New Year's Resolution

30 before 30

“saying goodbye to my roaring 20’s”

For years, I've enjoyed putting together a list of new year's resolutions to coincide with that given year - 11 items for 2011, 13 items for 2013, etc. It's been fun checking off each resolution - from learning how to make sushi, keeping a 365 day journal, trying a new recipe a week and finally purchasing a passport. Seeing as how I am married now and have a partner for all my adventures, I decided to do something different for 2015. There's been a lot of talk about my friends and I turning 30 in the next year or so. With that comes a lot of "what did I want to accomplish in my 20's?" and "holy crap how did I get so old?". I know, I know, 30 is not old. More so than accomplishing things before I turn 30, there are quite a few things I wanted to do before having kids. So, I thought it would be fun to put together a bucket list of items/activities/trips I'd like to accomplish/do/take (with Ron) before April of 2016 - my 30th birthday. 

Here is my "30 Before 30" list. If anyone would like to join in any of the activities, trips, recipe trials or adventures, let us know. Cheers to 2015 and all the adventures that await!

1. Revamp my blog
• I have LOTS of plans for this blog. Now that the wedding planning is over and done with I'll have more time to work on projects, plan other events, cook and bake and subsequently blog about it - something I am really looking forward to.
2. Run 500 Miles 
3. Read the entire Harry Potter series 
• I know, I know! But Ron and I having been wanting to read these for a while since we are obsessed with the movies. 
4. Visit Platform 9 ¾ 
• Along the Harry Potter theme, we will be visiting London in the summer and this is a must see on our list. Platform 9 ¾ is located at King's Cross railway station in London.
5. Visit at least four (4) more states.
• Ron and I would like to visit all 50 states. While we have visited quite a few on our own and on family trips growing up, we would like to visit all 50 states together. So far we have been to 8 states: Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Indiana, Ohio and South Carolina. 
6. Send 30 handwritten letters/cards to friends and family
7. Celebrate our One Year Anniversary in style
8. Make a pie (crust and all) from scratch – with Lattice Top
9. Participate in a Chicago Race 
• E.g. Shamrock Shuffle, Color Run, Hot Chocolate Run, Turkey Trot, etc.
10. Plan our next BIG adventure
11. Pay off student loans
12. Learn Spanish 
• Ron is/was fluent in Spanish. He studied in Spain while in college and was fluent at the time. He's forgotten some but can still pick up quite a bit and carry on a conversation. We are planning a trip to Spain (around my 30th birthday) and I would like to be able to know/understand the language while we are there. 
13. Try a new salad a week
• We purchased "Salad of the Day - 365 Recipes for Every Day of the Year" from Williams-Sonoma. There are a variety of salad types from the Classic Caesar salad to specialized pasta and fruit salads. I'll be sure post all the recipes that we try. 
14. Take a spontaneous trip
15. Learn a new skill
• Knitting, Crochet, Photography, etc.
16. Take Ron to my favorite city – New York
• I absolutely LOVE New York. I even contemplated moving there right before I met my lovely husband. God obviously had a differently plan in mind. J We are hoping to take a fall trip to The Big Apple in 2015.
17. Use all of our wedding gifts
• Ok, I realize this might sound a bit goofy. But having received most of the items off of our registry, we want to make sure we are utilizing all of the generous gifts in one way or another - from our deep fryer to our roasting pan, from our wonton/dumpling maker to our creme brulee dishes. Who wants to come over for dinner?!?!?! J
18. Learn how to make French Macarons
19. Reach my ideal weight
20. Visit the Space Needle in Seattle
• We are planning to visit Ron's family in Washington the this spring. Among seeing family and friends and visiting Pike Place Market, the Space Needle is a must see. 
21. Try One (1) DIY project a month
22. Spend more time with friends and family and catching up with old friends
• Coffee dates, dinner, etc.
23. Wear everything in my closet or get rid of anything I don’t wear
24. Start my own business
• This one is a bit tricky. Friends and family have been telling me I should start my own business for some time. Unfortunately, it's not that easy. I work for a non-profit that is doing amazing work and making considerable medical advancements. I enjoy working in the community and making a difference. However, I can't deny the fact that I love planning events, particularly weddings, and would love to some day run my own event planning business. In the next year or so, I'd like to get the initial plans in place for doing so. 
25. Learn to see the good in people
26. Lead a healthier life style
27. Learn signature ethnic dishes made by friends and family
28. Support and encourage Ron to run a marathon in 2015
• Ron had come close to running the marathon distance in the past but unfortunately it was the year he and I started dating and I was a bit of a distraction. Oops! He would like to run 26.2 miles sometime this year - not in the actual marathon but on his own. I hope to help and encourage his new year's resolution in any way I can. 
29. Buy a new camera and learn to use it
30. Have an epic 30^th Birthday!