A List | 31 Things Before 31

I entered into a new decade on Wednesday. I am no longer in my twenties and I still haven't quite grasped that. A lot happened in my twenties. Heartbreak. Living in the northwest. Going to college. Playing lots of music. Moving home. Meeting Ryan. Marrying Ryan. A few different jobs: coffee houses, churches, a dental office. Playing more music. We bought our first home. We had our first kid. 

Many things can happen in the span of a decade. Now I find myself in a fresh one, untouched and totally unknown. The idea of being in my thirties is actually pretty appealing. I'm ready for a fresh start, a clean slate. In some ways, I feel like I need to be a real adult now. In other ways I feel like I never will be and that's totally alright. 

Every year for the past few years, I've written a list around my birthday. This list consists of many things that I want to accomplish in the new year in front of me. Last year, I did alright with my list but didn't accomplish quite a few of them. You can see the list here....30 Things Before 30.  It's no secret that I love making lists and I love making this list every single year. I'm excited for what 30 holds. So many things in our lives feel like they are currently in transition. I'm sure I will move into 31 in a totally different place. 

Below is my brand new list. Fresh and new. 31 things before I turn 31.....

1. Read 31 books.

2. Start blogging again.

3. Get pregnant with #2.

4. Paint the outside of our house.

5. Embrace a side hustle.

6. Play a show.

7. See the ocean.

8. Make a big purchase with cash.

9. Get another tattoo.

10. Get a facial.

11. Grow Hollen Photography.

12. Get a deep tissue massage.

13. Redo our basement: paint everything, new flooring, doors, etc. 

14. Finish a song. 

15. Go to a drive-in movie. 

16. Start writing a book. 

17. Thrift more. 

18. Increase our curb appeal.

19. Travel somewhere new. 

20. Build up an emergency fund. 

21. Meal plan and decrease our grocery budget. 

22. Purge the entire house, every room!

23. Develop a product or new venture.  

24. Get family pictures taken. 

25. Complete another Jazzercise attendance challenge. 

26. Have a No-Spend Month. 

27. Read the Dark Tower Series, Harry Potter Series, and Anne of Green Gables Series. 

28. Take a class. 

29. Seasonal Fun: pumpkin patch, picking strawberries, the zoo, parades, the fair, etc. 

30. See a show at Red Rocks. 

31. Splurge on the perfect pair of jeans. 

Summer Bucket List

Now that we are back from our vacation and life has gone pretty much back to normal, I'm realizing that the summer is already half over. Once we hit July 4th, I'll blink and it will be Christmas. I want Marin to be able to experience all of the fun things that the outside world has to offer. It is good for us to get out and do fun things. We have a huge backyard that needs to be played in far more often. Some of these are for me, some these are for Marin.

Our Summer Bucket List

1. Make Grilled Pizza.

2. Buy some plants and try to not kill them.

3. Paint some walls.

4. Go to the Drive-In.

5. Evening walks to the park.

6. Farmer's Market Trip.

7. Make & eat popsicles.

8. Make cold brew coffee.

9. Create a nice outdoor space & use it.

10. Trip to Estes.

11. Draw with sidewalk chalk.

12. Go swimming. 

13. Have a picnic.

14. Eat outside on the back porch.

15. Learn to make a new cocktail.

16. Make a 30 Things Before 30 List and work on completing this list. 

17. Complete a Whole30. 

#9!

We made it home from our wonderful vacation on Sunday night, after two days of my lovely husband driving us all the way back to Fort Collins. (He's awesome like that.) 

Now, reality has hit. My to-do list is forever growing. Part of me embraces it and the other part wants to run for cover. I realize more and more how un-spontaneous I am in many things in life. Routine sometimes is my biggest downfall, yet also sometimes my biggest triumph. I grasp on to all of the lists and all of the goals. Yet, sometimes you just have to get in the car and drive without a destination in mind and be alright with that. 

I wish I had an easier time figuring out how to dwell  in between the chaos and the control. It's a constant lesson. 

Currently, I'm editing photos like a mad women for our friend's wedding that I shot before we left on our trip. I couldn't bring my editing stuff with me so these photos were left in Fort Collins and seemed to call me back to them the whole trip. Now I will edit, edit, edit, edit, edit...

A bit of a sneak peak.... (I won't post photos of the actually wedding party, etc until I have full permission from them...) 

Photography makes me feel so alive. 

On another note, I can mark something off of my 25 Things Before 25 list! This one came around A LOT quicker than I thought it would and I didn't even spark the conversation this time. 

9. Have the Baby Talk! 

Ryan and I have decided when we will start trying to have a family. I realize that God is ultimately in control of all of that and we are constantly willing to go His route verses ours, but we have set a tentative time period that will allow us to somewhat financially prepare and allow me to get my body and health in tip top, baby making condition. 

It's almost weird to even talk about it! For so long I never thought I would get to this point. But, alas, the mama bug has actually bit. Craziness. 

Needless to say, I'm excited. 

And to our mothers..... I promise it is a plan that will not go into action for quite a while. No babies for us yet! :) But, someday you shall be grandmothers!