30 b4 30 update

seeing as i just had a birthday, and i have one less year to finish my 30 before 30 list, i figured i needed to update you all on my quest. so here it goes...

i was just going to type the ones i have accomplished, but i think i need more motivation so i'm putting the whole list here again so i can see how much more i have to do.

1. dye my hair blonde--check! i've been a blonde for an entire year now. in case you're wondering, no i don't think blondes have more fun. but they do get hit on more often.
2. own all seasons of the cosby show--so so so close. one left to go.
3. live alone without any other people--not close at all
4. visit all those people in ha-WA-ii
5. run a mile without dying--laughably easy. it's remarkable what a breeze it is to run a mile when you...TRY
6. learn to play chess--i now own a chess board, so i'm on my way
7. go on a cruise
8. stop biting my nails--i think i get half credit here at least. i stopped biting my nails completely. then i went home for christmas, was super stressed, and bit all my nails off. but i'm back on track and it's been two months. so half credit.
9. invent something
10. see topgun--seen. wrote a blog with my (negative) review.
11. take my picture in times []--done done and done!
12. taste edible gold
13. finish that stupid cross stitch project i started in 7th grade
14. read anna karenina--started. kind of slow going.
15. go to a music concert
16. own all brand new socks at some one point--my friends bought me some new socks to start my collection...so i've started this ;)
17. learn spanish
18. own a fancy camera and actually take pictures (do this before 11) --done and done before 11
19. do a backflip--i can bend almost all the way back. a little more practice and i'll be there.
20. play the cello
21. take a cooking class
22. give more to charity than i can afford
23. get my teeth whitened
24. learn to surf or sail
25. get my portrait painted--and like it
26. build/re-do a piece of furniture
27. buy and learn the ukulele
28. learn to ride
29. MACHU PICCHU
30.

and so. five and a half done. three pretty close-ish. two that i've started. so not too shabby. i need to pick up the pace a bit, but i'm on my way to finishing them by 2014.

birthday fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

yesterday was my birthday!!!!! it was awe-some! the one day a year i set aside completely for myself always leaves me amazed at how blessed i am. my birthday is better every single year, mostly because i have the GREATEST friends that anyone ever could have. ever. seriously, it blows me away how exceptional they all are.

so my birthday started out with a day of work. i chose to work (even though i could have taken it off) because i love the kids and i love the people i work with. sarah brought a giant cookie to school so i could share it with the kids. (they asked if she was my mom hahahaha!) it was a little rough in the afternoon though. the kids were being particularly annoying and i could feel a headache coming on.but nothing bad can happen on my birthday so i popped a couple ibprofen and left work as soon as the kids were gone. i picked up a balloon bouquet on my way home that a wonderful friend living on the other side of the US sent me. then on to the roller-rink where i got to rollerskate with some close friends for a few hours. rollerskating is one of my favorite activities. it's a little bit like flying if you go fast enough.

we then went to sarah's parent's house, where we met a few more friends who made us AMAZING homemade pizza. i was showered with cheesecake and awesome gifts and we played black ball white ball and urn ping pong all night. i laughed so hard my face hurt. it was a really great day and i am so thankful for the many wonderful friends i have. i hope you all know how great you are. my life would be so much lamer without you :)