30 by 30/16 of 30/Visit Chicago

This year to celebrate the big 3-0, I went to Chicago with two of my college roommates. The trip was amazing.  It helps that I was with two people that know me about as well as I know myself.  Oh how I love deep and lasting friendships.

We went to several amazing restaurants, the highlights being: the girl and the goat, portillos, table fifty-two, and billy goat tavern.  We also went on a architectural boat tour of the city, during which we were FREEZING.  We saw the bean, the view from the top of the Hancock building and visited Navy Pier. We went to see improv at The Second City and I was called on stage.  My performance cemented the fact that I shouldn't quit my day job, but I certainly will not forget it.

My acting debut

 

30 by 30/15 of 30/ Go Rock Climbing

Sarah is a sweet friend and also volunteered to go rock climbing with me as I tried to complete my 30 by 30 list (even though she is afraid of heights). We went to the North Texas Outdoor Pursuit Center. It is in an old grain silo and the venue is pretty cool.  As for the rock climbing, it exactly like I remember from childhood.  Except I do not move as fast as I once did... Not sure what that is about. Definitely glad I put it on my list though.  Thinking about putting bouldering on my next list.  Has anyone gone? If so, where?

 

30 by 30/14 of 30/Bikram Yoga

So I tried Bikram yoga at some point with my friend Sarah.  I honestly cannot remember when.  That is one of the hazards of playing "catch up" on your blog (I backdated this post because I am sneaky like that).  Anyway, though I cannot remember the precise timing of our adventure, I certainly remember the heat.  The room was oppressively hot. Think third circle of Hades. I am sure that a relatively in shape person would have no problems...  However, I am not relatively in shape.  Mind you I put up a good front.  My metabolism is still alive and kicking (praise the Great Lion of Judah), but I sadly do not work out often.  I always have the best intentions but somehow... I do not follow through.  As always, it will be one of my resolutions for this year...  fingers crossed.

Anyway, back to the point. So I am out of shape, and the room is hot.  And I start sweating... and sweating... and sweating.  I think my eyes were sweating... or maybe that was me crying.  Apparently I can be a baby when I am hot and attempting to stand on one leg and put my head around and behind said leg.  Anyway, long story short, I tied to suck it up and do the crazy yoga poses, but I was afraid I was going to pass out at one point.  We are talking tunnel vision and everything.  I admitted defeat and left during the class to drink a gallon of water (slight exaggeration, but only slight). 

Consequently, my thoughts on Bikram yoga are as follows:

• great workout, the heat really is great for getting a good stretch but BE PREPARED for the heat
• I love the peace that comes with all forms of yoga; Bikram is no exception
• I need to get my butt to the gym more regularly before I try Bikram again

30 by 30 Update

So my 30 by 30 list is kind of getting buried in the recesses of my blog and I thought I would refresh my memory and everyone elses with a little update on my progress.  This has been so fun for me!  I think I am going to keep making lists.  It just makes life more interesting to have things you are looking forward to. 

1. See a band live at Gruene Hall -No trip planned yet. I REALLY want to go.  Anyone want to join me? 
2. See the Grand Canyon 
3. Get SCUBA certified- going to happen.  Just have to find 2 weekends in a row to get it done.
4. Ride a motorcycle
5. Attain a positive net worth
6. Watch the Aggies play in Kyle Field
7. Go to a casino in Oklahoma - Going.  Hopefully in February!
8. Read the Bible cover-to-cover- Progress.  Not done yet. 
9. Kayak in White Rock Lake
10. Watch an Opera
11. Try Bikram Yoga- Have done it once.  Debating on trying again before I blog about it.
12. Sleep under the stars
13. Treasure hunt - I want to do this.  Anyone want to join me?
14. Karaoke
15. Go rock climbing- Going on Saturday.
16. Take a cooking class
17. Go on a date- I have gone on a date, so this is technically done but I am always the optimist and am hoping to go on a date that I am more excited about before I turn 30.  If it doesn't happen, I will blog about the random blind date I went on. 
18. Be a part of a flash mob- Does anyone know of a flash mob I can be a part of?  I need help with this one!
19. Paint
20. Go to a concert
21. Visit Chicago- Going in April.
22. Go on a picnic in the park
23. Join a gym...and use it- Afraid this one won't happen. 
24. Go hiking
25. Visit the Dallas Farmers Market
26. Try a frozen mojito
27. Ride a mechanical bull
28. Go on a mission trip- I hope to go to Camp Barnabas this summer with my small group girls.  Not before 30, but I am going to count it anyway.  ;) 
29. Take a trip with good friends
30. Go skydiving- On my 30th birthday weekend. 

Year in Review and Looking Forward

Prelude: 
I blog mainly for myself.  I like to be able to go back weeks, months, or years later and see what I was thinking/feeling.  I have not blogged much this year because, if I am honest, I would rather forget most of 2012.  It was gut wrenching, traumatic, frantic, and at times, unbearably hard.  That being said, a lot of good came out of the year too.  I will attempt to document both below.  


A year in review…
1. What did you do in 2012 that you’d never done before?  Lost my last remaining grandparent. Lost my father.  Gave a eulogy. Grew up the hard way. Walked through grief share with my mother. Attained a positive net worth. Went 2 months without drinking soda. Rode a motorcycle. Saw an Opera (La Triviata). Karaoke.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? 

Watch less TV -  Sadly, I probably did watch less TV than before, but I still watched way too much. 
Read more - Nope.  I still read last  year but not as much as normal.  
Drink less coke - Yep! Two whole months without a single one!  And I had significantly cut down before cutting it out all together.  
Drink more water - Yep!  Finally crave water.  Yea for not living in a state of constant dehydration! 
Travel - Yep.  See below.   
Take more pictures - Fail.  I still took some pictures and being on Instagram helped with the random pictures, but I don't think I took more than in previous years. 
Work out more - Haha.  Nope.  
Read the entire New Testament - Nope.  But I will read the entire bible before I turn 30! It is on my 30 by 30 list.  
Visit good friends - Not as much as I would have liked.  I did manage to see a few! 
Try new foods - A little progress.  Still have a long way to go.
Eat out less - Nope.  
Cook more – plan meals - A little improvement.  
Stress less - Sadly, no.  
Keep first things first - I tired to. 

3. What places did you visit? Houston. Possum Kingdom. Gilmer. Atlanta. Washington DC. Costa Rica.  Rockport.

4. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012? A lack of personal tragedy.
 
5. What from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory? My last "date night" with my dad in January.  He took me to dinner at Texas Land and Cattle and then to see Lorrie Morgan & Pam Tillis in concert. Sitting at the pool with Sarah in Costa Rica hearing them play that ridiculous "shots" song over and over. I still cannot hear that song without cringing. The heat in Washington DC.  It was truly oppressive.  I was afraid my mom was going to get heat stroke! Generally speaking, I think most of 2012 is overshadowed by my father's death.  Even now, in the first week of January, I cannot remember much that happened outside of losing him.

6. What TV programs did you watch? Parenthood, How I Met Your Mother, Big Bang Theory, Once Upon a Time, Smash, Castle, DOWNTON ABBEY!!!! and Sherlock (love PBS!)

7. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? Conquered my fear of karaoke and had dinner at Torchy's Tacos.  I turned 29.

8. What are your goals for 2013?

• practice a more healthy lifestyle (eat better, go to sleep earlier, actually work out or some combination thereof) 
• keep first things first
• grieve well
• thrive

Thanksgiving in Pictures

I am so thankful for my family and for time with them. This year, Thanksgiving was painful and difficult. However, there was definitely joy intermingled with sorrow. 

Rainbow

The Park

Hide and Seek

Starbucks Run

30 by 30/13 of 30/Ride a Motorcycle

I was off work on Wednesday and I convinced one of my guy friends to take me for a ride on his motorcycle in the afternoon.  For those of you that are going to ask, I wore a helmet the whole time.  If you look closely, you can see my helmet is in my hand. 

I had never been on a motorcycle and before we left, I was worried that I would be scared.  I was not scared.  I HAD A BLAST.  Probably the most fun I have had this year. I want to go again. Is it warm enough outside yet? Seriously!  So much so that I would contemplate getting a Vespa.  If I trusted people on the road in cars a little more, I would be buying a Vespa.  It was that fun!

Weddings 2012

This fall, I had the pleasure of watching two of my best friends marry two truly amazing guys!  Emily, one of my best friends from high school married Jonathan in Atlanta in late October and Amber married Drew in early November. 

Emily is one of my dearest and truest friends.  I have known her since high school and we actually have managed to keep in touch for the last fifteen years despite going to different colleges and living in different cities.  We have been friends so long, that I couldn’t even find digital pictures from when we met!  The pictures below are iphone pictures taken of my scrapbook. 

So many fun memories with you Em!  I am so excited that I now get to add your wedding weekend to the list! I was honored to stand beside you as you married a man that loves you so well!  I love you friend!!! And if I do say so myself, we have aged pretty well. 

Bridal Luncheon

Bachelorette

Wedding

Amber is one of my friends from Houston.  She is one of those people that I can not talk to for 6 months and somehow pick up exactly we left off (Emily is too, actually).  I have had some of my favorite and most profound spiritual conversations with her and I always leave our conversations feeling blessed (oh how I pray the same thing can be said for me).  Drew is so perfect for her, it is kind of unreal and it gives us single girls who are almost 30 hope that God knows what he is doing. 

Bridal portraits. Her photographer was amazing!

Rehearsal Dinner

Wedding