It’s that birthday time of year again. Da da da DA…..I’m turning 39 years old this week.
I’ll pause so that you can sing to me in your head. (My favorite song is the Beatles’ “You Say it’s Your Birthday.”
Last year for my birthday I wrote about 38 things I had learned in my 38 years. This year I decided to create my own little mini-bucket list for my 39th year. Because now that I’m older, I’m more mature and productive and all that jazz.
Here are the things I want to accomplish in the next 365 days.
1- Make my very own puff pastry from scratch. Why? Because Pinterest tells me I can. Plus, I’m too cheap to spend $4.79 at the store.
2- Drop 2 dress sizes.
3- Go somewhere with my husband for 72 consecutive hours, leaving the children in the care of responsible adults. (If you’d like to apply for that position drop me a note in the comments.)
4- Go camping someplace we’ve never been, despite the anxiety I feel out in nature due to watching The River Wild one too many times. Curse you Kevin Bacon.
5- Visit the COSI museum in Columbus, Ohio.
6- Read a real biography about Abraham Lincoln, since I fell in love with the fake biography: Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter. (Seriously it’s a good book people.)
7- Swim in Lake Michigan. Or, more realistically, wade in Lake Michigan.
8- Create the perfect green enchilada sauce.
9- Sew something. With an actual sewing machine.
10- Learn to take pictures in low light on my camera. Or at least improve enough to be able to distinguish people from pets in my photos.
11- Do something crafty for each major holiday. (I think I can, I think I can….)
12- Make five new friends.
13- Become somewhat knowledgeable about ancient Egypt. I’m broadening my mind here people.
14- Teach my youngest child to read, without freaking out OR causing her to require therapy later in life.
15- Read ten more books about urban farming, because the twenty five books I’ve already read aren’t enough.
16- Take my kids rollerskating.
17- Buy silicone muffin pans. Because I have silicone baking needs, people.
18- Learn to make homemade flour tortillas that are actually round in shape, as opposed to the trapezoid ones I make now.
19- Watch every episode of The Big Bang Theory, preferably with my spouse.
20- Visit the Museum of Industry and Science in Chicago.
21- Photograph my husband teaching the youngest child to ride a bike.
22- Order something at a restaurant that I’ve never eaten before because I can be brave occasionally.
23- Learn to make a new type of jam. (Ideas, suggestions, or recipes would be appreciated.)
24- Cross at least twenty-five books off my “to-read” shelf over on goodreads. Since I’ve marked 363 books that I want to read, I’ll have a lot to choose from.
25- Memorize a poem.
26- Get 15 more people to follow my blog.
27- Read Artemis Fowl to my kids.
28- Try out four new zucchini recipes, because zucchinis are everywhere in Indiana during the months of June through September.
29- Throw somebody I’m related to an awesome birthday party. (I’m notoriously horrible at that kind of stuff.)
30- Try a new kind of cheese. Because cheese is awesome and I deserve it.
31- Get a clothesline for the backyard. I might do more laundry if I had a clothesline….
32- Teach my oldest children to clean the bathrooms. And then sit on the couch and shout “I HAVE ARRIVED!” when they finally master cleaning the toilets.
33- Do a random act of service for someone every week without being asked. And I’m not going to feel guilty if it’s small rather than large.
34- Splurge on one nice piece of clothing for my wardrobe without flinching at the price tag.
35- Plant raspberry canes in my backyard, so I can pretend to be Laura Ingalls Wilder even more.
36- Go on more dates with my husband.
37- Be more deliberate in what I am doing and multitask less.
38- Sincerely compliment more people.
39- Finally, I’m going to sweat the small stuff less. And most of it is small stuff.
Why don’t you leave a comment telling me something you want to do in the next year? A comment will make a lovely birthday present (and won’t cost you a nickel.)
