40 THINGS BEFORE I TURN 40

I feel like these kinds of lists are cliche and cheese-y, but I've decided to embrace this cheese.  Cliche or not, goal lists motivate me and bring me a sense of joy. 

In April of 2020, I will turn 40.  Starting this list now means that I will have a year and three quarters to get these things done. 

1 / Resort vacation with Brian

2 / 40th birthday celebration trip with friends

3 / Overnight away with Brian

4/ Stay in a pretty and modern airbnb rental or a boutique hotel

5 / Start scheduling and planning regular monthly dates with Brian

6 / Sponsor a child through Compassion International

7 / Donate blood five times

 8 / Secret gift project #1

 9 / Secret gift project #2

10 / Secret gift project #3

11 / Secret gift project #4

12 / Secret gift project #5

13 / Go tubing down a river

14 / Do an escape room

15 / Attend Jazz in June

16 / Attend a Killigans St. Patty's show

17 / Take a class or workshop to learn something crafty (maybe with a friend)

18 /  Get my ears pierced - again

19 / Watch a meteor shower

20 / Go to a movie by myself

21 / Consistently work on crossword puzzles - again

22 / Reread Jane Austen's six major novels

23 / Reread the New Testament

24 / Complete a third round of The 100 Day Project

25 / Apply for the Project Life Creative Team - again

26 / Sew a piece of clothing for myself

27 / Sew a piece of clothing for Maggie

28 / Go to the dentist every three months

29 / Redo the flowerbed in the front of our house

30 / Finish painting the upstairs interior

31 / Get estimates for new flooring and kitchen remodel

32 / Have a good chunk of money saved for house remodeling projects

33 / Makeover Maggie's room

34 / Makeover Sam and Eli's room

35 / Own the "Like Forever" poster that I've wanted for like forever

36 / Write a book

37 / Own the Knotten standing desk from IKEA

38 / 75 hours of work and writing time (summer 2019)

39 / Go on an overnight writing retreat

40 / Decide how I want to spend my actual 40th birthday

With a list like this, I feel like life is going to be good and fun in the time between now and 40.

And about number 36... it is the one thing that feels scary to include, but I'm doing it.  And I have plans to write a separate post with more thoughts on writing a book. 

Here we go!