Since imitation is the highest form of flattery, I am blatantly flattering my dear friend Tara by composing a list of forty things I want to do before I turn forty. Take a minute to check out Tara’s amazing blog. She’s the inspiration behind the facelift of mine.

Okay, so here goes. In no particular order, the 40 things I want to do before I turn 40. If I don’t get them all done, it’s okay. But I love lists. I love goals. I love growing. I reserve the right to add or delete. In the spirit behind those four things, I offer the following:

1. Read the Bible in 90 days.

2. Climb a 14er in Colorado with my family.

3. Finish my last 7 seminary courses.

4. Return to the weight I was when I met Rich.

5. Teach all 3 boys to read.

6. Complete a Sprint Triathalon.

7. Apologize to VH and KK.

8. Take a cooking class with my Mom at the Sante Fe Cooking School.

9. Tackle our photo armoire and make a plan for how to save our family memories.

10.  Finish raising our financial support and stay at 100% consistently.

11. Consistently write thank you notes within a week.

12. Attend the Macy’s Day parade with my family.

13. Birth a book club.

14. Develop the discipline of exercising 4 days a week.

15. Find houseplants that I enjoy. Keep them alive.

16. Tour the White House.

17. Take the boys to Washington, D.C.

18. Plant a spring vegetable garden with the boys.

19. Learn more about gardening.

20. Take a cake decorating class.

21. Decorate Christmas Cookies with Bette and Mom.

22. Take a Turkish cooking class at the Turkish community center.

23. Complete a Daniel fast.

24. Visit Bishop Cox in Tulsa.

25. Have a girls weekend with Ronna.

26. Keep our home clutter free.

27. Visit Uncle Mike’s new home in Portland.

28. Attend my 20th reunion and celebrate the amazing people that I grew up with.

29. Participate at least 2 times a year in events, trainings, or conferences that inspire me to grow.

30. Date my husband at least 2 times a month outside of East Orlando.

31. See Ellis Paul in concert again.

32. Do Roundtop with Ann

33. Take my vitamins everyday.

34. Keep battling fear.

35. Take my boys to the Comal County Fair

36. Go to Weihnachtsmarkt with my Mom

37. Memorize the book of Philippians as a family.

38. Learn to make gluten-free sourdough bread.

39. Call my siblings at least once a week.

40. Take a Word Press class.