10 Things to Do Before Turning 30

October is such a crazy month for us....almost as crazy as the Christmas season.  We have a TON of birthdays (obviously there isn't much to do in January).  There is Halloween and our town's annual Apple Festival (where I won the apple pie contest this year!)  Plus, we took on having our entire great room painted before L's birthday party, so I decided to take a step back from the blog, but now I'm back and ready to go!

One of those October birthdays was mine.  This year I turned 29 so I'm staring the big 3-0 in the face.  Honestly, the number isn't bothering me as much as I thought it would.  In my head and heart I still feel like the naive girl that is just graduating from college.  And that is what I had the problem with on my birthday.

I remember when I was in junior high and high school going to the Apple Festival.  I would see these people in their 20's and early 30's and they just seemed to have it together, like they had life figured out.  I'm sure that they didn't, but I always thought that I would really feel like an adult by now.  But, in reality, many times I find myself still looking for an "adult" to handle things.

Birthdays always provide a time of contemplation for me.  I like to think about who I am and who I want to be.  Thirty has gotten here much faster than I had anticipated and time is only going faster now that we have two little ones.  I'm disappointed that I haven't accomplished and learned more, but there is no more fitting a time to change that!  So I've compiled a list of things I want to work on during the next year so I can start my thirties confident and better than ever!

1. Read more!

I've always loved reading, but I haven't done much of it lately.  At the end of the day (and to be honest the beginning too!) I want mindless entertainment.  I love, I mean LOVE, TV.  I know I it's not cool to admit that, but there it is.  Being a basically only child I think fostered my love of books and TV both because both activities can easily be done alone.  Now, however, I am never alone, but I'm going to make the effort to turn off the TV and read.  To help keep myself accountable, some girlfriends and I have started a monthly book club.  We just had our first meeting last week and I cherished the time to spend with them and have a stimulating adult conversation!  I've also signed up for The Influence Network's fall book club.  Between the two, hopefully I'll have that push I need to make reading a priority.

2. Continue going to yoga.

I have also been relishing my yoga night.  On the way to class and back home, I usually listen to one of my podcasts.  The class itself is about 45 minutes of calming music and no talking other than our instructor talking us through the poses.  Maybe I can even start going to more than just one class a week as the year progresses, but for now, I'm committing to keep going to my Monday night class.

3. Lose the last 15 pounds of baby weight!

Number 2 on my list should help a little, but I'm going to have to start doing other things as well.  It is getting disheartening to still be in some of my maternity clothes. It is my own fault; I haven't taken the weight loss as seriously this time around. I know I'm in trouble with the holidays right around the corner, but I'm going to do it!

4. Learn Italian.

I have always loved the Italian culture and Italy is on my travel bucket list.  Ever since watching Roman Holiday and other old classics, I have been dying to go.  I took a semester of Italian in college and three years of Spanish in high school, so I have a decent start, but I would love to be able to have a conversation in Italian.  It would be nice to get the Rosetta Stone for Italian, but that isn't in the budget so I've found a couple of free things to help me get started.  I'll let you know how they work out for me!

5. Take a cooking class.

Recently a friend of mine posted pictures of her husband and herself taking a cooking class.  Is that not the most adorable thing?!  The Bloomington Cooking School is close and they offer many classes that also discuss wines and wine pairings, something else that I would like to learn more about!

6. Make time for play.

I'm not very good at imaginary play with my kids.  I don't really enjoy trying to create conversations between a truck and a pony.  I know...horrible mom.  But, I want to make sure that my kids can look back and remember us playing together.  Maybe its tag or crafts instead of Barbies and peekaboo, but this is a MUST for the next year.

I also want to make sure to "play" with my husband.  We don't do a lot just the two of us now that kids have entered our lives.  I know that this is simply a season, and when it is over, it will be just the two of us again.  I don't want us to not have anything in common when the kids are gone, so I'm going to try to let go of my guilt and anxiety of leaving my kids and have a few more date nights with the hubby.

7.  Develop a signature style.

I've read a lot about a capsule wardrobe on The Simply Luxurious Life blog and I like the idea of having a simplified wardrobe that I can easily mix and match.  My wardrobe right now is either super casual or business attire.  Now that I'm staying home, I need to find a new style that works for my life.  One that is casual, but not too casual.  I don't want to wear leggings and yoga pants everyday.  I just don't feel at my best when I'm that casual.

8.  Master the top knot.

Ok, so this is a minor goal, but still.  I see all of these girls and women rocking a messy top knot, but I just can't seem to master the look.  Mine is either too loose and falling out or too tight and pinned down.  Since I don't have time to always straighten or curl my hair, I REALLY want to master this cute look.

9. Continue making our house our home.

Buying your childhood home is great, but it's also hard.  Many times I look around and I don't see me and my family.  I see my dad.  Not that seeing my dad is a bad thing, but I want the house to be a reflection of us now.  Changing the great room colors has done incredible things for my mood.  Since it is the kitchen, dining, and living room, it is also the room where we spend most of our time.  I'm finally starting to see us in this room and it actually feels like home.

10.  Make devotions and Bible study a part of my daily life.

This is the last and most important item on my to-do list for the year.  I've always grown up in church.  I accepted the Lord and was baptized when I was 12 years old, but I have definitely lacked in my walk with Him.  I was doing really well when we first brought J home to complete God's Wisdom for a Mother's Heart, but as sleep schedules for both kids was ever changing, I lost my momentum.  I know I was a better mom the days that I had that time with God first thing.  My mom just bought me the Seamless Bible Study for my birthday, so I plan to get started again.  Now I just have to start going to bed earlier so I can get up before the kids and get it done!

What about you?  What things do you want to accomplish before your next birthday?