30 Before 30: Halfway There

My half birthday was earlier this month, so I thought it was about time to make my halfway update for 30 before 30!  So far I've officially completed 9 of 30, so I still have a bit to go, but a bunch of them are ongoing throughout the year so I do feel more accomplished than that!

1. Invest in an original piece of art - The below canvas is from Modern South Studio

2. Get back to my ideal strength and weight - I gave up dessert for Lent, and that really put me on the right track.  I still have a bit to go, but I think at the halfway point, it's a good start.

3. Volunteer - I still want to do this more, but last month, my friends and I made dinner for the guests at the Ronald McDonald House.  It was so much fun!

4. Get 8 hours of sleep each night - Since the time change, I have been rocking at this.  I think it's because it gets light later in the morning, so I haven't been waking up before my alarm.  Yes, I know I'm strange to usually do that.

5. Purge and donate my closet - Spring cleaning got this done for me!  Everything is back to organized!

6. Start an herb garden - I started this last October.  Most things made it through the winter and are back to thriving.

7. Have a girls night once per month

8. Visit more baseball stadiums - After Dallas this month, we checked another one off the list.  Hopefully we can get to one or two more this summer.  I call this one halfway there, too.

9. Network more - I've really been trying to step out of my comfort zone.  I've started trying to attend more of the events I get invited to, and not just talk to the people I know.  I've made some great connections and even better friends!

10. Run another race

11. Take a cooking class - Mike got this awesome book, Salt Fat Acid Heat (here's the link), so while I haven't taken a class, we have learned a lot about what goes into cooking.

12. Try yoga

13. Start a family tree

14. Do something nice for a stranger everyday - Working on this one!  Who has other ideas besides holding doors, buying the car behind you's coffee?

15. Visit the rest of the breweries in Charleston - We only have 3 more!  Here is my latest installment of local breweries.

16. Try something just for the adrenaline rush

17. Learn about wine

18. Make a plan to get to Cuba - It's in the travel plans, we will see when!

19. Be a positive encouragement to those around me

20. Make an effort to break out of my introverted shell - This has definitely been helped with #9.  I'm trying to meet new people every way I can!

21. Go on a hike - We have an awesome hike planned over Memorial Day weekend!

22. Advance my career

23. Buy a new camera - I bought my Canon 80D around Christmas and could not love it more.  There is so much versatility.

24. Travel internationally - Still hoping for that London trip this fall!

25. Invest for the future - We are now meeting with a financial planner, and we're on our way!

26. Cut my hair to donate again - It's getting loooong.  My goal is 12 inches, and I think I'm almost there!

27. Grow this blog - In terms of page views, I had my biggest blog post ever with this Kitchen-Themed Easter Basket last month (90k!), and it all came from Pinterest.  I think I need to work more on my social media to help this keep happening!

28. Stay more connected with family - With all of our trips planned to New England this year, we will be seeing them a bunch!

29. Learn all the words to Rapper's Delight

30. Write to my congressmen about causes about which I'm passionate