Wow...30

So far, I don't feel so much different.  My birthday was nothing magical, and quite frankly wasn't a whole lotta fun so I don't really feel like I'm 30... or maybe that's what 30 is supposed to feel like??? I dunno.  But I do know that I got a few more things done before I hit the big 3-0.

#20 Read all the General Conference talks.  They were so good.  Must continue reading and re-reading.

#21 Read another classic.  Little Men.  It was lovely.  Maybe it's just because I have kind of an obsession about Jo March Bhaer and Laurie.  I loved it and am definitely going to finish the series.  Plus, it's free on Kindle.  And around here, we do free.

#22  I have finally switched every single cleaner I use over to "green" or "natural" cleaners and I love it. Vinegar, baking soda, borax, washing soda, etc.  I have been making our own laundry soap for years now, but it's taken me awhile to get the rest of my cleaners switched over.  Plus I didn't want to waste what I had already bought, so I used what we had until it ran out and now it's all out of the house except for a few lysol wipes that I keep for tough jobs.  I've been washing my hair with Baking Soda for a few months now and I love it as well.  I just can't bring myself to call it "No 'poo" like everyone else on the interwebs.  I'm not a super big tree hugger, but I wanted to try and keep the toxins out of our house.  Especially around November when Cory gets Bronchitis and Jocelyn gets Bronchiolitis every year.  I just want to do what I can to keep that at bay.  Plus, it's cheap.  And around here, we do cheap.

#23  I wanted to read one more parenting book so I read "Shepherding a Child's Heart" by Ted Tripp.  It's another Christian parenting book.  The first part of the book was completely life changing, and my copy is totally marked up.  The middle part I completely disagreed with.... and then there was some more good stuff at the end.  But the first part of the book was so fantastic, and was reinforced by the General Conference talk "What manner of Men and Women Ought ye to be?".  It pretty much said the same thing but in different language, so it was a nice reinforcement.  It gave me a lot of food for thought and a lot to work on.  Maybe I'll get it down in the next 20 years.  It feels a little daunting, but I'm up for the challenge!

So, I didn't get to 30, but I was definitely better for having tried.  I am still going to try and get my last 7 in before the end of the year.  I still need to learn how to use my camera, lose the baby weight, finish the Book of Mormon as a parenting manual, Jesus the Christ (still on chapter 2ish... whoops),  and finish the Bible.  I did all the reading for the Bible when we studied it for Seminary, but the reading schedule left big chunks out and I wanted to say that I've read the whole thing from beginning to end.  Every word.  I've read the New Testament over and over again... it's that blasted Old Testament that's been a struggle.  I'm aaaaaalmost there.

Most people get depressed about getting older.  But when I think about all the wonderful things that have happened in my 20's and see how I am getting more comfortable in my own skin every year, I am looking forward to what the 30's will bring.  In my 20's I got 3 college degrees, got married in the temple to my best friend, had 2 beautiful babies that I love, bought a home, made some great friends, traveled to some amazing places, got a great career-job that I absolutely love, and have learned so much.  Every year gets better and better.  Not that we don't have hard times, because believe me, 2011 has not been my friend so much.  But there's a deeper sense of joy and meaning that has come as I have gotten older that has overridden some of the difficult times.

Thanks, Amanda, for setting up this blog to make me accountable to someone for trying to change my life for the better, and for turning a good idea into something a little more tangible and concrete.

Now here's to 40 before 40! (I bet we could get some great stuff done with 10 years to do it in!)