hello, 29.

29. Twenty-nine. That sounds kind of like an shorthand spy name (like Agent 99, eh, Get Smart fans?...crickets. Hmmm, I am quite sure part of my soul comes from an older era.) Anyhoo, I've been 29 for a week now. Yes, to some "I'm just a baby" and to others, "man, you're 29. really?" Spare me. 
I am genuinely thankful for another year on this Earth breathing, marching to my own drum, with my favorite people. It's pretty fine to be 29. 

I had a great celebration with my husband. He totally surprised me with an adorable cake and a brand new MACBOOK PRO! Yes, this is the inaugural post from my beloved laptop. He knew I would have absolutely never purchased it myself. THANK YOU, Nicholas! And I've been able to belatedly celebrate with my co-workers and our families too, complete with favorite meals, brownies, and beautiful weather. 

In this year, the year before everything starts to go downhill (or at least that's what I'm told), I'd like to make a concentrated effort of both more and less. A constant bundle of contradictions, I am. But what I mean is I want to do more and worry less. I want to focus on more quality and less clutter. I want to love more and complain less. I want to achieve more and be "busy" less. I want to grow more and weigh less. (Wait, this is still a food blog so about that....) Seriously, though, I think 29 is a quest for becoming even more me. 

I've decided to outline 29 things, goals per say, to complete in the next 358 days. 

1. Complete 29 pins from my Pinterest board. I am a voracious pinner so I have plenty to choose from, and I do frequently use pins, but I want to deliberately go about making, baking, sweating, and organizing.
2. Write thank you notes more for everything and nothing. I love thank you notes. I do hand write many, but I've been a little lax lately. I better stock up on stamps.
3. Break my cable tv addiction. Paying the bill makes me mad and we don't watch anything in primetime time anyway. I can adapt to AppleTV, Hulu, and Netflix, right? That's what people of my generation do... 
4. Run my second half-marathon. Tortoise speed until the end. (Let's face it I don't think I'm built for speed.)
5. Save more money for multiple goals, small items and working toward the big stuff too. 
6. Find our first home, a grown-up house. 
7. Bargain hunt and use coupons more. 
8. Purge more. We are two people. Sometimes I think we have a house of stuff for 7. 
9. LOVE the items I buy and not feel guilty for a splurge here or there. (I really do love luxury as much as I do a discount!)
10. Make more staple items from scratch: salad dressing, bread, tortillas, sauces...
11. Learn more about essential oils (doTerra or Young Living fans, feel free to sway me).
12. Not be obligated. I typically start most tasks in a place of obligation. While I don't resent that, I want to choose more intentionally and not feel guilt if I say no.
13. Find make-up I love and wear less (except mascara, I can't give that up.) Let me know your make-up faves!
14. Be a better blogger: Read more. Redesign as needed. Be consistent. Experiment. Develop recipes.
15. Make time for crafting. And prove to Nick that I can sew. (Mom, send pics of the dresses I made with Grandma. I promise you patterns and ruffles, galore!)
16. Bring my own sunshine. I want to continue to try to emulate my Dad's ol standby of PMA. 
17. Work through my incessant need to know the details. Life's okay if I don't. right? (Nick this one's for you! Nosey Rosie be gone.)
18. Move my body more. Find new ways to be active. (Despite point 4, I am not a happy runner.)
19. Love my husband even more. Is this possible? Yes, probably, if I practice my patience. 
20. Strike a balance with social media. I might be an addict. Unplug isn't an ugly word.
21. Have more living room dance parties with my husband.
22. Drink more water. Just because.
23. Take more pictures with a real camera. (See goal 5).
24. Go to the farmer's market more.
25. Travel more- near and far. It's the only thing that really makes our lives and perspectives richer. Amen?
26. Be a better friend. Call more. Text more. Keep my nearest and dearest on my heart more. 
27. Wear sunscreen with vigilance and moisturize more. Wrinkles are earned, I don't need to help them. Plus, I'm not getting any younger (see intro paragraph).
28. Forgive myself for shortcomings. Becoming who we are meant to be is messy. 
29. Remember life is pretty awesome. There are so many many beautiful reasons to be happy. For further perspective, read this.

A wish is a wonderful thing.

And because I'm a sucker for typography and words, here's a bit of inspiration for you all as we journey onward. I hope this list causes you to pause, to reflect, and/or to challenge yourself to make a list of your own. Milestones are in the making. Let's do this. 

Until next time. xoxox