THIRTY

So, I turned 30 on March 4th. I cannot believe it. I don't feel 30. I guess when I was younger, I thought 30 was much more "grown up" than I am. (Maybe that's saying something about my maturity...or lack thereof!)

And, I am sure that all of you who knew it was my birthday have been on pins a needles for an insightful post about all the life altering things I have learned in my 30 years. Bad News: I don't have a lot to share.

I am sure you remember my post when I turned 28, (read here). All of those things still hold incredibly true. However, there are a few simple, maybe slightly less poignant, things I want to share today.

So...here are the 22 things (in honor of how old I feel!)I would tell anyone to start doing immediately.

• Be happy. Bosses can be annoying. Traffic on the way to work can be annoying. Telling your kids 500,000 times to pick up their shoes can be annoying. And any one of those things can be a day ruiner. So, don't let it! Just shake it off and be happy!
• Drink Coffee. Seriously. Do it! Buy a Kuerig and try new flavors. Use sugar cubes and single serve creamer. Trust me.
• Have a date night. This can be impromptu or planned. But remember, marriage is work. You have to make time for each other sans the kids. If you have a baby sitter your kids love and love them, it's so much easier.
• Watch Duck Dynasty. Jase. Willie. Si. You can thank me later.
• Ignore the critics. In the words of some famous rapper, "Haters gonna hate". Don't worry about it. Spend less time worrying about the haters and be yourself!
• Get dressed every day. Some weekends, it's easier to just stay in your PJs all day. But, you will be more productive if you get up, shower and get ready for the day. Even if it's just in some cute yoga pants and a new sweatshirt.
• Play. Take time to crawl on the floor with your kids or chase them through the house. Don't worry about the housework. It will wait. Kids don't remember if the laundry was always done, but they remember the times you played freeze tag in the living room.
• Keep a planner. Not all times in your life will be busy enough to require a planner. But, it's fun to look back at what you were doing as you go through your old planners. Plus, you will be SUPER organized when life is crazy busy.
• Dance. This is another one you will just have to trust me on. Put on some good music while you cook dinner and dance around the kitchen. Have a dance party in your living room with your kids. It burns calories and if you dance like me, it will provide some great laughs.
• Have a savings account. You never know when life might happen. The air conditioner might go out. Your car might need new tires. Medical expenses can occur. Life is expensive. Save for a rainy day. Even if you can only save $20/week, do it. Set small goals with it and once you exceed that goal, do something fun with the excess before building towards the next goal.
• Call you mother/father/grandparents. These are the ones that just want to hear from you. They don't care if you have nothing important to say. They love to hear the funny things your kids did. And, let's face it, they won't be around forever.
• Jump on the trampoline. I dare you to try and resist showing your kids your "mad" skills on the trampoline. I dare them not to laugh. It's one of our favorite things to do and it burns calories! Try it!
• Have "me" time. This is hard for most of us to do. Between work, kids, home, it's tough. But, its important. Spend an hour every two weeks getting your nails done. Go browse Target at lunch. Just get a little time for yourself.
• Send snail mail. Everyone loves to get mail that's not a bill or junk mail. Send little "happies" in the mail. Cards. Thank you notes. It's all good.
• Find a good group of  friends. Everyone needs a group of friends that you can laugh with and vent to. Get a group of friends that understand if you are too busy to go to an event. Find some that love you just the way you are, even if your dance moves aren't up to par. I pray for my girls to find good friends like I have.
• Pray. This almost goes without saying. Do it every day. He knows what's on your heart, so just talk to him about it. God doesn't always give us the answers we want, but He always answers. And don't forget to always ALWAYS pray for others.
• Eat dinner as a family every night. It's hard to do every night. But, this is important to sit down and have time together. Even if you eat out, do it together as often as possible.
• Have donut dates. We go every Friday to the donut shop and eat breakfast together. It's fun, yummy and a great end to the week.
• Give back. We all have something we can give to someone less fortunate. Give money to church. Give time to your kids schools. Send an extra set of school supplies for kids that can't afford it. Volunteer at the homeless shelter. No matter how little it is, giving is good.
• Stay up too late. Every now and then, stay up too late with your husband after the kids go to bed. Spend time talking, laughing, watching TV or whatever. It's good to have a little extra fun time at home with the hubs.
• Pretty is as pretty does. I preach this to my girls daily. It doesn't matter how pretty you are on the outside if you are not kind to others.
• Eat cake. Pick up a cake at the grocery store on a random week day and surprise your family with it after dinner. Life is short. Celebrate it...even on a random Tuesday!

So, there you have it. There are 22 things that I have learned are worth committing to. I know I could probably sit here and think of 8 more, but, I am not going to. Instead, I am going to pick up my girls early from school and eat some leftover birthday cake for a snack!