30 Before 30 List - the (almost) halfway point update

I am about halfway through the year I gave myself to accomplish everything on my 30 Before 30 list and I think I'm doing pretty good so far! 

30 Before 30

1 – Host a dinner party for 6 people. - Not crossed off yet but I plan on having an outdoor dinner later in the summer :) 

2 – Lose at least 30 lbs - Working on it... 

3 – Lay on a beach in the sun while drinking margaritas 

4 – Blog 30 days in a row

5 – Sing karaoke - CHECK! Sang Shania with the bride at a wedding last weekend. It was quite the show. LOL 

6 - Have $_____ in savings (I know the number but I don't think I need to put it onto my blog) - About half way to the goal. Right on track. 

7 - Celebrate my 30^th b-day in style! - Can't be checked off until the end of the year obvs. 

8 – Write a good chunk of my book - This is a work in progress. And it has been on my mind a lot lately. I need to take a few days to myself and type out what is all in my head. 

9 – Host a theme party - I have plans... oh do I have plans! But for later in the year. 

10 – Have a completely Sober October

11 – Do something that is completely selfless - Not quite sure if I am counting this as my "selfless act" but I just gave away about half of my wardrobe. FIVE suitcases worth. 

12 – Do something that scares me - CHECK! Done a few so far this year: Went into this CREEPY (at first) cave at Ainsworth Hot Springs, still need to blog about that trip! And I also pet a manta-ray in Vegas! 

13 – Send 5 people cards for no reason in particular except to make their day.

14 – Forgive my sister…

15 – Wear red lipstick (not on Halloween)

16 – Write a poem that I’m proud of

17 – Fly a kite

18 – Play hooky from work and get day drunk

19 – Watch every movie that has won an Academy Award for Best Picture (already started this one! If you want a copy of the list let me know) - This is a work in progress, I've watched 27 out of 85 so far. 

20 – Create a funny youtube video. - CHECK! There are actually 3 or 4 different videos technically. BiSC was truly amazing. 

21 – Try 10 foods I’ve never had before. - CHECK! - dried mango, gnocchi, Shamrock Shake, spaghetti squash, buffalo, fennel, crawfish, ever-clear, biscuits and gravy, snapper. 

22 – Sign up for a fitness class and attend all classes. No excuses. - CHECK! - Zumba, two rounds. Boom! 

23 – Cook a new recipe every month. One that I’ve never tried before. - Right on track! January was a buffalo chicken meatloaf. February was roasted butternut squash soup. March was scalloped corn. April was roasted spaghetti squash and then May was a spicy turkey spaghetti sauce on spaghetti squash. Can you tell I really like spaghetti squash now? 

24 – Go on a vacation, somewhere hot. - CHECK! ... VEGAS!!!! 

25 – Put a tag/sticker on ALL articles of my clothes and shoes. If I don’t wear it by the end of the year, get rid of it. - I didn't put stickers/tags on but I went through EVERYTHING a few weeks ago when I was getting rid of a lot of clothes so I know what I have worn this year and what I haven't yet. 

26 – Try to only wax my legs for the whole year, no shaving. - Totally been doing this all year and it's been awesome so far. I may even stick with this forever? 

27 – Buy coffee for the person behind me in line at Tim Horton’s. - CHECK!

28 – Teach someone something new. - CHECK! Taught a few people how to gamble in Vegas! 

29 – Figure out the “art” of liquid eye liner. - CHECK! 

30 – Drink tea everyday. - Been pretty much on track with this too! 

Careful not to trip over your imaginary veil…

Weddings.

One would think that from how many times I have blogged about my friend’s weddings recently, I would have my future wedding already planned out from where and when I would get married, what I would wear, what we would eat, etc. etc., just insert groom here.

That is not the case.

I have maybe 3 or 4 sentimental things that I know I want in my wedding or incorporated on my wedding day but that’s it.

I feel like planning a wedding out before you are engaged is bad luck. In fact I avoid all things wedding on Pinterest for this exact reason.

Just because at 14 years old we thought we wanted to get married in a huge princess dress with fairy sparkles and N’Sync playing as we walked down the aisle… it doesn’t mean that’s what we are going to want as an adult.

Weddings are about two people celebrating the commitment of their futures together. 
Two people.
Two different personalities.
Two different styles.
Two lives… becoming one.

A wedding should reflect and embrace that combination. It should reflect who the two of you are together. The lives you live. The things that are important to each of you, individually and together. And most importantly why you love each other.

I can definitely tell you that a princess dress and fairy sparkles are NOT why I love my boyfriend. And if he one day becomes my husband… there absolutely wont be any fairy sparkles… they would just get caught in his beard.

Weddings are a special, wonderful, magical time. And I believe that, when the time is right, we should embrace the chance we get to plan the day to celebrate marrying the person you love more than anyone else in the world.

Love is different for each couple. Love is one of the most amazing emotions we get to experience as people and no one can define your love for someone else but you. A wedding is the time to express that and share that feeling with your friends and family.

It’s not about the cake or how tall it is. It’s not about how much you spent on the wedding or how big your white dress was or that you had it at the most lavish vineyard you have ever heard of. It’s about being so lucky in life that you found someone who is your other half and you can’t imagine living the rest of your life without them. So much so that you want to read aloud your vows… in front of everyone you know… that you are two souls now joined as one.

You can’t plan that day before you truly feel that way. 

Maybe my theory is wrong. And maybe its why at almost 30 years old, I’m not married or engaged. But you know what… I’m okay with that. It will happen for me when it’s the right time. And it will be great.

I'm not made of money ya know...

Let's vent a little shall we...

So I'm going to a bachelorette party this weekend. Yay! I love bachelorette parties. BUT what I don't like is when whoever is planning said party thinks everyone invited is made of money and/or has a sugar daddy.

If I were to participate in all of the bachelorette weekend festivities they would include:

Drive from Calgary to Banff (and return after) - lets say $40 in gas
Pay the Banff National Park fee for parking there over the weekend - $20??
Hotel for 2 nights (shared with other girls) - $150
Spa day - probably like $300
Dinner at a very expensive restaurant on Saturday night - $60
Booze for pre-drinking at the hotel room - $30
Night out at the bar - I'm gonna guess about $80
Small gift for the bride - $20
Meals for the rest of the weekend too - $50?

That estimate totals up to $750..... SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS!!!!!!! 

Holy Shit!

Sure I adore the bride and would get a girls weekend out of it but damn... I could go to Vegas for that cost. Shoot I could find a deal and go to Mexico for a week for that cost.

Not happening.

Myself and another invitee are going to drive to Banff (share the cost of gas) on Saturday afternoon and meet up with everyone just before dinner time and then stay with them until after the bar and then drive back together. (I wont be drinking in case you were wondering).

I swear... whenever I get married I will make sure my bridesmaids think of those who are on a budget.

Rant over.