Look Who Can Sew! This girl!

I had a full day off today for an unexpected snow day and I thought this would be a great time to come up with some fantastic blog posts.  And now its 5:00 an I've got no snow day awesomeness.  So I will share this as I completely forgot to write about this 30 before 30 accomplishment!  I sewed something to use in my house.

First of all, it's kind of embarrassing because my mom gave me a sewing machine as a wedding shower gift and this was the first time I used it.  She also gave me the material for these curtains for my birthday in March and I didn't finish them until December.  

So we have this window in our bathroom.  On the other side of it is the sun room, and although the glass is frosted, some guests have felt uncomfortable because they feel like people can watch them doing their business.  So I wanted to make some half curtains, so that there is still some natural light, but people don't feel like they are being watched.  

 I know that curtains like this are simple, but it was my first attempt at sewing anything, and I think that they turned out pretty well!  Look at me, all domestic and such!

A Weekend With Harry

I finally checked something off my 30 before 30 list that I have been wanting to do for a while.

I watched all 8 Harry Potter movies in one weekend. 

How I feel about Harry Potter {via}

I know that people who don't get Harry Potter won't get this goal.  I don't really get why I wanted to do it.  Probably because I love Harry Potter.  And it was fantastic!  It wasn't easy, and it took a lot of commitment!  But I'm actually really glad I did it.  Of course while I was watching, I worked out, folded laundry and took breaks to eat and do a bit of cleaning.  Ryan was also away this weekend, so it was a great weekend to sit around and do (almost) nothing.

It's interesting watching all of the movies back to back, because you notice different things than when they are spread out.  There are some continuity issues and scenery that isn't consistent from one movie to the next.  I also feel like I noticed more things that were missing from the books.

Yes, I have an unnatural obsession with Harry Potter, but the release of the books and movies spanned over 14 years.  That's more than half my life that I was enthralled by this series, and that's kind of a big deal.  It's pretty amazing actually the impact that one story can have on your life.

I will leave you with this, the best line of the entire series:

{via}

 And the second best line goes to:

{via}

Confession: I almost didn't watch the last hour of the last movie, because I was running out of time.  But I stayed up last night and watched it.  So glad I did because it reminded me of how well done it was!

Swimming with Tony

Another check mark off the 30 before 30 list!  The great thing about this list is that it might make you do things that you normally wouldn't.  Like swimming with dolphins for example.  I think that if it wasn't on my list, I would have said that it was too expensive.  But instead I saw this as my chance and went for it.

This is Tony.  He is an 8 year old dolphin from Cuba.  We were pretty good friends.

Actually, I was kind of terrified of him.  I'm not sure why, but I thought I was going to hurt him by touching one of his holes...and then I thought he was going to hurt me by hitting me with his tail.  I have a feeling that would hurt.

But in the end, we were friends, and he gave me a kiss.  (I gave him one too).  Other things that Tony could do included water fights, clapping, singing and dancing around in a circle.  They are so smart.

It was a great experience and something that I will probably never do again.  Everybody should swim with dolphins at some point in their life, right?

Bone Marrow

I completed the first item on my 30 Before 30.  I have put myself on the Bone Marrow and Stem Cell registry.  I have been wanting to do this for awhile now, but adding it to this list actually pushed me to get it done.

It was actually very easy.  I just filled out a form online, then they called me to verify a couple things.  A few days later I received the package in the mail and had to do four cheek swabs.  See the awkward picture below for an example of this.  This was the least creepy picture that I was able to take.  I had mega crazy eyes in all of the other ones.  I guess you aren't supposed to take your picture while swabbing your cheek.

The eighth most awkward picture of me ever - 1 through 7 were the first ones I tried to take

Most people's first response when I told them I was doing this was "isn't that painful?"  The answer is yes.  Donating bone marrow isn't supposed to be a pleasant experience.  I think I would be out of work for a few days and in quite a bit of pain.  However, my chances of having a match are very slim.  If they did happen to find a match for me, I would be saving someone's life, and how can you say no to that?  I don't think that I could.  So I'm kind of excited that I have taken the first step and checked something off my list.  And you all should go join too!  It's easier than donating blood, I swear. 

30 Before 30

I have less than 5 years until I turn the big 3-0.  So I have come up with a list of 30 things that I would like to do before them.  I know that some of them are tricky and might not happen, but I'm going to give it a go.  So here they are!

1. Go sugar free for a week
2. Work out every day for 2 weeks Done
3. Volunteer somewhere for a cause I care about
4. Don't watch TV for a week (vacations don't count!)
5. Buy a trailer
6. Swim with dolphins
7. Go snorkeling
8. Go to Disney World
9. Learn how to drive standard
10. Go on a picnic
11. Join a book club Done
12. Go on a yoga retreat
13. Redesign my blog
14. Get to 500 blog posts
15. Run a 5K
16. Go to Costa Rica
17. Have a baby Done
18. Start my own business
19. Learn to sew and sew something that I can wear or that I can use in my house Done
20. Make a pie crust
21. Read a classic novel - any classic!
22. Get my CGA
23. Go skiing
24. Do a 30 days yoga challenge
25. Road trip!
26. Become a yoga instructor
27. Write a book - even if it's not any good
28. Watch Harry Potter marathon in a weekend Done
29. Make a turkey
30. Register on the bone marrow registry Done