(New to the blog? Read my original Thirty Before 35 post HERE.)

So. I turn 35 in exactly two months. Time to reflect on my successes and get real about my unfinished goals.

Let’s take a look, shall we? (Completed goals {in blue} link to more information about each individual experience.)

1. Bake a Rainbow Cake. So much fun, and my daughter loved it. 
2. Sell a novel (or two!). I still can’t believe this is real! 
3. Complete a 500 piece puzzle. Super relaxing. I’m going to start doing more puzzles. 🙂
4. Have a picnic on the beach. Dude. I wish I could do this every day.
5. Read and review a Stephen King novel. Not too shabby, Mr. King. 
6. Drink a Hurricane in New Orleans. *snort* This led to a night of Big Easy debauchery and a lot of fun. 😉 
7. Have professional family photos taken. Damn it if I still haven’t had any printed. Soon!
8. Run Disney’s Princess 1/2 Marathon. So, this isn’t going to happen. I’m way out of shape, and you have to register far in advance, which I have not done. But! I’m going to start running again after the New Year (no, really!) and I’d like to at least do a 5K before my birthday. 
9. Attend a writers’ conference or festival. Baltimore Book Fest. 👍
10. Order a Stitch Fix box. Ha! And then some!
11. See a musical. Still hoping to do this on time. Surely there’ll be a musical to see in the DC area in the next two months… 
12. Plan and host a tea party with my girl. I think I can make this happen, too. 
13. Make a quilt. My cat naps on it daily. 😻
14. Take an international vacation. I wish! Unless my husband has an epic surprise up his sleeve, this won’t be happening in the next two months. Hopefully one day soon, though! 
15. Watch Friday Night Lights in its entirety. Best decision ever. #33
16. Complete a three day juice cleanse. Do I even want to do this anymore? Not really, but maybe I’ll give it a go just for the experience.
17. Write a manuscript that’s not contemporary YA. I’m working on it! I’ve got a magical realism manuscript that’s about half done. Guys, non-contemp is so challenging for me! 
18. Pass 2K Twitter followers. Again, working on it. I’m somewhere in the mid-1600s. 
19. Read Speak (my most shameful YA gap book). Totally lived up to all the hype.
20. Host a brunch. Maybe I can combine this with the tea party? 
21. Master “Space-A” travel. Yeah, I don’t care about this anymore. I looked into it, and it seems like more hassle than it’s worth. *shrugs*
22. Attend a writers’ retreat. It was amazing. I’m going on another next month!
23. Get a massage. Again, amazing!
24. Make Chocolate Babka. Oh, I’m totally doing this in a few days! Jillian, the main character in Kissing Max Holden, makes it, too.
25. Add another child to our family. A source of frustration. We’re in the midst of applying to be a foster family so, while this won’t happen in the next two months, it is in the works. 
26. Visit Mount Rushmore. Again, I wish! One of these days…
27. Master “Crow” pose in yoga. Working on it! Must. Strengthen. Core. 
28. Go to a(nother) country music concert. I’ve actually been to three since setting this goal — yay!
29. Plant an herb garden. Definitely doing this again next spring.
30. Teach my daughter to swim (really well). Guys, she’s a little fish!

So, we’ll see how the next two months go. I’m determined to knock a few more items off my list. Those I can’t fit in before the dreaded 3-5 will likely become part of a new Life List… Stay tuned!