24 Things To Do Before I Turn 25- The Checklist

1. MOVE- for real this time

I moved into the basement.  I think that's going to be good enough this year.

2. Get a tattoo
3. Sky dive
4. Minneapolis skyway food tour

Toured with Jon Wing, April 2012
1. Apple, grape and blue cheese on rosemary flatbread at CRAVE
2. Beer tasting and brewery tour at Rock Bottom Brewery
3. Chicago mix popcorn and "This & That Bar" at Candyland
4. Lemon raspberry cupcake at Cocoa & Fig
5. MN grass fed roast beef, diver scallop, celery root mashed potatoes and asparagus at Hell's Kitchen
Best idea ever.

5. Drive-in movie
6. Create a budget and stick to it (a New Year's resolution)
7. Get skinny- hula hoop and train twice a week (another resolution)
- I may not be hula hooping but I am training twice a week and I feel great!  Skinny indeed!
8. Bake an ombre cake
9. Create an original cupcake flavor
10. Spend a day with NO technology (on purpose)
11. Do something out of my comfort zone
- I rode a Metro Transit bus.  I understand how terrible this makes me sound so I'm only putting this up here until I do something better and more out of my comfort zone.
- I gave two guys my phone number.  That is so out of character for me.
12. Go on a mother daughter date!
- We got our nails done and I think we're going to make it a regular thing.  :)
13. Pay for someone else's coffee in the drive-through
- I finally did this Wednesday, November 21.  My goal is to do it any other time I get coffee now through the end of the year.
14. Talk to Grammy Donna weekly
15. Do something GREAT in Poppa's memory
- I think my Colorado trip counts.  I did it for him.

The view off the deck of the chalet.

16. Downsize and donate
- Mom & I cleaned the basement and came up with like 10 bags of clothes to donate.  I also got rid of stuff in my room as well.
17. See Matt Nathanson again

Oh hey Matt!  The best venue yet- The Cabooze, March 2012

18. SMILE MORE

This baby made it so much easier to smile this year.

19. Road trip to Colorado- experience South Main in Buena Vista

An amazing trip and exactly what I needed for some closure, February 2012

20. Work on my Spanish speaking skills
- I took a Spanish for Medical Professionals course over the summer.  I need to study a little more but I've got information to use!
21. Visit old friends in far away places (i.e. Jaci in Fargo, ha)
- I did visit Jaci in Fargo!  And Jon in Madison.  Success!
22. Read 10 books
* The Pregnancy Project
* Gabby- The Gabrielle Giffords Story
* Through No Fault of My Own
* Let's Pretend This Never Happened
* The Invisible Thread
* The Fault In Our Stars
* Mad Women
* The Chaperone
* Spying in High Heels
* Slaughterhouse Five
23. Walk the dog

I may not have walked him as much as I intended (or as much as he would have liked) but I believe I walked him more this year than in years past.  Yay for the pupperoni!

24. Start and FINISH crafty projects


If you are unaware of where this idea came from, read this post I wrote last year about birthdays and look at my checklist from this past year of my life.

#33: 2011 in Pictures

I'm feeling a little better about life and decided to dedicate this post to my favorite 12 pictures of 2011.  It should be more uplifting than that last post.  :)  Here's to hundreds of favorite pictures in 2012!

JANUARY: I turned 23 and Liz threw me a surprise party.  I love this picture because it shows how happy I was at that moment.

FEBRUARY: I love a good cocktail picture.  This was just a random night at Ruby Tuesday's (something we did a few times this past year).  I love meeting up with friends in the middle of the week for tasty (or not so tasty) martinis.

MARCH: A much needed weekend getaway to Vegas with my mom.  It was wonderful.

APRIL: One of my last trips to Winona before I got really busy- Abby took my modeling pictures for the Maurice's modeling contest then we took a bunch of fun ones outside my former home.

MAY: I love spending time with the Ostroms.  This was the most uncomfortable bed and 3 people really should never have attempted sleeping in it but it was a blast nonetheless because of the company.

JUNE: Panic at the Disco.  This was just one of many amazing concerts in 2011!

JULY: Liz and I roadtripped to Chicago.  It was a great trip and this was probably one of my favorite parts- when we stopped in Millennium Park to dip our feet in this river thing.  It was refreshing and a little out of Liz's comfort zone but it was fun!

AUGUST: For two weekends in August it was all Ellen all the time at the WCCO-TV booth at the State Fair.  It was another fantastic time at the fair with 'CCO!

SEPTEMBER: Jazz turned 2 and I threw a birthday party for him complete with party hats and pupcakes.  I'm sure he appreciate it while everyone else thought I was weird.

OCTOBER: This was the first trip we made to San Diego, this time to see Poppa when he was first in the hospital and not doing so well.  I was so pleased that Uncle David brought us to this amazing lookout in La Jolla- it was especially beautiful at sunset.

NOVEMBER: Nina and I woke up early one Saturday morning to walk for St. Jude's Children's Hospital.  I was so pleased with Nina for being willing to get up and moving by 7:30 for such a good cause.  We were tired but we were there and it meant a lot to me!

DECEMBER: Our silly family picture- a lighter moment when we were all in California for Poppa's memorial service.  It was a rough way to end the year but at least we were all able to enjoy the company, despite the circumstances.