29 Things to do While I am 29

Earlier this week I turned 29 and let me tell you how excited I am! Some people might come to the realization that this is the last year in their 20s and start to think they are getting "old." Well I am for sure say I am NOT one of those people. I can't wait to turn 30! I have become more confident in every aspect of my life and can't wait to see what the future holds for me. So I have made a list of 29 things I want to do before I turn 29.

1. Run a 5k. 

I have never run a 5k! So I will give you the extreme short story. I deployed in 2009 and decided to train for running one and couldn't run very fast otherwise I felt dizzy, wanted to throw up or pass out. Found out when I came back I had a hole in my heart (fairly common) and had a minor heart procedure to fix it. So now that it is fixed there is NO reason I can't do one of these!

2. Go see someone in concert 

It has been a long time since I have been to a concert so I am making this a goal! So fun!

3. Get Olivia's initials tattooed on me.

I have Taylor's initials on my left wrist so I want to get Olivia's somewhere (preferably that is the not as painful as the wrist!)

4. Finish my personal training certification

I have enrolled to get my master certification in personal training, fitness nutrition and a few other things so I need to finish it!!

5. Learn how to invest

I am TERRIFIED of investing and the one reason is because I know nothing about it. But I want to learn all about it. So if anyone has an easy website to explain that would be marvelous!

6. Write a children's book

I would love to be a "published" author of a children's book but the reality is that it might not happen. So I have a backup! Write it and then make a single copy from either shutterfly or snapfish and that way I can read it to my girls!

7. Try a new style of clothing

So I pretty much have worn the same "style" of clothing all through my 20s. I am not one to follow all the fads. I recently went into a clothing store and all the style was short cropped shirts and you wear a tank top under it. To me it sounds weird but MAYBE I will give it a try...MAYBE.

8. Spur of the moment road trip

How fun does this sound!!! It doesn't have to be anything big but just go somewhere fun for the weekend!

9. Read a new book

I hardly ever have time to read so I need to force myself to make time to read. Apparently the new popular book is the Hunger Games so maybe I will try to read that.

10. Try a new food

I got this idea the other day at work when a coworker told me he had never tried cottage cheese before. Seriously!!! This will be an easy one to do!

11.  Cut my debt in half

Everyone should do this. Seriously think for a minute of all the things you spend your money on and think how much of it is really necessary. My hubby is deploying next month for 4 months so we will be making even more money so that just means even more of my debt I can pay off!

12. Visit a winery

I don't know much about wineries other than a lot of them are in California...SO I am hoping there is one NEAR Arkansas that I can visit!

13. Participate in a cancer fundraising event

This is very close to my heart. My mom has terminal breast cancer so I would very much like to do a 5k or something like that in her name.

14. Go to a sporting event

The Arkansas Travelers is the minor league baseball team here and everyone says those games are really fun so I can't wait to do this, this summer when the kiddo is out of school.

15. Learn more about photography

So I have a really nice Canon Rebel SLR camera and it can take wonderful pictures so I need to learn more about how to use the camera. I just bought a tripod last night for it so I gotta start somewhere.

16. Take Taylor to a musical

When I was younger around Taylor's age my dad used to take me to Casa Manana in Fort Worth to see musicals. It is honestly one of my favorite memories from when I was little. And since my husband has NO interest in musicals I can always pass this down to her. The Arkansas Repertory Theatre is the perfect place to take her!

17. Visit a state park

There are so many state parks in Arkansas and this is the "Natural State" so I think this one is definitely appropriate to be on the list. 

18. Volunteer more

I volunteered a lot when we lived in Utah but this past year I didn't do too much because I was pregnant with Olivia so now that she is 6 months old it is time to start this one!

19. Plant a vegetable garden

This is going to be a small one in a planter first before I try my green thumb at actually planting one in the ground.

20. Learn how to sew

I just got a sewing machine and my mother in law how is a master sewer is coming to visit so I have no excuse not to be able to do this one!

21. Eat better

The sweets are going, the boxed food is already gone! Eating better to me means eating cleaner by eating fresh organic veggies, hormone free meat and food with no preservatives. I already make Olivia's baby food so I am helping her eat good too!

22. Make a time capsule

I think this would be so fun to do with Taylor. We can put things from each one of us in a box along with some things that are popular nowadays and tape it all up and open it when she graduates from high school in 10 years.

23. Serve food at a homeless shelter

My family did this for a few years for Thanksgiving and I think it is important for Taylor to understand that some people need help and it makes her appreciate what she has.

24. Be more positive

All I read about in the news is negativity and all I hear people do is complain. And I am guilty of that too! So I am making a huge effort to be more positive because negativity never helps anything!

25. Learn how to make some kick a** salsa

Yes I think making salsa would be soooo fun! Anyone have a good recipes??

26. Start recycling

Our town has a recycling program I just have to get my butt over to the water company and pick up a bucket to put it in!

27. Learn how to work this crazy Cricut machine

This thing seems crazy! I am sure once I figure it all out it will be really easy but right now I am so lost!

28. New organizational plan for the house

I have a halfway organized house but there are still some things in disarray....so I have the sticker machine and it will totally come in handy to make fun labels for things

29. Win the lottery

Hey we can all dream can't we!?!?!?!?

So there you have it...this is my "list." What are some of the things you want to accomplish?

Cricut, and a sewing machine and a sticker machine....OH MY!

That's right ladies (and any gents who may read this too) I have gotten a cricut, a sewing machine AND a sticker machine! I am so overwhelmed but in a good way of course!! 

We got the Cricut because my husband is quite the woodworker and makes "tail flashes" for his military work as going away presents. He needed the Cricut to make the vinyl stickers for them and of course I'm not going to say no to a Cricut!!

Well then I got a sewing machine for my birthday (tomorrow I'll be 29! yay!!)! So weird how in a matter of a decade my idea of a cool birthday present changes so much!

Then finally we got the sticker machine because we originally thought the hubby could make the stickers with that but that was a no go so now I have a sticker machine to play around with too!

So many things to make and no idea where to start! So this is where you all come in! Does anyone have any ideas for things to make with any of these new gadgets of mine? Keep in mind I am a COMPLETE novice on the sewing machine and something super easy would be preferred. :) 

Also I am very NEW at this Cricut machine and honestly is seems really tricky! I got the Cricut mini because need for one of the "trickier" ones right now. So what all can I do with this machine?!?!?! 

I can't wait to have all these fun crafty things to do so let the ideas roll! 

Thanks ladies (and gents again)!

My Memphis Mini Vacation

It seems like March has flown by and I can't believe it is already the 21st! We just got back from Memphis today and we had so much fun! 

It is only about 2 1/2 hours from where we live in Arkansas so it is the perfect length of trip to do with a baby and with the cost of gas going up it doesn't cost so much either for gas!

We stopped about halfway there because the baby had to burp after eating and she kept giving me the funniest facial expressions. Such a diva~

We decided to go to the Pink Palace Museum which was so much fun. I am a big nerd when it comes to museums because it is fun to walk around and learn new things. And this museum had all sorts of stuff about military history. Of course being in the military it makes me appreciate it that much more :)

There is also an IMAX theater in the museum and it was so fun to watch the Tornado Alley movie. Mostly since I am a meteorologist for the Air Force and this movie is accurate unlike others *cough cough* Twister. 

We ate at Hard Rock Cafe that night on Beale Street which is fun during the day for kids but not the appropriate environment in the evenings. 

Nice drink and the glass comes with it!!

Silly baby putting her feet on the table! Apparently manners are optional for Olivia!

Later that evening we took a carriage ride around Memphis! It was fun and our house Bonnie was the only Clysdale in Memphis doing carriage rides!

The next day we went to the Memphis Zoo. LOVED IT!! I am a kid at heart and I think I was the most excited to go to the zoo! It is a wonderful zoo with really nice exhibits and it was the perfect temperature outside for it too!

It was so much fun to get away for a few days and just enjoy time with the family! Oh and might I mention too Taylor turned 8 so it was fun celebrating her birthday on our mini vacation!

In Case You're Wondering

15 Fun Things About Me!

1. My socks have to fit perfectly...seriously I can’t stand if the stiching that is over the top of your feet is bunched at the edges…makes me cringe just writing it! And yes I was that flower girl at the wedding that took her shoes off because the socks were bugging her with her shoes on!

2. I played the piano when I was younger and also the oboe…you know that instrument that sounds like a choking goose.

3. I am getting my certification to become a personal trainer! New year new me!

4. I have 5 sisters and a brother…none of which are fully related to me. They are either half, step or adopted. Brady Bunch has nothing on me!

5. I have a not so secret obsession with the show Dog the Bounty Hunter. Maybe because the show is full of drama and the hairdos are crazy but it is action packed and I love it! Oh and for a good week when my oldest daughter was about 4 she thought it was hilarious to call daddy, “Big Daddy” like Dog. Dad was not so amused.

6. I can’t sing to save my life but my oldest doesn’t mind so we sing loudly off key together in the car and I love it!

7. I got a ride in an F16 (air force fighter jet) a month before I became pregnant with my youngest. Thank goodness I got the ride when I did otherwise I never would have had the chance again!

8.  My favorite way to relax is to go to the gym. It is the one place that I can just focus on me but not have to think about anything at the same time. Love it.

9. I can fold my tongue three times.

10. I am constantly losing my keys or my phone. Seriously I think they grow legs and move just to confuse me!

11. I refuse to watch the movie It. I was 9 and at a friend’s birthday party and we were all watching it and her dad scared us…never again!

12. Growing up I hated being called Ape for short since my name is April…now it is pretty much what most of my family and friends call me.

13. I LOVE shopping...BUT first I go straight to the clearance and sale racks!

14. I still remember the song Fifty Nifty about the states from when I was in 5^th grade.

15. I firmly believe that true friends are ones that you can go years without talking to and then when you do you pick up right where you left off. Being in the military completely reaffirms this!

 What is one thing we may not know about you??