
Saturday, April 17, 2010
(#12) 30 days of Love!

30 days of love making in 30 days time.
Not too bad for working around a baby, being sick, and traveling all within those 30 days. I know you all probably don't want a bunch of details, so that is probably enough sharing for today. But "whoo hoo" for getting another goal accomplished!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
(#26) Cake Attempts

I didn't use the frosting that was on the recipe, but used Cool Whip instead thinking it may help
it taste more like an Oreo! I didn't get to try it because of my diatary restrictions, but reviews said it was good! This is the only picture I got of the cake:
Now, for the not quite so successful cake attempt. The challenge started with finding a recipe that did not have any milk or soy products in it. The cake portion wasn't too hard, but frosting is impossible! So I made the vanilla and strawberry jello cake (which wasn't adjusted for the high altitude and didn't fully rise in the middle) and then the frosting drama ensued. Since I couldn't use Crisco due to it's soybean oil, I tried substituting liquid canola oil. When I mixed it together, it curdled:
Yum, yum, right? Nothing like cottage cheese frosting. I added some rice milk and it (thankfully) smoothed out. Now, since it was supposed to be strawberry frosting, I had the great idea to add strawberry jello packets to it- what I didn't realize is that it would not dissolve and would end up tasting like I mixed sand in it. *Sigh* So my cottage cheese frosting turned into strawberry sandcastle flavored frosting. So in a last attempt to salvage this cake, I put some fresh strawberries on it... it was worth a shot. The end result:
Well, on the up side, it tasted just a little better than it looked. Just a little. So in the end, two new recipes down, one being a borderline flop, the other having positive reviews- Two down, 28 recipes to go!
Chocolate Diabetic Recipe: http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/detail.aspx?ID=132229
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Week 1
So I made it a little over a week!
I have tried two new recipes (#26) for my father-in-law's and my birthday cakes- more to come on that once I can post some pictures. Sneak preview: one turned out ok, the other... well... it wasn't a complete disaster!
I started doing some signs with Bella (#2). We are starting with "milk", "ball", "eat", "dance" (that one is for Daddy!), "Mommy", "Daddy", "music", and "bed/tired". The milk one seems to be going over the best- probably because we do it 100 times a day! Although she has yet to blatantly sign it back, when I sign it, she gets all excited! She made a gesture similar to what "milk" is, but we will see if it was just an accident or if she is already picking up on it.
As of tomorrow I will have completed the main portion of my online training (#3). I have been an online student for the past few weeks, and wow, is being a student different than being an instructor! And being an online student on top of that! I have been exposed to a whole new world!
Have better posture (#9). Much easier said than done after being a slouch for years! I decided this one is going to have to be a slowly growing accomplishment. I don't know what happened to my stomach muscles, but they (and my back muscles) and no where to be found. Time to start working on those so #9 is even possible!
Whew! I didn't think that this challenge was going to be that time consuming, but I am realizing just how many things I committed to! One week down, many more to go!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Tomorrow is Day One!
So tomorrow is day one of the Thirty Before Thirty challenge! I am pretty excited, but a little nervous about getting everything done- especially the things that are supposed to be done on a daily or weekly basis! I find myself wondering what this year has in store for me... and I am a bit anxious to find out. Am I going to be in over my head? What was I thinking? Well, here goes nothing, *deep breath*- let the journey begin!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
THE LIST
30 BEFORE 30: The Official List!
If you take this list seriously,
two things are certain for this year:
1. You won't be the same person your were last year
2. You certainly won't get bored.
For me:
1. Write a hand-written letter to one person each month.
2. Learn some sign language (and teach some to Bella).
3. Get trained for online teaching, develop the class and teach it.
4. Sketch 30 drawings.
5. In a year's time read the Gems devotional.
6. Do something to become more active at The Rock or with people from there.
7. Deliberately take time once a month for personal restoration
- two times: Get a mani/pedi.
8. Save as much as possible & pay off as much as possible.
9. Have better posture- sit & stand without slouching!
10. Dream for at least 10 minutes once a week about something out of reach.
For Others:
11. Go with Pat somewhere on a vacation for some private time to a landmark, place, destination, etc. that I have always wanted to visit.
12. Make love every day for 30 days in a row. No exceptions. (inspired from the honorable mention listed below)
13. Make Love somewhere different than ever before....be creative!
14. Have a "Date Night" with Pat at least once a Month.
15. Do something with each of the nieces/nephews.
16. On the 19th of every month do some random act of kindness.
17. Give one compliment out a day for a week or month.
18. See how many people I can get to smile in one day.
19. Volunteer for something to help some cause/organization.
For Excitement/Adventure/Spice:
20. Dance until midnight.
21. Try out 5 new restaurants.
22. Try 30 new wines...or beers...or drinks I’ve not yet tried.
23. Develop Something (more details to come on this one).
24. Play more games- have at least one game night with other adults.
25. Get a tattoo of something symbolic in my life.
26. Cook/bake 30 new “somethings” from a recipe I've never used
8. Save as much as possible & pay off as much as possible.
9. Have better posture- sit & stand without slouching!
10. Dream for at least 10 minutes once a week about something out of reach.
For Others:
11. Go with Pat somewhere on a vacation for some private time to a landmark, place, destination, etc. that I have always wanted to visit.
12. Make love every day for 30 days in a row. No exceptions. (inspired from the honorable mention listed below)
13. Make Love somewhere different than ever before....be creative!
14. Have a "Date Night" with Pat at least once a Month.
15. Do something with each of the nieces/nephews.
16. On the 19th of every month do some random act of kindness.
17. Give one compliment out a day for a week or month.
18. See how many people I can get to smile in one day.
19. Volunteer for something to help some cause/organization.
For Excitement/Adventure/Spice:
20. Dance until midnight.
21. Try out 5 new restaurants.
22. Try 30 new wines...or beers...or drinks I’ve not yet tried.
23. Develop Something (more details to come on this one).
24. Play more games- have at least one game night with other adults.
25. Get a tattoo of something symbolic in my life.
26. Cook/bake 30 new “somethings” from a recipe I've never used
–one of these should be baking a pie from scratch including the pie crust.
27. I've been skydiving, Rocky Mountain climbing, so now I need to ride 3.7 seconds on a (mechanical) bull.
28. Climb a rock wall.
29. Do something I normally wouldn’t do as often as possible.
30. Have a girls only night out!
Honorable Mentions:
-Get Pregnant, Grow a baby, Pop it out! --very popular suggestion!
-Make love EVERY day - no exception; if one of you is traveling, bank your times until you do it a total of 365 times (at minimum, wink wink).
-Fart in an elevator.
27. I've been skydiving, Rocky Mountain climbing, so now I need to ride 3.7 seconds on a (mechanical) bull.
28. Climb a rock wall.
29. Do something I normally wouldn’t do as often as possible.
30. Have a girls only night out!
Honorable Mentions:
-Get Pregnant, Grow a baby, Pop it out! --very popular suggestion!
-Make love EVERY day - no exception; if one of you is traveling, bank your times until you do it a total of 365 times (at minimum, wink wink).
-Fart in an elevator.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
What is 30 Before 30 All About?
A friend inspired me to attempt to reach 30 goals before I turn 30 next year. I have never been the one to dread a birthday- to me birthdays are a good reason to celebrate! So for my 29th year, I want to attempt to reach 30 goals as a way to celebrate the coming of a new decade. I love challenges and am a pretty stubborn person at times, so I think this is something doable! I started off the 30 before 30 challenge by sending the following letter to some loved ones to get some ideas for my list of 30 goals. So right now the fun begins with soliciting ideas from others. When I get them all collected, I will narrow them down to 30 and begin the challenge on February 19, 2010 for 365 days! Stay tuned for my list of 30 goals before 30!
The letter:
Good-by 2009. Hello 2010! I am happy to see 2009 go, and excited for 2010 and all the possibilities that come along with it! I usually am not big on resolutions, but this February my 29th birthday is coming up- which means the last year of this decade for me. I am not dreading the coming of 30, instead I am ready to celebrate it! I have a friend who inspired the idea of accomplishing 30 goals before turning 30. What a great way to celebrate the last year of my 20s!
So what I am asking of you is to help me come up with my list of "30 before 30". What is something that you would like me to accomplish in the next year? It can be anything from an adventurous goal to something a bit more meaningful. You can come up with one thing or a whole list! I ask you, because you are someone that I trust, respect, and has touched my life in some way; so I would love it if you would take the time to think of something to pass along. I want to gather everyone's lists this week so it is ready for me to compile at the start of 2010 and begin accomplishing come February 19. I am thinking of blogging about the 30 before 30 as I start tackling the list, but I will update you on that as soon as I figure out how to blog! I look forward to your ideas! Don't be shy! Suggest away!!
Thanks so much for your help! It means a lot to me for you to be a part of this!
The letter:
Good-by 2009. Hello 2010! I am happy to see 2009 go, and excited for 2010 and all the possibilities that come along with it! I usually am not big on resolutions, but this February my 29th birthday is coming up- which means the last year of this decade for me. I am not dreading the coming of 30, instead I am ready to celebrate it! I have a friend who inspired the idea of accomplishing 30 goals before turning 30. What a great way to celebrate the last year of my 20s!
So what I am asking of you is to help me come up with my list of "30 before 30". What is something that you would like me to accomplish in the next year? It can be anything from an adventurous goal to something a bit more meaningful. You can come up with one thing or a whole list! I ask you, because you are someone that I trust, respect, and has touched my life in some way; so I would love it if you would take the time to think of something to pass along. I want to gather everyone's lists this week so it is ready for me to compile at the start of 2010 and begin accomplishing come February 19. I am thinking of blogging about the 30 before 30 as I start tackling the list, but I will update you on that as soon as I figure out how to blog! I look forward to your ideas! Don't be shy! Suggest away!!
Thanks so much for your help! It means a lot to me for you to be a part of this!
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