Tag Archives: Birthday

Goodbye to 38 by 38 Hello to 39 by 39!

CrownGood afternoon!

Yep! You have heard correctly, yesterday was my birthday so I am officially 38!! WHOO! HOO!! 😉

As some of you may already know, I every year I put together a X by X list. A # of objects by number of years I will have been alive by the time I finish this goal list! Two years ago was my 37 by 37 list, this past year was my 38 by 38 list, and starting today, I will be actively working on my 39 by 39 list. This is the list where I take 39 things from my master Life List and schedule the 39 things that I want to do before my birthday this next year!

Before I show you my 39 by 39 list, I thought I would start out by showing you how my 38 by 38 turned out!! 🙂

Here is my 38 by 38 list:

  1. Put $1,000 into a mini emergency fund – DONE!
  2. Pay off all of my non-mortgage debt – Almost there, almost about $4000 to go!! WHEW!!!
  3. Regularly tithe 10% of our household income – I did better on this one that I expected, but I wasn’t as consistent as I wanted to be.
  4. Downsize our belongings so that everything we own fit into our 2-bedroom, 1 car garage condo – DONE!
  5. Jog a mile – DONE!
  6. Take the train
  7. Go camping – DONE!
  8. Blow bubbles out of the car window while on a road trip – DONE!
  9. Clean out the garage – DONE!
  10. Hike the longest trail at Silver Creek Falls – DONE!
  11. Go on a walking tour of downtown Salem – I get a great deal on this from Groupon! I just have to schedule this before it expires and it will be done!!
  12. Take a cooking class
  13. Host a slumber party – DONE!
  14. Create a new line of inspiring art pieces of at least 12 designs
  15. Start my own company – DONE!
  16. Redesign my blog to make it a reflection of my personal style – DONE!
  17. Invest in blog/career business cards – DONE!
  18. Launch an interview series on my blog
  19. Send fifty handwritten handwritten notes (1 of 50)
  20. Lose an accumulative 100 pounds (105 of 100) – DONE!
  21. Volunteer in a cause that is near and dear to my heart
  22. Ride my bike for an hour straight
  23. Have a weekend vacation at the coast – DONE!
  24. Sell my entire collection of Pink Paisley Boutique jewelry (LET IT GO!)
  25. Host a movie-themed party
  26. Inspire someone to write a list of their own – DONE!
  27. Be featured in a creative publication
  28. Try at least 12 new recipes (12 of 12) – DONE!
  29. Prepare a meal using fresh ingredients from the Farmer’s Market
  30. Use re-usable shopping bags for all grocery shopping for an entire month
  31. Read every Jane Austen novel (1 of 5) – I read Pride and Prejudice
  32. Get a facial
  33. Revitalize 5 old pieces of furniture
  34. Teach an online class
  35. Read my Flying Lessons class book
  36. Wear bright red lipstick out in public for a day – DONE!
  37. Have at least 48 artist dates (35 of 48) – I did WAAAAAY better on this than I thought I would! So, I am going to consider this a win!!! 😉
  38. Have fresh flowers in the house every week for at least 10 weeks (6 of 10) – This was harder and more expensive than I thought, but I may try this one again!! 😉

As usual, I got a lot more accomplished than I thought I was going to, but there were actually a few things I was able to mark off of my master Life List that I wasn’t planning on. Here are those things:

  1. Fly first class – I did this on the spur of the moment on my last business trip!! First class was soooo worth the extra moola spent!!! 😉
  2. Learn to hula hoop – My friend, Jamie, inspired me to give this a try. I went out and bought a hula hoop, much to the chagrin of my sweetie, and I did, right there in my living room – almost breaking a lamp, but having a BLAST just the same!!! 😉
  3. Run a mile – I thought I would NEVER be able to do this!!
  4. Run a 5k – I thought either I was going to die doing this, or I was going to kill my sweetie for making me! But, in the end I was soooo happy I did this!!!
  5. Cross my legs – Who knew???? One day, I looked down, and realized, ‘Hey! I’m crossing my legs!!!’ It might as well have been free tickets to Paris! Yes, I was truly THAT excited!!! 😉
  6. Touch my toes with knees unbent – this was another one that I thought I would never be able to, but my sweetie insisted that I tried it. When I realized I could actually touch my toes, I wanted to sit in that position FOREVER!!
  7. Be able to do a complete Sun Salutation – Another shocker!! I am sure I don’t do it as gracefully as the ladies online do, but who cares???? I CAN DO THIS!!! Good morning, Sun!!! 😉
  8. Buy Jason a truck – Yep! I was VERY happy to be able to do this for my sweetie!!
  9. Create & post a video on YouTube – I am not sure why I thought this was such a scary thing!?? Easy peasy!!
  10. Do an entire cross stitch pattern – Another easy peasy goal!!
  11. Draw a piece of art that I am happy with – After I finished this particular piece I was surprised that it actually came out of me!!
  12. Go to a counselor – this was a requirement of the bariatric surgery, but it was still on my list so I am counting it!!
  13. Hire a nutritionist – same as 12!
  14. Hike the longest trail at Silver Creek Falls (10.4 miles) – This might have been the hardest 4 hours of my life!! UGH!!!
  15. Learn how to manage money – Thank you, Mr. Dave Ramsey!!!
  16. Learn how to purl – I did this, hated it, crossed it off of my list anyways!!
  17. Learn how to walk in heels – YEAH!! I’m a girl! I’m a girl!!
  18. Live without eating out for one month – bariatric surgery made this one easy!
  19. Live without junk food for one week – Same for this one!!
  20. Love my entire wardrobe – This is easy to do when you are down to two pairs of pants, a blazer, denim jacket, 3 dresses, and a few miscellaneous tops!
  21. Weigh less than 300 pounds – I will NEVER GO BACK!!
  22. Weigh less than 275 pounds – This was a little less than what I weighed when my mom died!
  23. Weigh less than 250 pounds – My goal is getting so close, I can almost feel it!!
  24. Weigh less than 225 pounds – This is so much harder than I expected!!! Keep going!!! 😉
  25. Eat at doughnut at Voodoo Donuts in Portland, OR – Such a LOOOOONG wait in a LOOOOOOON line, for an ok donut, but so much fun spending some silly time with my sweetie!!

WHEW!! I have been busy!! 😉

NOW, what do I want to see on my 39 by 39 list????

  1. Go to Brave Girls’ Camp
  2. Weigh less than 220 pounds
  3. Weigh less than 215 pounds
  4. Weigh less than 210 pounds
  5. Weigh less than 205 pounds
  6. Weigh less than 200 pounds
  7. Publish my own e-book
  8. Start my creative business’ website
  9. Start my creative business’ blog
  10. Watch a baby being born (my nephew – Liam)
  11. Become a life coach
  12. Be a mentor to someone else
  13. Be a spokesperson for something positive
  14. Beat Jason at a game of chess
  15. Read all of Jane Austen’s novels (1 of 5)
  16. Become a motivational speaker
  17. Become a plus-sized model for a day
  18. Build a loom
  19. Learn how to use a loom
  20. Grow a vegetable garden
  21. Carve a piece of art
  22. Build a piñata from scratch
  23. Climb a rock wall
  24. Cook an entire meal for Jason’s family
  25. Contact a distant family member & start communicating
  26. Share my art-making-process via a YouTube channel
  27. Purchase a professional camera
  28. Learn how to use it
  29. Create a time capsule
  30. Take a road trip down the Pacific Coast Highway
  31. Do a backbend
  32. Do a cartwheel
  33. Do a flip off a diving board
  34. Do a handstand
  35. Gather a group of people to blow bubbles in a public space
  36. Get a life coach
  37. Get a passport
  38. Get a pen-pal from a different country
  39. Get paid to do what you love
  40. Go kayaking
  41. Grocery shop using only reusable bags for an entire month
  42. Hang laundry in the sun to dry
  43. Pay off all non-mortgage debt
  44. Have 3 – 6 months expenses in an emergency savings account
  45. Have a prayer alter in my home with stair-stepped candles
  46. Knit a scarf
  47. Learn French
  48. Learn HTML
  49. Learn the basic ballet steps
  50. Learn the proper way to open a coconut
  51. Learn to can food
  52. Learn to create a frame to stretch canvas over
  53. Learn to make a book from scratch
  54. Learn to make ambrosia
  55. Learn to make doughnuts
  56. Leave $100 for a haggard waitress
  57. Make & send my own Christmas cards
  58. Make a loan to an entrepreneur in a developing country through http://www.kiva.com
  59. Milk a cow
  60. Organize a large family picture
  61. Own a pair of fabulous fitting walking knee-high boots
  62. Own an income producing blog
  63. Perform 100 sit-ups in one sitting
  64. Sell all of my jewelry from my old jewelry business
  65. Start a book club
  66. Take a cooking class
  67. Take a nature walk & press the wild flowers you collect
  68. Take a painting class
  69. Take a photography class
  70. Take a weekend vacation by myself
  71. Teach an online art class
  72. Type up great-great grandma’s recipe book for the family
  73. Volunteer in a homeless shelter
  74. Wear a size 14 pant

 

Ok, so I can TOTALLY see that there are WAAAAAAY more than 39 things on this list!! I think, at least for right this moment, I am going to keep the list extra long like this, and shoot to complete at least 39 items off of this list!! It is my perogative to change my mind at any moment in time to completely rehash this list or to completely start it over. As it stands right now, this list really makes me happy, and the idea of removing anything from it, honestly, really makes me sad! SO, to heck with it!! THIS WILL BE MY NEW 39 by 39 List!!

Here is to a FABULOUSLY productive, artsy, and memorable year!!! 😉

Signature Line

If you want to have a different life, you have to live differently!!

Today Is My Birthday!

Good evening!

That’s right today is my birthday!!!

WHOO!! HOO!!! I am officially 37, as of 6:34 AM this morning!!

Since today is my birthday, I thought today would be the perfect day to go over my 37 by 37 list that I had created last year around my birthday! My 37 by 37 list is my list of thirty-seven goals I wanted to accomplish before I turned thirty-seven. I didn’t get everything accomplished that was on my list, but I did manage to get some pretty impressive things done this year!!

My 37 things!!

  1. get a passport
  2. jog a mile
  3. blog every day for a year(Done!)
  4. go to Women of Faith with my sisters
  5. take 100 pictures of historical buildings all over Oregon(Done!)
  6. take a decorating class
  7. make homemade marshmallows
  8. plant a veggie garden(Done!)
  9. take the train
  10. go camping
  11. blow bubbles out the car window – you would’ve thought I would have easily gotten this done, but I kept forgetting to actually do this (even though I bought the bubbles on day 2 of this list)!! 😉
  12. go for a walk in the rain(Done!)
  13. clean out the garage
  14. hike the longest trail at Silver Creek Falls – ok, so I didn’t hike the longest trail, but I did get one of the really long ones in!! I am calling that a win!!!
  15. go on a walking tour of downtown Portland
  16. take a cooking class
  17. get a tattoo(Done!)
  18. pick strawberries(Done!)
  19. bake homemade cinnamon rolls
  20. take an art class(Done!)
  21. set up a website
  22. teach myself how to take a picture using manual camera settings
  23. make at least 12 pieces of art(Done!)
  24.  lose 32.6 pounds(Done!) – matter of fact, I have lost 69.8 pounds so far this year!!
  25. put at least $1,200 in savings – I will have a $1000 in by Friday, so I came pretty close to this goal!
  26. visit a ghost town
  27. teach an online class
  28. make homemade yogurt
  29. read the entire Bible – No, this one is really hard for me! I think I am somewhere in Deuteronomy still!! 🙁
  30. crochet a queen-sized blanket using a difficult stitch(Done!)
  31. volunteer at a homeless shelter – I have been surprised by how difficult this one has been to find a place that will give you permission to volunteer, but I will keep trying!
  32. take a French class
  33. make a wild dance mix playlist. dance to it.(Done!)
  34. carve pumpkins with my niece and nephew(Done!)
  35. get my Visa paid off
  36. make a rag quilt
  37. make $1000 creatively

Some other things that I was able to get done this year, that I wasn’t planning on but am still so thankful and blessed to have gotten done was:

  • I had lost 50 pounds this year with just diet and exercise
  • I had gastric bypass surgery, which has helped me lose an additional 19.8 pounds
  • We found our church home, and just couldn’t be happier there
  • I have made a some new and dear girlfriends this year
  • My marriage is stronger than ever
  • Jason and I are finally on the same page financially, and are headed to build our dream lives

I have a new 38 by 38 list in the works for this upcoming year, but only time will tell to see what this new year will bring!! 🙂

Here’s to a FABULOUS 36th year, and an even better 37th one!!! ;-)

“If you want to have a different life, live differently!”

 

Sharing The Birthday Boy’s Pics!

Good evening!

My sweetie and I are having a lovely, quiet evening at home and I wanted to make sure that I shared with you his pictures from his birthday dinner last evening!! 🙂

We went to my sweetie’s favorite restaurant for dinner, Annette’s!

The birthday boy got a movie gift card, and a Starbuck’s card!

We celebrated with our good friends, Kevin, Rachel, and Errin.

We ate our fill of food, and then because it was Jason’s birthday they gave him a free dessert of 3 scoops of ice, with 2 brownies, hot fudge, whipped cream, and 5 spoons!! It was delicious!! 😉

They had live music, which was really cool!! It was very blues-ey/jazzy, which Jason and I just LOVE!!! 😉

Errin being silly! 😉

Kevin and Rachel – aren’t they just adorable?? 😉

and last but not least, my sweet AKA The Birthday Boy, and myself!! 😉

Have a FABULOUS evening!!! 😉

Happy Birthday, Baby!!

Good evening!

I have let the evening get away from me, so, needless to say that this is going to be another short post. I am very sorry about that!!

Today is my sweetie’s birthday, and this evening we had fun celebrating his birthday over at Annette’s in West Salem! Our friends, Errin, Kevin, and Rachel were able to join in the celebration!! We all had HUGE portions of DELICIOUS food!! It was fun to catch up with friends, and get to know a little more about what is happening in each of their lives! Then came dessert. YUM!! The waitress brought out a LARGE bowl of brownies, ice cream, fudge, and whip cream with 5 spoons!! It was delicious, but even with all 5 of us there, we could not finish it!!

Jason was like a kid on Christmas morning, as he opened his gifts!! He received a gift card to the movie theatre, a gift card to Starbucks, The Big Bang Theory Season 4 DVD set, and the Paolini Book “Inheritance”.

After we left our friends to return home, Jason got a phone call from our sister, Jennifer, and she sang to him Happy Birthday, Marylin Monroe-style, and he looked like he was going to burst with happiness!!! Jennifer is notorious for her Marylin impression, and Jason was just stoked that she was doing it JUST FOR HIM!!! That is a special treat – for sure!!!

So, before we head to bed this evening we are going to watch at least one more episode of The Big Bang Theory season 3, and then we are off to bed!! It really has been a great day, and I am just so thankful that my sweetie had a GREAT birthday!!!

Have a FABULOUS evening!!! 😉

 

 

OH, I do have a bunch of pictures that I am going to post of this evening, but because of time constraints I am going to wait until tomorrow’s post!!! 😉

It’s My Birthday!

Good afternoon!

Happy BIRTHDAY to me!!!

Yes, it was 36 years ago today that my parents were blessed with ME – thier first and MOST FAVORITE DAUGHTER!!! LOL! 😉

In honor of today being my 36th birthday, I thought I would do something a little bit different and come up with 36 goals to do for thirty-six-year-young-girl’s year. A plan of what to do with my one and only life before I turn 37!!!!

My 36 things!!

  1. get a passport
  2. jog a mile
  3. blog every day for a year
  4. go to Women of Faith with my sisters
  5. take 100 pictures of historical buildings all over Oregon
  6. take a decorating class
  7. make homemade marshmallows
  8. plant a garden
  9. take the train
  10. go camping
  11. blow bubbles out the car window
  12. go for a walk in the rain
  13. clean out the garage
  14. get out of debt – again
  15. hike the longest trail at Silver Creek Falls
  16. go on a walking tour of downtown Portland
  17. take a cooking class
  18. get a tattoo
  19. pick strawberries
  20. get my nose pierced – again
  21. bake homemade cinnamon rolls
  22. take an art class
  23. set up a website
  24. teach myself how to take a picture using manual camera settings
  25. make at least 12 pieces of art
  26. lose 32.6 pounds
  27. put at least $1,200 in savings
  28. visit a ghost town
  29. teach an online class
  30. make homemade yogurt
  31. read the entire Bible
  32. crochet a queen-sized blanket using a difficult stitch
  33. volunteer at a homeless shelter
  34. take a French class
  35. make a wild dance mix playlist. dance to it.
  36. carve pumpkins with my niece and nephew

Have a FABULOUS day – I know I am !!! 😉

Happy Birthday Party to Me!

Good evening!

Tomorrow is my 36th birthday, and my sweetie surprised me today by baking me some homemade cupcakes and having a mini party with my sisters. He also surprised me with some Sephora nail polishes that really made day!!! It really was such a sweet and thoughtful gift!

It really is the simple things in life that brings so much joy!!

I am excited about my birthday day tomorrow! I decided to treat myself to the day off so my sweetie and I are going to spend the day together doing whatever we want!!

FUN!!!

I am not sure what we are going to do yet, but we will see!! 😉 I will keep you posted! 😉

Have a FABULOUS evening! ;-)

Happy Birthday Morgan!

Good evening!

My self-appointed job at all family functions is to take pictures, and as I was going through the pics this evening, I ran across this pic, and it made me realize just how much of a little boy my nephew, Morgan, really is.

You see, tonight was my nephew, Morgan’s, 5th birthday party. The kids all had pizza, and then we met up to go bowling. Morgan has always been really big for his age, he is going to take after my sweetie, his “Uncle Jay-Jay” who just happens to be 6’7″ and wears a size 18 shoe! Morgan is bigger than all of the other kids his age, and can easily pass of for a little boy who is 7 or 8, even though he is just today turning 5.

The party this evening quickly came to an end when in a fit of despair, Morgan cried out,

“Now my birthday party is ruined!”

He wasn’t listening to the adults when he was told not to do something, and he decided to do it anyway, which temporarily got one of his new toys taken away. Well, you would have thought that the world was coming to an end how that normally sweet little boy just carried on and on and on! There was crying, and moaning, and wailing, and all sorts of foolishness – and that was just the grownups! Just kidding!!! It was really Morgan – he was sure that there was no way that he was going to be able to salvage his party after the loss of his new toy.

This picture reminded me that Morgan is still a little guy, trying to find his way out in the world, often times being expected to act the part of much older kids, and sometimes there are going to be nights when he has had too much excitement and has become tired, that “drama” has just got to happen. No matter what, we love our little man!!

Morgan, we love you buddy!!!
May this year be…
Full of fun,
playing,
adventures,
and yes, sometimes even drama!! 😉
Happy Birthday and WE LOVE YOU!!!!!

Have a FABULOUS evening! 😉

A Savvy Life Morning!

Good morning!!

I woke up early this morning, and straight away picked up a book that I just started reading last night. The book is called Living the Savvy Life: The Savvy Woman’s Guide to Smart Spending and Rich Living by Melissa Tosetti. So far, it is a pretty good book! I think it is going to be a short and sweet read, but it is basically a reminder of a lot of things that I already know, but haven’t taken advantage of in my life. I will have to keep you posted on how that goes!!!

I am off to work late this morning!! I think I am near hitting burnout, and if we weren’t so short-handed I might have taken a personal day today. Instead, I decided to just let myself take an easy extra half an hour and don’t let myself get too anxious!! Work is still tricky right now, and I am not sure I see the light at the end of the tunnel, but I am sure things will work out – they always do!!!

OH, and I am saving the BEST for last!! It is my girlfriend, Dawn’s Birthday!!!

WHOO! HOO!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY CRAZY, ZANY, WACKY FRIEND!!!!!

I hope you have all that your heart’s wishes come true – ESPECIALLY TODAY!!!! I love you, CHICKA!!! 😉

With that said…

Have a FABULOUS day!!!

My Nephew’s Birthday Party!

Good evening!

I have to admit that today was a pretty good day, but the BEST part of my day was my nephew’s 13th birthday party!! It was a small, but intimate crowd and we all had a lot of fun!!

This is the birthday boy oops, birthday man!! He HATES getting his picture taken, so he really wasn’t cooperating, so I decided to post his pictures ANYWAY!! I love you, Buddy!!! 😉

We had pizza – actually TONS OF PIZZA!!!

The guys pretty much did what all guys do – ran around, played video games, a round of laser tag, ate more pizza, cake, and then off to the nickel arcades!!! WHEW!!!

Miss V and I sat at the girls’ table – we were VERY leery of catching the DREADED BOY-COOTIES!!!!! SHOO!!! 😉

Mom, Linda, and Jason hanging out having fun!!! He is such a MAMMA’S BOY!!! We LOVE YOU MOM!!! 😉

and here is my FAVORITE pic of the day!! My sis, Alex, and myself!!! I just LOVE THIS GIRRRRRL!!! 😉

I am sooo thankful that we were able to be there!! Happy birthday, Christopher!!! I hope you had a TERRIFIC TIME at your BIRTHDAY!!!! We LOVE YOU!!! 😉

Have a FABULOUS evening!!!

Megan’s Day!

Today is a day of celebration!!

My niece Megan is celebrating her 8th birthday today. It blows my mind to realize how quickly she is growing up. The first time I met Megan, I was on the east coast for a business trip, and Megan and her family were living in West Virginia at the time. After my business was completed, I had a couple of days of vacation time added on, and Megan, and her mom and dad came and picked me up from near Washington DC and we made the drive all the way back to their place, which if I remember correctly was REALLY QUITE A DRIVE!

The first time I saw her, I think she might have just turned one. At the time, I was really, REALLY afraid of babies, and I was TERRIFIED of BREAKING HER, so I had told myself before they had picked me up that I was not going to hold her, just in case I might accidentally hurt her!! Well, the car that we were traveling in was really small, and because Megan’s car seat was buckled into the middle seat belt, I ended up with this very tight spot wedged between the car seat and the car door. After I wedged myself in, I just couldn’t stop staring at Megan in awe. Here was this tiny baby, with pudgy cheeks, and arms, baby blond frizzy hair, rosy cheeks, and all she could seem to do was stare at me back,  with her quizzical stare (the one that she still has whenever she is busy people-watching) as if she were saying, “Who are you?” Well, part-way through the drive to their house, I had managed to stop gawking at her like some crazy person, and I had turned away to watch the passing scenery. I felt this tiny warm little hand grasp the end of my first finger. Shocked, I looked back at her, not sure what to do, and as she smiled so sweetly up at me, I smiled back at her, and I could just feel everything that she was thinking without her even able to utter a word – joy, curiosity, love, happiness, peace, trust. WHAT A MOMENT! LITERALLY, one of the BEST MOMENTS OF MY LIFE!! I TOTALLY melted! I know, without a doubt, that was the exact moment that I fell in love with her and knew that we would always be close – even living almost 3,000 miles away from each other, at the time. I broke my oath to myself about not holding babies, that day. AS SOON AS WE GOT OUT OF THE CAR!! I NEVER WANTED TO PUT HER DOWN!!! I was even trying to figure out a way to sneak her into my pocket so I could sneak her on the plane and she could go back home with me to Salem!! LOL! 😉

I still well up with tears thinking about our first MAGICAL encounter, I am just SO IN LOVE with that sweet little Megan of mine, and the sweet Megan who is still so curious even as she grows a year older little by little! She now lives in Salem, matter of fact, only about 10 minutes away from me, and I am thankful that we still remain close!!

Megan,
I am so thankful that God gifted you into my life,
and I am SO VERY HAPPY we get to celebrate your 8th birthday today!!!
I wish you a long, joyous, healthy, and successful life –
YOU DESERVE TO HAVE THE VERY BEST!!!
I love you, Miss Megan!!! 😉

 

and to the rest of you…

Have a FABULOUS day!!! 😉