2017 Reading List

Having 5 years left o my 'Things To Do in My 30's' Bucket List, I'm trying to be a little more organized about checking things off, which being organized is also one of my goals.

One of my items is to read 25 books. I haven't been reading lately, even though I go to the library often. In my last job, I was listening to a lot of books on tape, which was great. Lately I have not been listening or reading any books, mostly just glancing at some cookbooks or remodeling books.

I decided I needed a list of books I want to read, and I should be reading 5 a year. So here is a list of 5 I would like to read in 2017 and I will add more if I get done before the end of the year:

all links are to Amazon.com

1. For the Love by Jen Haymaker *

2. Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson*

3. Bare Bones by Bobby Bones

4. Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz*

5. The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison*

*Available at my local library.

Losing It

As already stated in my To Do 35 to 40 post, I need to work on losing weight. To leave it as just a goal of losing weight would be too vague and hard to measure. I need to break it down into more manageable task.

As you can see my weight has had a steady increase in the last year. This is a graph from myfitnesspal.com. I quit going to the gym in August. I really did like the gym that I was going to but it was also stressful. Juggling work, kids, and then scheduling the gym was overwhelming. I had to be really on top of everything I needed to do to be able to go to the gym and showed. I never got a handle on my eating, so I wasn't really losing weight, but I now know it was helpful to not pack on the pounds. My current BMI for someone barely 5' is putting me in the obese zone.

For a time at my new job we were walking and/or even running some days. Then we got busy and the weather wouldn't co-operate, and then we didn't even try. I would say the worst part about the midwest is the weather.

So to help me with my goal I have signed up for Profile by Sanford. They have a special going on until Jan 31 that one year of coaching is $99.  This also comes with a scale, that will link to your account. I will weigh in at home whenever I want and how often I want. I will have some items that I buy from them and some that are from a set list I buy from the grocery store. This is similar to what I know of the Medifast plan. When I compared the two it seemed like Profile was going to be cheaper, plus when I go talk with my coach I can get the food I need so no need to order.

The food won't be the greatest, but I seem to do well when I have a plan but it is hard for me to stick to it. I have a friend who started on it and said she liked it, plus my doctor also said she has had many patients lose weight on this program. She said the program works because they cut your carbs to almost nothing so it really jump starts the weight loss. I started by attending a Discovery Session, where I was able to ask questions. While I was there I was able to sample a few items. I figured I have lost more than $100 in the last few years trying different diet fads I didn't stick with, so what do I have to lose. I really want to stick with this for one year to see how it goes.

Tonight I had my first meeting with a coach, and did the official sign up session. For accountability purposes I plan to set aside one day of the week where I will update on this blog progress, and notes about how it is going and how I'm feeling.

I also found another Blogger, Meggan Carter, who has already finished her year, if you need a second opinion.
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To Do 35 to 40

Things I have done from my '30 during my 30's' list, so far from 30 to 35:

5. visit Canada

8. change careers

15. pay off student loans

16. buy a Coach purse

21. make lefse on my own

26. meet/talk to someone famous

27.volunteer on a regular basis ( at least 1/wk or 3-4 times a month)

Now that I am 35 I wanted to update the list, since life has changed so much in these last 5 years. Here are some that I am keeping from the last list:

1. Lose weight, not to be in the obese category for my height and weight.

2. Have at least $10,000 saved in retirement.

3. Remodel the basement.

4. Live a more organized life. Defined as having a place for everything and knowing what I have in this not a mansion house.

5. Make a wood project for my house.

Here are the other 18:

1. Go see the American Gothic house.

2. See Niagara Falls in Canada and US.

3. Visit Seattle, Washington

4. Meet Bobbie Bones, iheart radio personality.

5. Go to drive in movie

6. Read 25 books

7. Crochet something.

8. Eat at a Michelin star restaurant

9. See a MLB game

10. Take the family to The Resorts at Paws Up or similar vacation

11. Attend a murder mystery dinner

12. See Orca's Island 

13. Be part of the studio audience on a tv show

14. Go to an audience participation movie event

15. See a broadway musical

16. Buy a smoker

17. Dogsledding in MN

18. Return to the MN Renaissance fair.

Update at 35

My last post was 6/27/2015. 555 days ago. I have wanted to blog but life has been busy. The kids are getting older. I have been getting involved in more activities. I changed companies and have to go farther to get to the office.

Yet today being my birthday, and New Year's Day observed, I have the day off. I was looking through a post about bullet journal list. One was about bucket list of things to do before a certain age of event. This made me remember I made of post I wanted to do in my 30's. So since I am now 35, I wanted to update to see where I am at on getting my list done.

Here is the last update I did.

1. lose 15lb 

I'm even farther from where I was. I was active, going to the gym and ran a few races. Now I can't seem to get a handle on fitting in exercise. I'm trying to work more on my weight. I'm thinking of trying one of those programs to help in this area.

2. get out of debt

We were out of debt all except the house. Then I got worn down and we bought a car. Then I realized time was slipping away and we needed really wanted to have more space for our kids. We need to get back on track with our budget.

3. save a 10,000 or more in 401K

I know I am almost there. I have some with an investor from rollover 401k and I am contributing at work.

4. visit somewhere south

LOL, not sure where I was thinking with this, but I haven't gone anywhere south.

5. visit Canada

I went to Canada this last October for work and it was great. I didn't get very far into Canada. I hope to go again with the family when I visit Seattle, Washington in the next year or two.

6. run a marathon

I could walk a marathon, but I don't think I can run one. I would definetly have to lose a lot of weight and hopefully my knees wouldn't give out. I was thinking last year about having 2016 be my last half marathon year, but I think I will be doing one in June.

7. graduate from college again

Since I changed careers I'm not sure if I would do this but going back to learn some new skills to help in my career.

8. change careers

I am now a Quality Analyst, which pays wells, so I am happy and love the people at work.

9. try a turducken

Maybe next thanksgiving? I think you can order them from Costco.

10. take a hot air balloon ride

Not yet, not sure if my husband would do this or not.

11. read the Foutainhead by Ann Rice

Have not read this yet. I might have given my copy away when I was purging my house. I might listen to it on audiobooks through the library.

12. remodel basement 

Construction will start at the end of January.

13. live a more organized life

I have started bullet journalling. I am trying so hard and got rid of a bunch of things and I am still trying to get rid of more.

14. bike in Ragbri with my dad

:0( My bike was stolen so not sure how I can get this done, unless I find a bike again.

15. pay off student loans

Done!

16. buy a Coach purse

Actually my husband got me a purse and wallet for christmas 2014.

17. own jewelry from Tiffany & Co.

I keep looking at the website. I got a knockoff necklace for free to wear and I really like it but the real one is too expensive right now.

18. have 50 Blog followers

Kinda hard when I don't blog. Need to get back at this. I did replace with see a live theater performance, I was thinking like Rent or something.

19. start golfing again

I was going to sell my clubs. I just don't have time so this probably won't get done. Things have changed in the last 5 years.

20. visit Disney World

Not yet, not planned or saved.

21. make lefse on my own

I did do this one, but only once. My sister makes her own which is better than mine.

22. learn to fillet a fish I caught

Maybe this summer. We don't fish a lot, but I have seen my dad do this many times. Also I'm sure I can find a youtube video on this too.

23. paint the rooms in my house/decorate my house

So far we have painted a bathroom and the kids rooms. Still need to work on the living areas and our bedroom and the other bathroom.

24. have a child graduate from high school

Still on track.

25. be a butterball blogger

I don't think this was that realistic. 

26. meet/talk to someone famous

Depends on how you define famous. I have met with Gina Franssen, who was the only women black belt in jiu jitsu in the midwest. She is a great role model for girls. I started jiu jitsu in April of 2016 with my daughter.

27.volunteer on a regular basis ( at least 1/wk or 3-4 times a month)

Definitely I have been doing this. I am den leader to my son's cub scout den. I have started teach the tween/teen Sunday school since the fall of 2016. I help out at church with hosting, setting up our nativity event. I have helped lower income kids buy christmas gifts for their families. I have gone on a weeklong mission trip to help build a deck for an elderly lady in Kansas.

28. go to an event on New Years with my Husband

We have been to family parties but not an event. It is now easier to do since he has changed to a job that allows time off.

29. make something for my house with wood

When my bike was stolen, they also stole some power tools. Once we replace these I plan to make some things for the basement, like a desk or shelving.

30. go on a TV show

Not sure how I can pull this off living in the midwest, but I was thinking of being on a game show or something.

Now that I am 35 and I am 5 years into this list, I'm going to update it with some new things I would like to do in the next five year.

Working on My List

Chicks in a tub....kind of like a bucket?!

I thought it was about time I updated my bucket list to see what I still want to do in my 30's.

30 things to do in my thirties (in no particular order): 

1. lose 15lb 

so think at the time i thought i weighed 130 and i went to the doctor and weighed 139, which i am now back down closer to 130lb due to diet change so i'm still working on getting to a healthy weight. i would like to be 125 or even 120 if possible, since i am only 5'.

2. get out of debt

still working on this and need to do better. i did get a new job with a raise, yeah!

3. save a 10,000 or more in 401K

i had tried to rollover my 401K from my old job and i need to check in on that, but i'm not currently contributing due to debt and not planning to stay at my current job

4. visit somewhere south

5. visit Canada

6. run a marathon

i did run a half marathon in Oct 2012. not sure if my heart or body could take a full marathon but you never know so i'm not gonna cross this off yet.

7. graduate from college again
with my new job i really don't want more college debt but i could make more money. this will be determined in the summer of 2014. i need to start praying for the right answer now.

8. change careers

i didn't really want to but i do have a non retail job now. i was with a help desk for one year but have recently moved up to software tester so we will see what the future holds.

9. try a turducken

i tried Qua-Duc-Ant, which is quail in duck in pheasant with creole sausage and cajun seasoning. it was kinda greasy and too much spice for my taste.

10. take a hot air balloon ride

maybe this summer? i am afraid of height but it could be fun.

11. read the Foutainhead by Ann Rice

i have this book, and maybe when things slow down at work i can get to reading this one. i have been reading more with my new job and have read some good books in 2012.

12. remodel basement 

this one won't be for a while, more likely late 30's

13. live a more organized life

this is a far off dream, but you never know.

14. bike in Ragbri with my dad

he wants me to go this summer, but its not going to happen this year.

15. pay off student loans

i still have about $10,000 to go.

16. buy a Coach purse
still looking for the right one, at the right price

17. own jewelry from Tiffany & Co.

i need to create a wish list from this store.

18. have 50 Blog followers See a live theater performance

since I don't blog much, i'm over this one and want to just write when i feel an urge and post to try to help myself stay focused with meal plans, organizing, etc.

19. start golfing again

my son did say he wanted to try and golf so maybe we can do this together.

20. visit Disney World

my family has talked about doing this instead of christmas one year, but i think this will be in 5 years.

21. make lefse on my own

i did do this one, but it didn't turn out as thin as it should. next time i need to use better supplies.

22. learn to fillet a fish I caught

i know my dad can teach me this, so again maybe this summer. summer 2012 was the first time my husband fished which he did enjoy.

23. paint the rooms in my house/decorate my house

we painted a bathroom, and i discovered i hate painting, but my sister said she would come down because she likes to paint.

24. have a child graduate from high school

not a hard goal by any means but this one is scary. when I turn 39 my daughter will graduate high school.

25. be a butterball blogger

will need to look more into this one. i was running out of things to add to my list, i guess i'm not much of a dreamer

26. meet/talk to someone famous

i checked to Adam Lambert when I worked retail. no, i literally checked him out. i rang up his purchase for him, but this was before i was 30 so i guess i need to find someone else. not quite sure how i will do this one.

    27. Volunteer on a regular basis.

28. go to an event on New Years with my Husband

29. make something for my house with wood

pinterest has inspired me a lot. this discussion could be in a future post.

30. go on a TV show

i was apparently craving attention when i made this list, but i will keep this one on here for now. i always wanted to be on a game show.

So I have done 3 out of 30, and to replace number 18 I'm going to add 18.See a Live Theater Show(besides my daughter's school play). I used to go to the the community theater with a friend in junior high. I always loved seeing plays like that, and I hope to see something like Cirque du Soleil.

Turning Thirty

                           

So I turned 30 on Jan 2nd.  It was so far away, now it is here.  I thought I would share 20 things I did in my twenties and 30 things I want to do in my thirties

20 things I did in my twenties ( in no particular order):

1. graduated college

2. Had 2 kids

3. bought 2 houses

4. sold a house

5. moved 6 times

6. lived in 2 states

7. went back to college

8. bought 2 cars

9. gained 15 lbs

10. lost my paternal Grandfather and my last living Great-grandparent

11. learned to cook

12. started a career

13. changed job title for money

14. been out of credit card debt twice

15. paid off 1 car

16. went to the Black Hills of South Dakota

17. went to the state of Wyoming

18. worked a second job

19. changed job title for sanity

20. got married

30 things to do in my thirties (in no particular order): 

1. lose 15lb 

2. get out of debt

3. save a 10,000 or more in 401K

4. visit somewhere south

5. visit Canada

6. run a marathon

7. graduate from college again

8. change careers

9. try a turducken

10. take a hot air balloon ride

11. read the Foutainhead by Ann Rice

12. remodel basement 

13. live a more organized life

14. bike in Ragbri with my dad

15. pay off student loans

16. buy a Coach purse

17. own jewelry from Tiffany & Co.

18. have 50 Blog followers

19. start golfing again

20. visit Disney World

21. make lefse on my own

22. learn to fillet a fish I caught

23. paint the rooms in my house/decorate my house

24. have a child graduate from high school

25. be a butterball blogger

26. meet/talk to someone famous

27.volunteer on a regular basis ( at least 1/wk or 3-4 times a month)

28. go to an event on New Years with my Husband

29. make something for my house with wood

30. go on a TV show