30 Before 30

Tomorrow I turn thirty. There, I said it.

Though I love the idea of a 30 before 30 post, I've got to do lists arm-lengths long and the idea of creating yet another one seemed dreadful. So I thought I'd go the opposite way and compile some favorite things I've experienced in my three decades. As bittersweet as it is to reach the big three-oh I can't complain about my years thus far. Without further adieu (and in no particular order):

1. Graduate college (I wasn't even sure I wanted to go, boy am I glad I did!)
2. Bungee jump at age 13
3. Cry at the sight of the Eiffel Tower in Paris at 18
4. Celebrate the Millennium in London - Y2K y'all!
5. Have LASIK surgery - a majorly scary decision but a good one
6. Sell half my life and move to the big city
7. Travel to Asia for work 
8. Win a beauty pageant
9. Hold the hands of two grandparents as they passed away
10. Start a blog
11. Serve on a fashion board
12. Marry young
13. Marry a foreigner
14. Use eye cream since I was a teenager
15. Live far away from my family
16. Work in corporate retail
17. Host a 1980's themed trolley party
18. Participate in a flash mob
19. Drink red wine
20. Pierce my belly button (so '90's!)
21. Cook a little more each year
22. Sing in public - as backup for a friend and at our wedding
23. Take a cruise
24. Try acupuncture and hot yoga. And like them.
25. Renew my vows in Vegas (with Elvis!)
26. Enjoy photography
27. Survive a Snowmaggedon. (Or Chicago winters in general.)
28. Still cry when I leave my family
29. Learn to celebrate the little things
30. Turn 30 (in Vegas. Booyah.)

And thank you self, for never getting that butterfly tattoo in your early twenties. You would sooo hate that now.

Cheers to the next 30! More laughs, more love, more life.