40 Things To Do Before 40

I remember when 40 seemed so OLD and so far away. I celebrated my 36th birthday this past December so 40 is creeping up pretty quick. I guess maybe it isn't that old after all.

I decided I wanted to set some goals of things that I wanted to do before I turn 40. Many of them are little things but I am a list girl. If I don't write them down. I will simply forget many of them. One of my favorite things to do with a list is cross things off as I complete them! 40 things seems like a lot...but I think most of them are achievable.

1. Learn to crochet using a pattern so that I can make more than a scarf and keep Grandma Vinnie's hobby alive in our family.

2. Take down the wall paper in my entryway and paint.

3. Paint the front door. (I hope to do this one this summer!)

4. Take my whole family on a cruise. Chad and I went on our first cruise for our 15th anniversary in 2010 and LOVED it. Can't wait to take my kids on one too!

5. Get out my paints and canvas and start painting.

6. Complete my Masters in Reading. (should be done with this one this summer if all goes as planned.)

7. Buy a Mustang...trying to convince Chad it would be the perfect graduation present when I get my Masters!

8. Take down the border in Tyler's room and get it painted the way he wants it.

9. Paint Nic's room

10. Redecorate Brooke's room.

11. Get new living room furniture.

12. Get new countertop in my kitchen.

13. Finish the landscaping on my back hill.

14. Get at least a couple of years completely scrapbooked.

15. Make Brooke a Baby Scrapbook.

16. Visit my last living Grandma at least weekly.

17. Spend more quality time with my parents.

18. Get a scrapbook layout published. Which will require me to actually submit something, which requires me to also take the time to scrapbook!

19. Get better at sending cards to people. Birthday, get well, thank you, etc.

20. Get together with old friends that I havent seen in years. We have all been so busy with our kids and life that I have so many friends I never get to see in person. Certainly in the next 4 years I can catch up with some of you!

21. Keep a journal daily. Which is what I am attempting to do with this blog.

22. Find something to help my memory...I am really worried about how forgetful I have become.

23. See my husband with a new knee. He has suffered with this bad knee long enough.

24. Learn to play the piano. I have always wanted to do this. Somehow I am gonna find the time but it will have to be when grad school is over!

25. Go to UT to see my friend Sunny. Or at least meet up with her somewhere for even a weekend!

26. Paint my laundry room.

27. Make new seat cushions for my breakfast nook.

28. Practice saying “I am forty” so that I can learn to not freak out a little while I say it.

29. Create a family room/ gameroom in the basement. I have a start on this but we are gonna need some furniture and a lot more work. And getting rid of some stuff.

30. Get rid of things that I keep saving because I might need them someday. I have started this too....can't wait till yard sale weather! Maybe I will sell enough to go toward my new living room furniture in #11!

31. Learn to be a lot more like Jesus.

32. Spend at least 15 minutes a day at the very least in God's Word. Which should help with #31!

33. Keep a book list of the books I read each year. (Gonna start a blog post with that so I can just update it when I complete a book.) I have wanted to keep this list for quite some time but I just always forget to write down the books when I am done.

34. Try my best to avoid gossip. Man this one is so hard because it is everywhere. But in order to accomplish #31 I am gonna have to get better at walking away!

35. Take my kids to the Exhibition Coal Mine.

36. Take my kids to Greenbank National Radio Astronomy Observatory. I had to spend a week there during my undergrad studies at Glenville for a science class when Brooke was a baby. I have always wanted to take the kids there sometime before or after a Kumbrabow camping trip since it is so close.

37. Do something nice for someone every day. Even if it is just letting someone out in traffic, opening the door for someone, etc. I really need to learn to slow down and look for ways to serve others.

38. Sell a piece of artwork on Etsy. Which again requires me to do said art work and then also to set up an Etsy shop....another item which will definately have to wait till after the grad classes are complete!

39. Stop complaining.

40. Get more involved helping my boys accomplish their Boy Scount goals.