, and I disguised mine in last week’s Top Ten entry: http://www.distherapy.com/2011/04/top-ten-reasons-i-christened-my-blog.html
Pleasure to meet you! :DM
April 13, 2011 at 5:25 am
Sarah, you’re inspiring me! I’m feeling a bucket list of my own brewing in my head. I’ll have to post it once I get it completed. I’ll definitely give you the credit for my inspiration, with a nice link back to this post. 🙂
Blessings,
Rosann {http://www.christiansupermom.com/}
PS…I hope you’re feeling great with the pregnancy!
April 14, 2011 at 5:52 pm
I recently discovered and have been enjoying your lovely site! It seems we have quite a bit in common, as I also just turned 29 and made a “30 Before I’m 30 List.” How fun! I’m working on baking with yeast, too. Congratulations on your pregnancy! (Oh, here’s my list, if you’re curious! http://www.joyfullythriving.com/2011/04/30-before-im-30/)
[…] my updated 30 before 30, I decided to learn to crochet. Last Friday I took the girls to Hobby Lobby to buy my supple of […]
A Wife Loved Like The Church 
April 12, 2011 at 10:22 am
Love the bucket list… mine grows faster than I can check things off! As for writing a book. I saw this awhile back and it’s not writing a book but it’s pretty cute: http://www.sayyestohoboken.com/2009/08/henrys-book.html