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What would you do with a blank blue canvas?

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I LOVE going to the dentist. (Esp. when I get a nod of approval regarding the care of my teeth.) I love that smooth, just polished feeling. I don't know why people dislike going to the dentist, I think it is divine.

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 I couldn't pick for today's photo. Teaching my girl the valuable life skill of kicking a football or sewing my first quilt. so fun!

#24. Beat 4 levels of Mario all by myself

Last week I accomplished one of my 30 before 30 items in it's entierty. I completed four levels of the red Mario game all by myself! I know, this is something that most 5 year olds can do, but for me it is a big deal as a non-video game player. I did levels 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, and 1-6. Laugh if you must, but I'm proud of myself. Yay!

(In other news, if you ever want a good laugh, convince me to play a video game for you. it is a sure fire way to put a smile on most faces of people who know how to play.)

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After church today, Punkin wanted to help put the chairs away. She was a great helper! Good thing too because I see a lot of chairs to be folded up over the course of her life. I love teaching my kid new skills!

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My new bag made it's debut. It loved being out and about. swoon. It was great for carrying my journal and phone and keys and what not for a Saturday evening church service.

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3 months later and I still have to go in for weekly blood work. The phlebotomists are very nice, but I wish I didn't know them all by name and their personal stories as to how they came to America. (I do love the pre-wrap band over gauze as opposed to a bandaid. You know, if you ever draw my blood, now you know my preference.)

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A snack picnick with some friends on a 70 degree day. yay.

Can you tell they are sisters?

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Jimmer making a shot! Too bad our team didn't win, but we had a GREAT time at the game. Awesome seats, landing us a free burrito,  2x on the jumbotron while tons of our friends were in the crowd and texting us that they saw us. How fun is that? We had a great time.

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The toddler's weapon of choice.... thanks Grandpa....

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Family morning at the gym.  Good times had by all.

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Fun little apron project that I made for Punkin. A few target dollar isle wash cloths turned into a cute apron for Punkin to wear while we are cooking. Now if only she would have tried it on....

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Restaurant fun.... learning how to butter bread and fun with sugar packets with one of the most fun people we know.

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Walking to work. Well to the car to drive to work at least....

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Playpen ball pit.  Great way to spend a sick day.

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lots of stickers for doctor's office bravery. Can we only have well baby visits from now on, please?

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some love from my valentine!

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necklaces with a friend!

Feb 12 on 12

Lucky Charms- breakfast of champions!

Playtime in the car

Valentines for friends

Hugs!

Reading

Giving the baby some milk

Train time!

Snuggles with dad

Valentines from friends

crayons

church

play "sleeping"

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Playtime!

We love giggle time on the bed!

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A windy, snowy night at the temple. Even if it is cold. I always love going to where we were married with my love.

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Chillin out, protecting the fort.

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So when I realized super late that I hadn't taken any photos today, we had some fun with my wearable blanket. Nerd Alert!

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Two photos for today - someone stole my glasses. Sadly, this is likely in her future.

Then, we enjoyed some yummy Finnish Chocolate that we'd gotten in the mail from KC's brother. It was so sweet and delicious! Even Punkin couldn't help but ask for seconds. (Wait, she always asks for seconds and thirds and more when it comes to sweets....)

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A few days late and a few weeks late for KC - but we both finally got to blow out some candles for our respective birthdays! (Please excuse my grubby post-workout attire.)

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Leftover birthday cake always brings smiles for a post lunch treat.

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What superbowl? my favorite memories from today had to deal with these 2 cute 3rd cousins. (Can you believe they are only 7 weeks apart in age?) They had so much fun re-arranging the kitchen! I just love how I can see in their faces the family resemblance.



#22 Recipes

So, I started off running (well literally with a few miles towards my 500) but also with #22 recipes.

#1. Asian Hot Wings though we didn't do it with wings - we did nuggets instead of wings. I don't know if it is worth to fry in the future, but it would be a lovely sauce to use for a stir fry sauce. Yum!

#2. Soda Can Cake  - This is ALL over the internet. Good flavor, but if I do it again, it would only be as cupcakes with liners. They are just a little crumbly and therefore don't make for good presentation. I also couldn't get it out of the pan so I had to just serve it from the pan. I did love the texture and flavor though, so I would be tempted to try this again with some different combinations. (I did a funfetti cake with cream soda pop. YUM!)

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I made my birthday date try to win me an angry bird at the mall. :) He didn't get it, but it was cute of him to try.

30 before 30

So, as I've been thinking back over the last few years, I can't help but realize that I've done a lot of awesome things. (some of these things are taken from other 30 before 30 lists I've seen.) Including -1. performed for over 100,000 people, 2. lived in Europe, 3.hitch-hiking in SE Asia, 4.was in a rock band, 5. fell in love and got married, 6. had a baby, 7. marched in the Rose Parade (2x), 8. graduated from college 9. Performed for the former PM of Estonia 10. Studied a foreign language or 3 11. moved to a random city for the heck of it 12. Traveled to a country I knew little about and spoke none of the language 13. graduated from graduate school with an a-typical degree 14. convinced really wealthy people to donate lots of money to an NGO 15. was part of the biggest rivalry in college football (so yeah, I was in the band not on the field, whatever. it is all part of the experience.) 16. visited 5 new states 17. went to my first pro hockey game 18. went to a movie all by myself 19. got a pedicure 20.was treated by holistic eastern medicine 21. road a motorcycle with a guy who didn't speak my language 22. bought something from an infomercial 23. bought furniture 24. spent a weekend living in a strict Buddhist colony 25. explored foreign lands with my boyfriend 26. FINALLY had a midnight at NYE kiss 27. wounded myself on an active volcano 28. went to the Grand Canyon 29. had a fancy massage 30. spontaneous road trip

so those are some of the things I have done, here is the to do list for the next year.....

1. Eat at a food truck
2. Play my trumpet in public
3. Run a 5k Race (despite the fact that I trained with the cross country team in high school, I have never ever raced this. crazy, huh?)
4. Read the Old Testament
5. Read 30 books
6. See the sun rise over the Atlantic
7. Visit Williamsburg
8. Move
9. See a show on Broadway
10. Write a short story
11. Film and learn to edit to create some 10min or less little short
12. Travel somewhere new
13. Make a quilt
14. Sew something I can wear
15. Recreate at least one of these firsts with my husband (first date, first time holding hands, first kiss)
16. Enter (another) photograph into a competition (last time I was in high school)
17. Research a random topic and write a short paper on it (yep, just gave myself homework. but what will it be? The history of Jazz, the rise of the Byzantine empire, birds native to central Oklahoma? only time will tell.)
18. Get comfortable with my post baby body (aka weight where I want it)
19. Visit a piano bar
20. 500 miles on foot (run, walk with E, whatever.)
21. Try 4 new beauty products (do i finally buy an eyelash curler? Try a mask?)
22. Try 50 new recipes
23. Eat something I've never eaten or don't remember eating (fish sticks, figs, oh the possibilities.)
24. Beat 4 levels of Mario all by myself
25. See Monticello
26. Play piano in public
27. Go back to my pomegranate hummus place (sounds like a girls night....)
28. Try 100 different workouts (the stuff you see all over pinterest or the pullouts from magazines)
29. Go to a concert with my husband (something we've never done together! for the shame! I am thinking Juniper Lane. :)
30. Go one month sugar free


(And a few on my before 40 list - buy a house, visit all 50 states, take a photography class, dye my hair, visit Paris, go to the taping of a tv show, get out of debt, climb a 14er)

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Little Drummer Girl

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Shopper in training. I think I found a good way to burn some energy on a rainy day. (She even got some bananas for her trouble! Lucky girl!)

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Who doesn't love a sand pit day, in February?