Joy Lynn

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30 by 30

Now that I'm officially closer to 30 than I am to 20, I think it's time for me to come up with a fun little challenge of accomplishments I hope to make by the time I hit the big 3-0. Some are more measurable than others, but there's a lot of great things in life that can't be measured... am I right? I'll be sure to update this list periodically, as I go.

  1. Learn to enjoy ONE semi-athletic behavior. Does drinking coffee count as an athletic feat?
    Summer 2017: Love my workout routine - low weight high reps
  2. Visit 3 cities I've never been to before.
    1. San Antonio 2. Nashville 3. Florence, Italy 4. Pisa, Italy 5. Paris, France 6. Dijon, France 7. Reykjavik, Iceland
  3. Learn to sew.
    My mom taught me in March 2018! 
  4. Double my readership.
    Check!
  5. Keep eating cheesy breadsticks. Because why stop?
    Yup.
  6. Become an amateur photographer as a side hustle.
    Working on it
  7. Remodel the main floor of our house. By mostly our own labor.
    Finished early June 2016
  8. Make a steady, monthly income from blogging and freelancing.
    Affiliates!
  9. Have a child... or two... or three? I wonder how many we could squeeze in before 30? Or is that a different sort of challenge? Hahaha
    Well, infertility sort of threw this one for a loop - but Silas Benedict arrived May 2018!
  10. Give 5 gifts "just because."
    Check
  11. Create a new baking recipe simply through trial and error and WRITE IT DOWN.
    Bacon asparagus quiche - recipe to come.
  12. Become fluent in Spanish.
  13. Master living simply. Materialistically, mentally, and through intentionality with time.
    I'm not sure I've mastered it, and I'm not sure how to measure that, but it's part of my every day life and it's been amazing.
  14. Get professional photos taken.
  15. See Coldplay in concert.
    July 2016 - Read about it!
  16. Have my husband teach me simple graphic design skills. So is this more his goal, or mine? Because it's kind of his fault if I don't reach it, right? ;)
  17. Try 30+ new wines.
    ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ....yes. this one was easy
  18. Get stronger (physically).
    My husband informed me that my legs aren't as soft as they used to be, so this is slowly happening (I really didn't imagine sticking to this one, so I'm surprised at myself) (Summer 2017)
  19. Become an expert on money management and budgeting. At least an expert in our own finances.
    Tom is our money manager and I think he's doing great.
  20. Write a children's book. Even if it's just for my own kids.
    Working on it!
  21. Send out Christmas cards every year (we are soooo bad at this).
    2015  2̶0̶1̶6̶ 2017
  22. Finally get our Bernese Mountain Dog.
    Check!
  23. Do something spontaneous and/or adventurous with my husband twice a month.
    Nov 2015: Biked San Antonio // invited guests for Thanksgiving at the last minute
    Dec 2015: tried Columbian food // walked in a parade with Bernese Mountain Dogs
    Jan 2016: saw Star Wars again // bought something OFF our grocery list *gasp* Blue Bell
    Feb 2016: Tom bought us Coldplay tickets // had cake for no good reason

    Mar 2016: bought a kitchen // got some new phones
    Apr 2016: started a kitchen renovation // bought a grill
    May 2016: saw the Giants play // took an unplanned trip to IKEA
    June 2016: camped overnight in a field up north // bought new appliances
    July 2016: got rootbeer floats instead of groceries // stayed in an Airbnb in WI
    Aug 2016: saw Needtobreathe in concert // went to a local festival
    Sept 2016: looked at campers // left the house for a date at 10:30pm
    Oct 2016: went to our favorite mediterranean restaurant // carved pumpkins!
    Nov 2016: we got a DSLR camera // we decided to get a puppy
    Dec 2016: we ate at a Culver's an hour away // we saw Rogue One
    Jan 2017: we took our new puppy to an outdoor mall and got wine // we hiked
    Feb 2017: went to Ponce City Market // went to Italian instead of getting groceries
    Mar 2017: started a garden inside // tried Cajun food
    Apr 2017: seeded grass in the backyard // bought flights to Iceland, France, and Italy
    May 2017: stopped at some favorite places in Milwaukee // went out for drinks at Avalon
    June 2017: visited Twin Peaks in SF // went couch shopping // (bonus: made sushi!)
    July 2017: went shoe shopping for Europe // went shopping with road sodies (wine)
    August 2017:
    September 2017:
    October 2017:
    November 2017: 
    December 2017: 
    January 2018: 
    February 2018: 
    March 2018: 
    April 2018:
    May 2018: 
    June 2018: 
    July 2018: 
  24. Eat at a Michelin starred restaurant.
    We totally had the chance in France and we didn't!
  25. Do a 30 day photo challenge.
    December 2016!
  26. Communicate my gratefulness and love to my husband in some way, every day.
    Check, check, check - happily!
  27. Read the Bible cover-to-cover.
  28. Find my inner green thumb.
    We started a garden! April 2017
  29. Not get lame. Specifically not get "too old" for staying up late, being spontaneous, not let kids be an excuse (unless it's to get out of something lame), and not look at myself as "old."
  30. Go to the Kentucky Derby.

What would you add?