29 Before 30

In just a few weeks, I will celebrate my 29th birthday. My husband's 29th birthday was just a couple weeks ago, so we have been talking about what it means to be approaching the end of our twenties. These are the years we are supposed to look our best, have tons of energy, live a super active life, and savor our youth. However, the more we talked, the more we realized something very true about the Pyles. We are boring. We haven't been adventurous in our twenties - not even before our son was born. When people ask us, "What are your hobbies" or "What do you do in your spare time?", we both struggle to come up with what to say. The truth is we don't have any hobbies. We just spend time together, doing day to day things. Even before Nash came, our "hobby" was eating out and drinking a lot of wine. Not really something to brag about.

So, we have decided not to waste our final year in our twenties. Each of us is making a 29 Before 30 list of 29 things we must accomplish before we turn 30. Some of these are big undertakings, while others are minor life pleasures or accomplishments that we have never taken time to enjoy. Here are some of the things on my list, in no particular order:

1. Sew one thing for our soon-coming Baby Girl - I have an awesome sewing machine that I got for Christmas about 4 years ago. I have yet to use it. To be honest, I'm scared of it. Time to face that fear and bust it out! What better excuse than a baby girl?!
2. Memorize 10 Bible verses. I don't mean just regurgitating words that I know. I mean really ponder them, know them, and use them in life. I want to know God's Word better.
3. Cook real Pad Thai - none of this "from a box" stuff. I want to try to make the real thing. 
4. Make a new friend. Who doesn't want a new friend? I'm now accepting applications. ;)
5. Be able to label all 50 states on a blank US map. I cannot even come close. I am terrible at geography - it's really embarrassing!
6. Create a love drawer. This is something Dave Ramsey taught us in Financial Peace University that is so important should something ever happen to Nathan or me. We have never taken the time to do it. Now is the time.
7. Visit all of the Oklahoma Diner, Drive-Ins and Dives restaurants within an hour of us.  
8. Have a healthy BMI. The above goal is pretty much contradictory to this one, but there has to be cheat days in any diet, right? I don't need to be a supermodel by any means, but I do want to be healthy. 
9. Read a classic book. The classics are consider classic for a reason right? I read some in school, but most likely I really just read the Spark Notes. Any favorites out there? 
10. Successfully hard boil an egg. Yes, I know there are plenty of Pinterest pins and blogs that tell you the fool-proof way to do this. But somehow, I find a way to always mess it up. Not this year.  You will not defeat me!

These are just a selection of the 29 things on my list, all aimed at improving myself, trying new things, and spending a year finding an answer to, "What do you do in your spare time?" So, here's to a more active final year in our twenties. This is going to be fun.