What Happens in Vegas...

anyone else noticing the trend where my blog is miraculously updated on the last day of the month because I so badly want to blog at least once a month? I'm officially making a half-year resolution: BLOG MORE. at least twice a month. Sweet Moses! 

As per usual, there's much to blog about, but now that my timeline is almost up to accomplish 30 things before I'm 30, I want to make excuses update: it is completely impossible to cross everything off my list in the next forty days before the big 3-0. In my defense, when I wrote the list I assumed we'd move to Colorado so things like climbing a 14er, start a company with my sister or learn Portuguese from my brother-in-law weren't completely feasible. (cue the failure "whoomp whoomp" music from cartoons).

It wasn't all for naught, however, I did manage some pretty awesome things that probably wouldn't have happened - at least not for years - if I didn't make the list. I got a tattoo, a girls weekend in Las Vegas, run a half marathon - more on this later - and I applied for grad school (and am halfway done with my first semester, YAY! It's so much work though and is totally kicking my ass. Note: my goal to stop cussing for sure didn't happen.)

In May I took a much needed vacation sans children to Las Vegas to meet three of my girlfriends from high school. I had two groups of friends from high school I spent all my time with - my friends from youth group and my friends I actually attended school with. Most girls from youth group quickly spread out over the country so it's difficult to see each other all together, except on holidays, but my friends from school mostly stayed in the area so I'm extremely lucky to meet up with them each time I'm home. I've come to value and appreciate these relationships more and more over the years, even more so than when we were teenagers. Mandy and I talked about going to Vegas when we turned 30 for years, so when we were knocking on the door of old, we decided to enlist our other girlfriends and make it actually happen. I was shocked that it actually worked out for four of the five of us. I don't have many pictures, mostly because I don't trust myself with a beer and a camera (Mrs. One&Done here) but it was such a fun and relaxing time spent with some of my favorites! Hopefully I'll update this post soon and add more pictures when I get them from Emily. Thank you for being responsible Em! 

Emily, Erin and I sightseeing on the first night

does this seem inappropriate to anyone else?
does it matter that it was 10:00a? It was a mixer for later, promise. 

Second night in Vegas - dinner, a show and some dancing if it weren't for those pesky velvet ropes.

Emily, Erin and I made it to Vegas the first night and decided to do some sightseeing and walk around before meeting Mandy the next day. I was visibly annoyed when it was warmer in Cleveland than it was in Vegas that first night. Kind of restricted how much we walked around since I didn't bring a single long-sleeved article of clothing. such a bust. The next day was cooler too but Erin and I had the chance to lay by a pool without applying sunscreen to small children or keep after them to make smart choices, so we were committed to hours of pool time regardless of the weather. The clouds parted and showed us favor just as we laid our towels poolside - four hours of sunshine and pretty drinks ensued (a bonus half hour for Erin and I when Mandy and Emily weren't looking and we snuck back to the pool when we were supposed to be headed up to change for dinner).

A collective decision was made to go see Cirque's Zumanity show that night, and we were all excited to go out together and see a show... the gasps were collective as well when we saw *all* the show had to offer as we somehow didn't realize there was partial nudity. not so much ready for that. Other than the exceptional crude parts, and those weren't lost on this show, it was still incredibly impressive all the skill and talent these performers have. Plus, it's a story and I'll always have that shocking scream from Emily to keep with me from those seriously unexpected acts. SO funny! 

I added the half marathon on my list, and will miss it by one month exactly. I've got one picked out for September 9th, which is pretty cool because it will be one year to the day after Layla was born. The big difference between this race and ones I've looked at doing before: I'm actually training, which I can only imagine will be helpful in finishing a 13.1 mile race.

Sharpen Those #2s

My blog haunts me. I have so many half-written entries and countless stories whirling around in my head that I always want to dedicate keystrokes to - and yet here I am with a last ditch quick update to keep with my one-a-month average entry and less than an hour to spare before I miss the month of May. *sigh*

This is a post I've been putting off because I wanted to dedicate more time to share details, and I will eventually. I hope. It's best explained with a photo and since that's all I'm capable of right now since I was nearly asleep when I realized it's basically June and I've yet to blog. SO, here's my tease of an update:

.I'm upgrading from a  Golden Tornado to a Golden Flash.

Since I clearly have all the time in the world (pretty please catch the sarcasm), I'm starting grad school on Monday at Kent State University for a Masters in School Counseling. It's time to add "student" on my About Me page, and update my list of 30 Things. That list, unfortunately, is for sure not going to be complete by my birthday, but I have made some decent progress and will have to be yet another post for another day. I hope.

a Permanent Change. Forever.

For much of my life the number two has been my lucky number, so it would go to say that the second item on my list of 30 things to do before I'm 30 would be the one I was most looking forward to... and it was! I never figured it would be the one that made me the most anxious (and my guess is the half marathon or climbing a 14er will eventually exceed it at some point) but currently it's the winner.

I got a tattoo. It's still surreal saying it - in part because I haven't really seen it since I got it so the reality hasn't quite sunk in. Justin had a good point too referring to my hesitance about my tattoodole - it usually takes a couple weeks just to like a new haircut so of course this one is going to take a minute to adjust to. I went with one of my best friends so we could get inked on her 30th birthday... I met Tora in my days with the Cavaliers and by far and away has been my closest confidant in Ohio since I moved here. She already had two tattoos and for years we've talked about going together to get one. We've also talked about trips to New York, Chicago and Las Vegas but up until a couple weeks ago, none of it ever happened. We were determined to see at least one of our ideas through!

I've had a plan in my head to get a tattoo behind my ear ever since I saw Rihanna sporting one years ago - it's an awesome combination of badass and sexy and I immediately knew that was where I was going to do it. Until I thought about how I just signed up to get a tattoo basically straight on the bone. no bueno.

If I was going to have something permanently inked on me I obviously wanted it to have significance. There's an old gospel song I've always loved His Eye is on the Sparrow from the verse in Matthew 10:29 "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care." I love the reminder of my significance from Christ in Christ - as always, there's more behind it but that's a longer story for a different day. Originally I hoped to have three sparrows to represent my three Littles, but clearly there's not a lot of space behind your ear so I was only able to get one. Justin wasn't left out from my tattoo experience, he drew it for me and seriously makes me love it even more.

I can't even explain how anxious I was when we walked in and Mr. Tattoo started getting the ink gun ready - I was just hoping I'd be able to find that happy place and remain there since I wasn't about to go against the big grizzly man when he told me I could in fact NOT have a little liquid encouragement at the bar next door. At first it really wasn't that bad, other than the horrible buzz right in my ear, I was even able to relax a little and shockingly breathe - but that only lasted for a little bit. a small tiny little bit - and then it began to hurt a lot more, and that of course lasted a lot longer. I grinned and bared it (read: clenched teeth and white knuckles) and I survived! Like I said, I'm anxious about it still, but I think that's because I've only seen it twice. I certainly love the idea of it and was super stoked to get it and knock something else off the list. YAY!

Bella doesn't quite get it yet - nor am I in any hurry to explain it since she's obviously never allowed to get one - because the other day she was brushing my hair and asked if she could color the pretty picture on my head. haha! NO.

30 Things Before I'm 30

A couple months ago I came up with an idea to make up a list of 30 things to do before I turn 30 – it's just a way to keep things interesting (like three kids won't take care of that on their own!) and keep me accountable to some things I've always wanted to do, and just haven't yet. The idea isn't to be a bucket list - there are lots of things I'd like to do including much more travel - but just aren't practical to hit by this milestone.

While most of the things on my list are brand new and still to-do, there are a couple that I've already accomplished, and I'm including those to. I had some big dreams and plans when I graduated high school and am damn proud of what I’ve accomplished in the eleven years since then… so they count. There are a couple things I’ve already done that don’t qualify as proud moments, but were definitely good memories. Plus, it will get me to devote time to write about them.

So, I invite you to join me on this journey and keep me accountable for 22 things to accomplish in 12 months… 30 stories in 365 days.

30 Things to do Before I’m 30

TO DO:
1. run a half marathon
2. get a tattoo
3. learn to play the guitar
4. stop cussing
5. apply to grad school
6. climb a 14er
7. make a pineapple upside-down cake
8. a girls weekend in Las Vegas
9. audition for the Amazing Race
10. write a children’s book, even if it’s just for my kids
11. do 10 random anonymous good deeds for 10 random people
12. find three jobs for Justin to apply for overseas
13. start a company on etsy.com with Andrea
14. finish a devotional front to back
15. read a literary classic
16. take my kids camping
17. pay off a credit card or student loan
18. make a fancy shmancy five course meal complete w/ table settings
19. fire a gun
20. attempt a power hour
21. learn Portuguese well enough to order a meal with Alex
22. attend religious services for two faiths outside my own

DONE:
23. get married
24. have kids
25. graduate college
26. work for a professional sports team
27. go on a mission trip
28. be in a play
29. sneak into a movie after you’ve just seen one
30. have an uncontrollable giggle fit at the most inappropriate moment