30 Before Thirty

Friends, I'm officially 28 years old. (Zoom even told me so.) I know we all think it, but honestly, where does time go?! In honor of gaining another year of wisdom, I've decided to make a 30 Before Thirty list, so time doesn't pass me by. Thirty things I'd like to do before I turn the big 3-0. (Some overlap with this list, but they are still different.) If you know me well, I'm all about making goals and lists, so this suits me perfectly. Some are ambitious, some not so much, but all are things that I want to do in the next two years. Ok, ready. set. GO!

1. Learn to sew.
2. Take salsa dance lessons.
3. Go abroad again – Greece, Costa Rica, French Polynesia? I'm open to anything.
4. Grow and eat my own veggies and/or herbs.
5. Read more books and finish the half-read ones.
6. Run another marathon.
7. Marry this fella.
8. Reassess my 401K and retirement plan. Make sure I can retire at 35 :) (just kidding)
9. Learn (some) Swedish.
10. Learn to drive a stick shift better.
11. Go on more Mom and Dad dates.
12. Buy a nice SLR camera.
13. Learn how to use said nice camera.
14. Hike Mount Si.
15. Go zip lining somewhere.
16. Find a new hobby that I’m passionate about.
17. Host a big Holiday like Thanksgiving or Christmas!
18. Brew beer (again).
19. Pay off my car. (Both the Toyota loan and the Dad loan from catastrophe 2k9)
20. Buy a house.
21. Renovate a room in that said house. (Because the house I buy will likely need some prettification)
22. Make homemade pasta, ravioli and gnocchi. (That’s a 3 for 1!)
23. Give blood. I’m not afraid of needles, but I’ve never given blood. Why? I have no excuse.
24. Go wine tasting in a new region – Walla Walla? Burgundy, France?
25. Master a 5 course gourmet meal.
26. Be better at sending snail mail.
27. Get a kitty! (Joe and I decided we’d name him Carl-Gustav after the King of Sweden :))
28. Complete a triathlon.
29. Explore the idea of opening my dream shop: Wine not? (Filled with wine, cheese, goodies and more entertaining supplies!)
30. Continue to grow my amazing relationships with family and friends because they are awesome.

What would be on your list?

friday happy list

It's been awhile since I've shared a happy list, so I thought it'd be the perfect way to kick off the weekend. A weekend where I plan to rest and recover after a long week. Without further adieu, my friday happy list:

1. When friends have your back :)
2. Weekends when "sleeping in" is on your to-do list.
3. Erin's loud, scary laugh before taking photos, which makes everyone smile even bigger.
4. Oliver's Twist grilled cheese and tomato soup. (They froth the soup like a cappuccino!)
5. When your boyfriend decides to clean your house when you're running home late from work. (Thank you, Joe!)
6. The sense of joy you feel when hard work pays off.
7. The sudden change in recipes you cook in the fall - soups, pumpkin enchiladas and more!
8. Finding an open parking spot in a crowded lot.
9. The new salted caramel mocha at Starbucks.
10. Fridays at 6pm. TGIF. Have a wonderful weekend, friends!

pic/via Pinterest

21 things I'd like to accomplish or tell my 37 year-old self

Awhile ago, I made a list of things I'd like to tell my 17 year-old self, so I thought I would fast forward 10 years and make a similar list. Erika at 37, here goes.

1. Travel as much as your bank account affords.
   
2. Buy a home.
   
3. Decorate that home prettily. Make one room unapologetically girly.
   
4. Be happy and content with work. We spend far too many hours in the office, so we better enjoy those hours, right?
   
5. Learn how to sew.
   
6. 37 is the new 27.
   
7. Still adore your amazing friends.
   
8. Grow a garden for fresh, tasty ingredients to use for all the recipes you're still experimenting with!
   
9. Get hitched to my adorable fella.
   
10. Have a babe or two.
    
11. Enjoy motherhood. I hear it flies by, so soak it up.
    
12. But also plan "us" time and let the grandparents take care of the kiddos.
    
13. Keep running.
    
14. At some point, take at least a month off of work and go on an adventure.
    
15. You better not be shopping at Forever 21. Sure, an item here and there at 27 is acceptable, but 37 is another story.
    
16. Kam is going to be graduating from high school. (eek!) Convince him that UW is the place to be.
    
17. Remember Facebook? That was (is still?) huge.
    
18. Remember leggings/skinny jeans/oversized sunglasses/large purses? (I wonder what 2021 fashion will bring?)
    
19. Continue to take lots of photos. They are so fun to look back on.
    
20. Never underestimate the power of a healthy glass of red wine. It works wonders.
    
21. Remember that at the end of the day, the only thing that really matters is having the people you love in your life.

21 things I'd like to tell my 17 year-old self

Baby Erika & Josh

I recently came across a post that someone wrote about what she'd tell her 17 year-old self. I liked it, so I thought I'd create my own. What would your list say?

1. Run. I wish you would have started running earlier in life. You’ll really enjoy it.
The distance won’t have much of an effect on your amazing high school friendships. Some are there to stay. You are lucky.
You'll also find many amazing friends in college.
Feel free to have crushes and all that jazz, but don’t worry about that too much. You’ll meet the one when you’re 26. (I know, seems like forever away, but maybe you can try meeting him earlier? He lives right off the Burke. Literally only 2 minutes away from you in college. Go find him and tell him Future Erika told you too. I'm sure that won't freak him out, will it?)
Work less. Take a day off in the summer more often. Shoot, take a week off.
Take more pictures. Especially Polaroids when they are still cheap.
Don’t sweat the small stuff. In the long run, it's usually not that big of a deal.
Shhh, but Josh likes men. He can’t be your “back-up”, but he’s one helluva a friend.
Explore Skagit Valley and surrounding areas more. Hikes, drives, rivers and lakes.
Drive a bit slower on the back roads. Just because they are straight and stretch on for eternity, it’s just not safe. Listen to your parents on this one.
Don't worry so much about what other people say.
Learn how to make Swedish flatbread, cinnamon rolls and other treats with your Grandma Pete.
You don’t tan. Just accept it. Embrace the pale.
Samish Island is a utopia. Soak it up while you’re there.
Write more. You actually enjoy it and will later do it for a living.
On that note, medicine is not for you. You'll have a little crisis about not going into medicine your freshmen year of college, but it's for the best. You'll enjoy college more without it.
Talk to more people outside your circle of friends.
Cook more. Give your mom a break more often because it's pretty fun.
Don't cut your hair short after every dance season. Long hair suits you better. Seriously.
Trust your intuition.
There's no need to be self-conscious, but I understand if you still are. Aren't most 17 year-olds?

stephanie's happy list

Stephanie sent me a snow day edition of her happy list. It makes me want to curl up with a cup of hot cocoa and listen to Christmas carols. That's why I opted for a Holiday-themed photo, which I totally love. Look at those sweaters!

And look at this list! I'm realizing that I might have to pick up some cozy knit knee socks soon...

1. Extra hot showers on cold (freezing!) days
2. Starbucks red cups
3. Working from home in my pajamas (Amen.)
4. Sunshine on the snow
5. My Hunter boots (Erika's note: I love these. One day I'll cave and get a pair. It rains a lot in Seattle, so it's totally warranted!)
6. Cozy knit knee socks
7. Polaroid and Diana pictures
8. Freshly painted fingernails that only sort of look like a 5 year old did them
9. Youngsters being pulled on sleds by their daddy’s (such great childhood memories)
10. Homemade dinner and a bottle of wine with Erika (ok, that’s not really snow day edition, but it’s one thing that makes me very very happy) (Erika's note: Yay! I love dinner and wine with you too!)

christina's happy list

I think Christina's response after putting together her list has been my favorite - she said that she can't help feeling happier. It's so true! When you put together a list of great things, it's like BOOM, smile. Even better, she sent it to Andy (the hubs) and asked for his in return; something to get him excited to come home!

P.S. We celebrated Christina's birthday this weekend and I felt like I was in college all over again. I can't remember the last time I stayed out so late and ordered late night pizza, but it was a blast! Post to come!

1. Getting actual emails and letters from people I know—especially from a special someone when he’s out at sea (Erika's note: Her hubby, Andy, is finishing up his LAST Navy submarine patrol ever! Hip hip hooray!)
2. Long phone conversations with faraway friends and family
3. My friends at work and our ridiculous and random mid-day conversations, emails, distractions
4. Warm drinks on cold days
5. Flowers, whether they’re growing in my garden or delivered to my desk (Erika's note: Amen to that. Watching your desk fill up with flowers even makes my day!)
6. Finding money in my pockets that I didn’t realize was there
7. Anything chocolate, or peppermint-flavored, or both
8. Watching the sun rise over Mt. Rainier / Seattle on a clear day
9. Chick flicks and wine
10. Food from home, including Texas barbeque, Mexican food, and my dad’s fajitas

Beautiful photo from Kathryn Bradley Photography

kathryn's happy list

Kathryn made my day today when she told me that she would be sending along her happy list. Can I get a what, what? As with others, she couldn't stop at just 10, so you have 3 bonus happy sentiments. I'm kind of in love with #12. And I have a weakness for cute dad things, so I like #11 too.

P.S. Don't you just love this photo of Kathryn and her hubby, Pat?!

Enjoy her list and have a fabulous weekend!

1. Soy lattes on cold Seattle mornings (or anytime really!).
2. Getting back from a photo session and eagerly downloading the images.
3. When a package arrives for me at work, even though I know exactly what I ordered. (Erika's note: I'm usually just as excited when Kathryn gets a package at the office!)
4. My tan lines that remind me of our recent trip to Hawaii (and finding little grains of sand while unpacking my suitcase!).
5. When hubby warms up my side of the bed for me before I get in at night.
6. Opening the office fridge to find ice cold Diet Pepsi (Costco delivery day is the best!).
7. CHRISTMAS! My favorite time of the year…shopping for the perfect gifts, baking cookies, drinking Glühwein, decorating the tree and sneaking kisses by the fire.
8. My new brown boots.
9. Getting comments on my blog posts. (Erika's note: Please check out her blog. Unless, of course, you don't like looking at beautiful photos. In which case, you are a little weird.)
10. Crossing things off my “life” list.
11. My dad’s newfound discovery of Facebook messages (he now writes one to me every morning with the date in the subject line and some kind of motivational message…it’s very cute).
12. Saturday afternoon cocktail hour at the Bradley residence...this includes us putting on sweats, making martinis and appetizers, and toasting to not having kids (not because we don’t want kids someday, but because we know this won’t be an activity we’ll have the luxury of enjoying once they come along!).
13. My husband, my family and my friends—especially this time of year when I find myself reflecting on all the blessings in my life for which I am so grateful.

Beautiful photo by Moxie Images

danielle's happy list

They just keep rollin' in! Straight to y'all from the home of Elvis and Beale Street - Memphis, Tennessee! Danielle left the Pacific Northwest a couple years ago to discover the cure for cancer at the University of Tennessee (her program is based in Memphis, even though the school is in Knoxville). #7 is making me crave something warm for my tummy on this gray Seattle day. Miss you, Danielle!

1. Leggings and boots!
2. Being still long enough to watch leaves fall from the trees.
3. Coffee :) (P.S. People in Memphis look at me funny when I order coffee, apparently its too complicated for them. Silly creatures.)
4. Rainy days spent curled up with a blanket and a good book and my kitties cuddled next to me.
5. My family, especially my little sister! (Last night I helped her with her homework over the phone, she's growing up so fast.)
6. A long run on a brisk, sunny day.
7. Homemade soup
8. An experiment that goes the way I want it to! (Yes, I'm a nerd)
9. "Book Club", which is just a fancy name for a night of cocktails with good friends.
10. Getting compliments about all the weight I've lost! 20 lbs down! (Erika's note: Wowza, that's awesome! Congrats, D!)

kimber's happy list

The return of the HAPPY LISTS. When I saw Kimber's in my inbox today, I lit up. They are just so much fun to read and really put me in a good mood. I especially love her #6!

1. Crisp, bright, fall days and the cozy sweaters that go with them. (Erika's note: If you remember, I dubbed Kimber as Queen of Fall, well essentially.)
2. Tea. Peppermint tea is my new favorite - it's so soothing. And pretty much any of the Ceylon Tea Company teas, they are incredibly smooth tasty compared to other teas.
3. Fleece. Blankets, socks, pants, jackets. You name it - if it touches your body, you can't go wrong with fleece! (Though, I'm not quite sure about fleece underwear)
4. Leavenworth Oktoberfest with friends - And any outing with friends where we can admire leaves and drink good beer.
5. Laughing so hard that my eyes tear up or until my stomach aches.
6. Movie theatre popcorn with lots of butter and salt in the middle and on the top. Once I even popped into Majestic Bay theatre to buy some when I wasn't seeing a movie. They didn't seem weirded out, so I figure I'm not the only one :)
7. Having a good, long talk with my family about almost anything
8. Being out on the Olympic Peninsula, especially at Second Beach or Chito Beach.
9. The realization that the book you are in the middle of reading is SO GOOD and that you still have half of it left to enjoy.
10. Baking goodies. And then eating them! (P.S. Kimber, can I have another one of your madeleine cookies? Please??)

dad's happy list

What perfect timing for my Dad to send me his happy list! Do you know why? Because it's Veteran's Day and he is a proud Veteran. (Thanks for your service, Dad!) At his school, he often speaks at the Vet's assembly. He's the rather dapper-looking man in the middle.

It's such a great list! And I'm taking #9 as a hint :)

1. Waking up and realizing it is Saturday.
2. A double shot in the dark. No cream or sugar!!! (Erika's note: This is brewed coffee with TWO shots of espresso!)
3. Being up early enough to see the sunrise. (So NOT like his daughter)
4. Twelve-year old Scotch or a great Cabernet. (Really hard to choose)
5. The smell of “salt air” as I approach the home.
6. Having to “Stomp on the hatch covers” to keep the fish in the hold.
7. The Jazz weekend dinner at Orvieto, Italy.
8. Kam spending time with us.
9. An unexpected phone call from either of my girls. (Need more of them)
10. A quiet dinner and wine with Koby. (Erika's note: Oooh, how cute Dad!)

Keep em coming, people! I love your lists!

karen's happy list

Rad x 3! I got my third happy list from the one and only Karen, representin' the 252 (Greenville, NC)! And Little Miss KarKar couldn't stop at 10. I love it! I told her that when I read it, I was nodding my head and saying "uh-huh" because it all seemed so, well so Karen! I guess I know her well :)

1. cards, both giving and receiving
2. boys that wear boat shoes, tailored shorts, and polo t-shirts
3. fancy grocery stores (what up Whole Foods!)
4. the mountains and mountain cabins
5. Starbucks red cups
6. curling up in a comfy chair at a non-generic coffee shop with a great friend and a long conversation or a good book/ magazine
7. tea, soup, and rainy days
8. exploring new places or new neighborhoods
9. everything about my incredible Seattle friends and traditional trips
10. college football game day (especially in Husky Stadium)
11. sorority recruitment (if you remember, she's now working with Greek life at East Carolina University)
12. class...and research...amazingly enough I really miss class
13. snow!
14. the fair (Do the Puyallup)
15. summer camp
16. home... (Home misses you too, KarKar!)

P.S. Karen got an extra picture in the post because I couldn't decide on just one. The first one is so darn cute and the second one screams Karen because she's the biggest Husky fan I know (well, maybe tied with Straube). In college, I would try my best to sit by her so she can give me the 411 on all the players and weird calls. If only I had a nickel for every time I asked her, "What just happened?!"...

autumn's happy list

Autumn sent me her happy list, which in turn made me happy. And guess what I'm going to try soon? #2. And maybe the last show on #10. (P.S. I sooo already a Gleek.)

A little mathematical formula about Autumn: Autumn + RyRy + boat of any kind = Bliss. I can't wait to visit them in the South Pacific when they sail around the world. Wouldn't you love to sail around the world?

But, I digress. Autumn's happy list:

1. Anything that has to do with NannyFamilyBoy. I may sneak over to his home and actually steal him someday. Even when he was crazy I still “wuved” him, actually I think I like him so much because he is a little odd.
2. Starbucks salted caramel hot chocolate (with non-fat milk, only 2 pumps of chocolate and extra salt). I am that annoying coffee order girl, sorry, but it’s just so good that way!
3. Polaroids.
4. Making lists and crossing things off of them! So gratifying.
5. Mountains. Driving through them on the way East, watching the Olympics come out on a gorgeous day, fly-fishing in them, ogling Mt. Rainier on my commute on 99, they are so peaceful and remind me of home.
6. This song. And banjoes.
7. Leavenworth. I just can’t get enough of the town. Probably because it is beautiful in the fall, winter, spring and summer and has brought joy to my life from when I was little (annual ice cream cone stop after a week at Camp Fire Camp) to now (Tom 2K6-9). (Erika’s note: Speaking of Leavenworth, did you hear that the nutcracker lady was Conan’s first guest?)
8. Sailing and boats. Everyone is invited to the South Pacific with Ry Ry and I someday.
9. I have officially jumped on the legging train. So comfy. So cozy.
10. My not-so-secret-anymore addiction to TV shows. If you are not watching Community you should be. Same with Glee, Deadwood, Dexter, HIMYM, Mad Men and don’t even get me started on VMars.

maddie's happy list

Maddie made me happy by sharing her happy list with me (since I requested it here and others should also share). I really like it! Number 5 made me especially excited for Sunriver this year! And #7 made me hungry. I guess leftover candy corn will have to satisfy the sweet tooth for now.

But overall, these lists always make me smile. Enjoy!

1. Singing in the car. Do you think that if we put all of the world's leaders together in a big suburban and turned a little Rhianna on that all the problems might get solved? I do. Did I just start a political movement?
2. Friends who will kill your spiders for you. On multiple occasions, too. (Erika's note: This bad ass she's referring to may or may not be yours truly.)
3. Succulents in tiny pots. I just want to pinch them!
4. Surprisingly warm and sunny fall days.
5. Memories of suits and boots - a yearly wintertime, snowy hot tub excursion.
6. Holding baby animals. Pass the kittens, please.
7. Our quest for the perfect cinnamon roll with my soul sister (which reminds me, we need to do this again soon). (Erika's note: Full story to come.)
8. The feeling after finishing a fantastic run.
9. Visiting my favorite hair guru, Steven Barrett.
10. Hamachi nigiri. With a little wasabi. My favorite.

happy

another little list of things that make me happy. (Previous lists here, here and here.)

1. You. I'd be lying if I said I didn't care if people read my blog. Yes, it's cathartic at times and a nice, little creative outlet, but I also do it to entertain all of you on your lunch breaks or 4pm lulls at work.
2. Funny first date stories. (You know who you are. Keep it comin'.)
3. White truffle mac and cheese at 9 million in unmarked bills. It will blow. your. MIND. And I'm having it tonight!
4. My nephew who is turning 8 years old in a few days!
5. My sister. She has one of the most positive outlooks on life these days and it's contagious.
6. The Canlis menu hunt. And the adventures it creates. (Not familiar with the hunt? Go here.)
7. When the upcoming winter season is predicted to have record snowfall. Here I come, hot cocoa and curling up in blankets.
8. Letterpress paper goods.
9. Big scarves. (like above and it also relates to #7)
10. When YOU send me happy lists. Will you please email me your happy list so I can post it? Pretty please with a cherry on top? Or you can leave some things that make you happy in the comment section. I'll take either.

pic/via