26 things...

26 years ago today, a little curly-haired baby was brought in to this world and changed the lives of Dan, Lora and James Dupler forever.... (end scene.)

If you didn't know, today's my birthday! Hip hip hooray! I technically celebrated last night and it was a blast in a glass! I am so lucky to have so many wonderful people in my life. I really cherish my friendships; my friends have stuck with me through thick and thin and I am so grateful to be surrounded by such wonderful people!




party animals


I always love when my actual birthday falls on the weekend because, let's be honest, it's so much nicer to celebrate anything on the weekend! Well, joke's on me because, out of a handful of Saturdays that I actually have to work on throughout the year, my birthday happens to fall on one of those few Saturdays this year. However, the party last night was certainly enough to ring me in to my 26th year of life AND tomorrow is a special day because Ella is getting baptized! I love that, for the rest of our lives, I can tell her, "you were baptized the day after my 26th birthday." Plus, we're doing a family celebration tomorrow and I'm excited for some yummy brunch courtesy of the best cook I know, Tiff!



arrrgh matey

 I've been doing a lot of thinking about how much my life has changed over the past year and wanted to compile a list of 26 things to commemorate that. But, since this blog is mostly about self-reflection, I'd like to do a list of things that I haven't quite perfected yet. I know, I know, it's quite a lengthy list for someone who is as close to perfect as they come ;) Yeah RIGHT!

26 Things I Have Yet To Learn

26. Don't take your health for granted. This is something that I remind myself of daily. I used to take it for granted and I lost my passion for living a healthy life. As much as I've worked on this over the past year, I still have a ways to go and I need to remember that losing weight isn't just for physical appearance, it's also to improve your quality of life. My dad's recent diagnosis has reinforced the importance of not taking your health for granted.

25. How to make poached eggs. I've never tried, but I'd really like to learn.

24. How to control my temper. This one's a work in progress. Heh.

23. How to drive stick shift. My dad taught me when I first started driving how to drive stick on his Jeep but I haven't done it in years.
22. How to cook without using a recipe. I can only make one thing without looking at a recipe: BCD.

21. Eliminating Jealousy. No, not the song by Gin Blossoms, the actual emotion.

20. Appreciate every day for what it is. Let's be real, not every day is going to be awesome. It is what it is, I can never get this day back, so might as well take it for what it's worth.

19. There's no rush. One of the reasons for this blog: it allows me to slow down and reflect.

18. How to make buckeyes. Crossed this baby off the list over Labor Day weekend with Tiff.


yummy!

 17. How to sew. I should learn how to do this before I'm anyone's mother or wife.

16. How to change a flat tire. Thank goodness for AAA!

15. How to start a fire. Ryan started the fire!

14. How to cook a turkey. Again, very useful for future mothering and wife-ing.

13. How to eat just one cookie. I think this one may be impossible.


12. How to go to Target and not buy something. And now with the produce? fahgettaboudit

11. How to break dance.

10. How to be more patient.

 9. How to not cry every time I see those dang Sarah McLachlan commercials. Curse you Sarah McLachlan!

8. How to run a marathon. I attempted to train for a full but decided to stick with the half. I just couldn't wrap my mind around running 26.2 miles at one time.


7. How to fly a plane.

6. How to not watch Friends when it's on TV.

5. How to sing on key.

4. How to mow the grass. The benefit of living with a father who actually enjoyed mowing the grass.

3. How to enjoy yoga. I've only done it about 6 times, but I hate it. I know it's an excellent workout, especially for runners, but I hate it.


2. How to watch soccer.

1. How to be the best person I can be. I think this one will be on many lists to come :)


Just an FYI, this list took the whole month of September to compile. It's hard to think of 26 things you need to learn!