oh how time flies

When I first thought of the idea of doing a thirty before thirty I honestly thought it would be a piece of cake. I mean come on...its only thirty things. right?

Now I'm about to be thirty two and I have done a lot of things and almost none of them are on my list...

Does that mean I haven't accomplished anything or that I'm just really unfocused? I don't know the answer to that but this once I'm going to let myself off the hook and look at the awesome things I have done.

#26 I didn't make it to New York but I made it to Paris. I saw Paris at night. Dream come true. It was just as breathtaking as I thought it would be.

#7 I ran my first 5k yesterday. today Im so sore but I smiled the whole way through it.

#10 I know how to cook and feed my kids the food they love. My vinaigrette is a family favorite. I'm not a chef but I'm ok with that.

#25 I had a dinner party with a 4 course meal. Sit down dinner. with 14 people!! And...it was freaking delicious. roasted butternut squash with a dollop of sour cream and chives, salad with apples walnuts and blue cheese dressing, BBQ chicken with mashed sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts with a balsamic vinegar sauce, and creme brulee.

#1 I had my first paying client this year for photography. $250. and she loved the pictures. I have business cards and matching thank you cards. I have a blog and photo website.

#4 I went out surfing with my brother and Jared. I thought I was going to to drown haha but I did it. I learned that paddle boarding is more my thing.


As I look through this list nearly 3 years after I made it a lot of the things that I thought were important goals are still important but don't weigh so heavily on me. I think some of that is just me excepting certain things about myself and learning that its ok not to be perfect. (ie the thirty pounds, budget perfection ect.) I think its imperative to strive to improve yourself but imperative to love yourself.

I think I'm going to keep this blog going. hopefully updating every few months with new things that come up. Maybe my 100 before 100 haha.

Here's to life and living it.

Update-o-rama April 2-0-1-1

I have been thinking about this blog a lot and it pains me to see that it looks so abandoned and lonely...

Not really...ok, a little.

I have been selfishly keeping my accomplishments to myself...I have made a bit of progress on my list. So much to do but with 2 months I betta get my ass in gear. Yo.

With that in mind...here's one for ya...

# 30 Grow a garden- Look at this lovely pot...this pot holds my beautiful Dahlia. Well, it will hold my beautiful Dahlia, once I plant her. :)

Surprisingly I have made that grow into this...

I know it doesn't look like much now but to me its beautiful!! She's alive and growing well!! So is her friend Hydrangea...

I love growing my flowers...right now I have a pot of Dahlias, Hydrangeas, and another one I can't find the name of but is growing like wild fire. I can't wait until we have a house of our very own, I plan on growing a beautiful English garden where I can go and read and bask in the sunlight with butterflies and bumble bees.

maybe not the bees...one sting and I instantly turn into an oxygen deprived swollen balloon...that aside, everything else seems dreamy.

Farewell #30 ...Adios, Au Revoir, Sayonara!

Alright, alright...

So I'm about as good at this blogging thing as I am playing chess...

Ok that was confusing...let me just clarify that... I play chess as well as I keep up on the laundry...

which if you know me you know what that means...

I wonder if people will think twice the next time they see Ashley in the same outfit in one week. Maybe I should do less blogging and more washing...wait I couldnt possibly do less blogging...

Oh Alright, alright! I stink at laundry and blogging! There!

So,

Since my last post I have been working on a few things...

My photography by far is the thing that I have done the most with and have big plans for...Its moving along and Ive learned that I have a lot to learn...

I have been more daring with my cooking and trying new recipes...so thats good...

I think today Ill look up the flowers I want to plant...

Be back soon I have to go get my princess from school...

Hello all! Yes, it's really me!

Oh yeah, I broke my foot. Please don't ask how. It's embarrassing and I'm tempted to lie and say I was doing something extreme and daring. Alas I'm not that cool.


I have to say a few good things have come out of this crappy inconvenience of mine, one of them being help with number 23 on my list here. Ask for help. If friends offer, accept. Being that I broke my right foot, I have had to swallow my pride and need to do everything on my own and ask my dear friends to help me with my necessary driving. It seems silly to be so prideful but there is nothing more humiliating than asking your husband to go to the store to buy your "feminine products", especially when you're used to running errands of that variety on your own.

I have to say that I have the most amazing friends....they have offered carpools, dinners, errands and babysitting. It has been a frustrating week with another frustrating 7 weeks to go, but with the help of my friends it seems alot more bearable.


Before I broke my foot, I was trying new recipes to make for my special dinner. (#10/#25) I tried this Arugula,Tomato, and Parmesan salad and it was DELICIOUS!!! Fresh Veggies from the farmers market and fresh cheese from the store. Yum. I think I'm off to a good start. I'm not sure how many gourmet meals I'll be creating in the next month and a half but it feels good to be able to make something yummy.

XO
Kath

My plan of attack...

So after I wrote this list I made a list of ways to accomplish everything. Even with that list, I'm still a little overwhelmed with the whole idea. I think Im going to have to print out the list and hang it on every door in my house to get my butt in gear.

So anyhow, I thought I'd post what the list that I made to help me complete these goals and a picture of anything I'm up to. Anything Crossed off is something I've actually finished :)


1. Work on photography and dream of opening 40's pinup studio
Look into Business cards,websites, blog, watermark, lenses,extra battery pack, bigger card, marketing, photography club, get models.

2. Lose 30 pounds
Join gym? Swimming,running with friends, Teabo, wieght watchers?

3. Learn how to shoot a gun
Have Jared take me to a shooting range

4. Learn to surf
Rent wet suit, borrow board, get babysitter

5. Dress better/Stylish and stop being so lazy/ take pride in appearance
Get rid of all clothes that do not fit well or look flattering. Take all extra to goodwill.Take Coats to be tailored. Only buy clothes that are flattering and high quality

6.Take violin lessons
Call around for lessons, rent or buy violin. Check craigslist

7. Run 5k
Research 5ks Sign up, start running

8.Sing in front of crowd
Look for singing coach, Find way to sing with band, maybe 30 th bday party

9. Learn to Salsa and Waltz
Call dance studio find out class times

10. Learn to cook
Look through cookbooks find recipes I want to try, Ask Ash to help,
Set up time to practice meal preperation.

11. Learn to change my own oil
Read a book. Ask Jared for his help. Go with Julie to nieghbors house

12. Learn to Budget better/control spending
Stop and think about impulse purchases, Chart spending, Save for specific items.

13. Rusty Nail...
Go to classy bar and order. Probably the easiest thing on this list. Actually drinking it...not mandatory.

14. Go to Symphony in San Fran (preferably black tie event)
Look up show times, buy tickets, get room, and sitter

15. Catch up on kids scrapbooks
Go through files and put all photos I want printed into "year" album then print. Organize bins upstairs according to year. Scrapbook.

16. Stop yelling when mad...
Remember to take a few deep breathes, walk away if needed. Its not who I want to be.

17. Work on self worth...
???

18. read 10 "HOw to books"
Photography, kids, cooking, sailing, sewing, wine, selfimprovement, budgeting, reading music,

19. Learn to sew a dress from a pattern
Read a book, buy a pattern, take a class, call the lady from Ruths

20. Random acts of kindess
pay for someone elses coffee, offer help in any way I can, give hugs, open up my home,

21. Do laundry 3x a week
Set up schedule, Sun, W, F, fold after it comes out, put away immediately

22. Take sailing lessons
Look up lessons, Ask Ash about the class she took

23. Ask for help. If friends offer accept.
Realize I dont have to do everything by myself. Allow my friends to offer their help.

24. Built bed and bookshelf
Print off plans, buy wood, learn to cut wood, ask Jared for help

25. Prepare 4 course meal for friends
Complete #10 Setup Beautiful table, send invites

26. NEW YORK.
Book Nat Geo photography class in May 2011, Ride subway,See Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State, Statue of Liberty,receiving Docks,Eat pizza from yummy pizzeria, MTV, Ask friends what to see, where to eat, where to stay, Contact Emily

27. Meet 5 new people.
Be open, Make playdates, coffee

28. Wine tasting in NApa
Call and ask about tours...Ask Family where to go what to do, Ask April and Laura if they want to go still. Schedule a date. Rent car. Hotel.

29. White Water rafting
Make reservation, find sitter for kids.

30. Grow a Garden.

Lavender, Roses, Lilly of the Valley, Learn about the plants I want to grow, the climates, watering, seasons ect...

The "List"

So here is the List...of course I have way more things that I would like to do, but I'm not going to be unrealistic with this list. I would like half a chance of doing them all...my life list is quite a bit longer.




Without further ado...



1. Work on photography and dream of opening 40's pinup studio

2. Lose 30 pounds

3. Learn how to shoot a gun

4. Learn to surf

5. Dress better/Stylish and stop being so lazy/ take pride in appearance

6.Take violin lessons

7. Run 5k

8.Sing in front of crowd

9. Learn to Salsa and Waltz

10. Learn to cook

11. Learn to change my own oil

12. Learn to Budget better/control spending

13. Rusty Nail...

14. Go to Symphony in San Fran (preferably black tie event)

15. Catch up on kids scrapbooks

16. Stop yelling when mad...

17. Work on self worth...

18. read 10 "HOw to books"

19. Learn to sew a dress from a pattern

20. Random acts of kindess

21. Do laundry 3x a week

22. Take sailing lessons

23. Ask for help. If friends offer accept.

24. Built bed and bookshelf

25. Prepare 4 course meal for friends

26. NEW YORK.

27. Meet 5 new people.

28. Wine tasting in NApa

29. White Water rafting

30. Grow a Garden

Next on Kats 30before30 :) I will tell you how I plan on accomplishing all this stuff. Stay tuned.

Operation Live Life

Mission- 30 things I have always wanted/needed to do before turning 30

Deadline- May 29 2011

Wish me luck! "The LIST" coming tomorrow!