30 before 30 update

It's always on my mind. I'm a goal-oriented person, and I want to accomplish everything I set out to do. Here's a little update on where I stand with my list, if, for nothing else, to help myself be accountable.

1. Pay off a student loan [making headway!]
2. Learn how to do my eye makeup [March 2013]
3. Go to Alaska [will have to wait until Josh is done with school]
4. Catch a fish [attempted at Josh's class reunion last year; still have yet to catch anything]
5. Learn how to ski [does watching the winter Olympics count?]
6. Make a quilt [April 2013] [I made another one this past weekend for an upcoming baby shower]
7. Sip wine in Sonoma [on the summer agenda; may combine with a Seattle work trip]
8. Visit all five Great Lakes [Ontario, Huron, Erie, and Michigan in May 2012] [hope to see Superior on our way back from my Maine roadtrip...see #15]
9. Sail on a sailboat [on the summer agenda]
10. Learn how to play chess [Josh might have to spend his entire spring break next month trying to help me]
11. Read Pride & Prejudice [I opened the book...and I'm on page 5]
12. Go to a zoo [September 2012]
13. Run a 5K [October 2012]
14. Run a 10K [signed up for the Drake Relays 10K in April]
15. Eat lobster in Maine [a roadtrip for summer 2014 is planned; i have an amazing itinerary mapped out] 
16. Build a sandcastle [April 2013]
17. Drive down the California coast [it's on the top of my list...see #7]
18. Try paddle boarding [summer 2014?]
19. Build a snowman [May 2013]
20. Donate 10” of hair to Locks of Love [plan on donating 8" of hair to Pantene this summer]
21. Venture to the bottom of the Grand Canyon [how many trips can I plan in 2014...]
22. Learn how to square dance [Emily, the next time we're together, you're going to show me]
23. Grow a garden [May 2012]
24. Wear size 27 J.Crew jeans [this happened, but I forgot to post about it]
25. Visit Yellow Stone [see #21]
26. Go zip lining [maybe at the Iowa State Fair this summer?]
27. Be in more than one place at once [June 2012]
28. Ride a day of RAGBRAI [might be able to do the Forest City to Mason City route on July 23]
29. Enter a contest at the Iowa State Fair [gluten-free dessert or a sewing project? can't decide yet]
30. Spend the day helping someone else [volunteered with Rebuilding Together back in October, but forgot to post about it; I was changing jobs that week]

throwback christmas card

Every Thanksgiving, I help Grandma Bev put together her nativity arrangement in her dining room.  It's one of my favorite traditions.  This year, we needed something in the basement, when I stumbled upon a family photo from 1978.  One thing led to another, and I designed a fun throwback Christmas card for Grandma Bev.  She mailed out 100 cards, and received probably that many cards or phone calls about the card.  I'm so glad it was a hit.  She's already planning what she wants her card for 2014 to be.

2013 christmas card

I like to put a lot of time and effort into Christmas cards (see our 2012 card here).  It's oftentimes the only point of contact I have with friends and family who live far away.  This year, Sophie wrote another engaging letter (she's such a creative little pup), and we used some photos my sister took for us back in November.  Here's to a wonderful 2014!