40 things to do before I turn 41

Build a goat playground
Teeter totter for the goats
Fence in garden and pasture
Set up the loft in the barn for feed
Set up a milking station
Breed the goats
Learn to milk the goats
Expand the garden
Go to Bingo
Take a Dance Class at Valpo University
Listen to an audiobook
Grow herbs on the back porch
Monthly Bible study topic
Color and mail some of my verse cards
Move the rabbits into a new rabbit tractor
Find a new male rabbit
Hang the pictures
Polish my shoes
Go to 5 new local restaurants
Hand out blessing bags
Volunteer somewhere local
Find a church
Visit the Chesterton European Market
Visit southern Michigan beaches
Visit the Indiana National Park
Visit Cowles Bog
Visit the train museum
Visit Taltree Arboretum and Gardens
Visit an Amish town and eat at the restaurant
See a comedy show
Check out Sanders farm store 
Go on a NWI winery/brewery tour
Visit the Michigan City Zoo
Visit an out-of-state friend
See a movie at the IMAX in Portage
Go roller skating
Attend the Porter County Fair
Visit an art Gallery
See the Trees around the World exhibit at Cmas time
See a CSO at the movies performance
Expand the Christmas lights
Find a new airline mile credit card
Pay off my credit card
Eat only food from our land for 1 week
Sleep in the hammock
Paint one room
Go to the beach once a week in the summer
Go sledding at the Valpo sled hill
Check out a new frisbee golf course
Get the well working
Draw up a new will
Remodel the laundry room
Take Eric to Vegas
Find out what Valpo University has to offer
Spend a weekend at Sonya's hotel
Make Shrinky Dinks
Go on a spending fast
Visit Christ's Passion
Finish the living room curtains
Go movie hopping with Eric
Have a picnic at a park
Learn to braid my hair
Volunteer for Librivox
Yoga class/yoga in the park
Sew myself a wearable garment
Make butter or cheese or homemade ice cream

Host a multiple course dinner party
Get back in the hundreds
Read Mitchner's Poland
Segway tour
Get past 10 push ups
Go to a horse race
Tour a brewery
Make a 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 photo albums
Make a time capsule
Go skiing
Find out about my grandmothers grave
Refinish my grandmothers desk
Ride a hot air balloon
Attend a cherry blossom festival
Attend a local festival or concert
Learn to play an instrument
Use the Duolingo app to learn some polish
Visit a botanic garden in Michigan
Have a water balloon or water gun fight
Make wine, beer, or other spirit
Make all my t-shirts into a quilt
Complete my couch to 5K app
Stay at a bed and breakfast

39 things to do before I turn 40

Get goats
Build a fence for the goats
Watch the sunset at the beach
Sleep in the hammock
Eat a turkey that I raised
Remodel the little house
Paint one room
Get 5 more house plants
Go on a cruise
Get the cats an outdoor house
Try one new plant in the garden
Plant wineberries
Plant flowers in the hollows in trees
Visit 5 new restaurants in town
Visit 5 new shops in town
Build a greenhouse
Go to the beach once a week in the summer
Expand the chicken run
Clean up the back woods
Go sledding at the new sled hill
Check out a new frisbee golf course
Do something with our vows
Use my stationary
Plant Heirloom seeds in the garden
Get the well working
Draw up a new will
Mission trip with Church
Find a local church
Remodel the laundry room
Use the wood stove
Don't use any of my savings
Take Eric to Vegas
Find out what Valpo University has to offer
Spend a weekend at Sonya's hotel
Make Shrinky Dinks
Go on a spending fast
Visit Christ's Passion
Finish the living room curtains
Grow milkweed for the monarchs
Replant trees in back and shrubs in front
Plant a berry fence
Prune the fruit trees
Remove old stove
Go movie hopping with Eric
Have a picnic at a park with Eric
Learn to braid my hair
Make dog toys
Volunteer for Librivox
Yoga class/yoga in the park
Sew myself a wearable garment
Read 5 more books off this list or this list
Make butter or cheese
Quilt
Host a multiple course dinner party
Take a class
Run a 5K
Get under 175 pounds
Read Mitchner's Poland
Segway tour
Get past 10 push ups
Go to a horse race
Tour a brewery
Make a 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 photo albums
Alphabet pictures
Make a time capsule
Go skiing somewhere local
Go to the winery by our house
Make pottery
Find out about my grandmothers grave
Refinish my grandmothers desk
Ride a hot air balloon
Learn to Scuba
Attend a cherry blossom festival
Attend a local festival or concert
Learn to play an instrument
Use the Duolingo app to learn some polish
Visit a botanic garden in Michigan
Have a water balloon or water gun fight
Make wine, beer, or other spirit
Make all my t-shirts into a quilt
Forage for wild food
Go to the drive in with Eric
Write a love letter
Have a solo picnic in the park
Complete my couch to 5K app
Stay at a bed and breakfast
Go camping just us
Go camping by myself
Take Alyssa on an adventure
Finish Harry Potter with William
Explore more Chicago beach parks
Take a family vacation

38 things to do before I turn 39

Volunteer for Librivox
Yoga class/yoga in the park
Sew myself a wearable garment
Read 5 more books off this list or this list
Play Zelda
Make butter or cheese
Quilt
Host a multiple course dinner party
Make colored ice balls for winter
Take a class
Run a 5K
Get under 175 pounds
Read Mitchner's Poland
Segway tour
Alphabet pictures
Make a time capsule
Write thank you notes just because
Get past 10 push ups
Go to a horse race
Tour a brewery
Make a 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 (and 2018) photo albums
Host a game night
Go skiing somewhere local
Go on an Indiana wine tour
Make pottery
Find out about my grandmothers grave
Refinish my grandmothers desk
Ride a hot air balloon
Learn to Scuba
Attend a cherry blossom festival
Check out a local trail
Go for a walk in the woods
Medieval Times
Attend a local festival or concert
Learn to play an instrument
Volunteer for a local organization
Take a walk in a local woods or nature preserve
Make a goal board
Use the Duolingo app to learn some polish
Visit a botanic garden in Michigan
Decoupage something
Have a water balloon or water gun fight
Make wine, beer, or other spirit
Make all my t-shirts into a quilt
Send cards for a random holiday
Forage for wild food
Go to the drive in with Eric
Write or call a politician
Write a love letter
Have a solo picnic in the park
Complete my couch to 5K app
Stay at a bed and breakfast
Go camping just us
Read a work book
Pay off my credit card
Visit the Ohio house for some updates
Go camping by myself
Get approved for a homeowners loan
Play Settlers of Catan with the expansion pack
Take Alyssa on an adventure
Finish Harry Potter with William
Explore more Chicago beach parks
Buy a house
Sell my Ohio house
Own chickens
Set up a quiet reading area/library
Expand my garden
Plant berries or fruit trees
Complete the Master Life bible study series
Complete a Daniel fast
Journal when I'm upset
Get the spyware/virus off my laptop
Back up my laptop
Read a book with Eric
Take a family vacation
Check out 5 new parks
Make a wedding photo album

37 Things to Do Before I turn 38

Volunteer for Librivox
Complete 12 sections in my Bible study workbook
Publish my book
Yoga class/yoga in the park
Sew myself a wearable garment
Read 5 more books off this list or this list
Play Zelda
Make butter or cheese
Quilt
Host a multiple course dinner party
Make colored ice balls for winter
Take a class
Run a 5K
Get under 175 pounds
Read Mitchner's Poland
Segway tour
Alphabet pictures
Make a time capsule
Write thank you notes just because
Get past 10 push ups
Go to a horse race
Tour a brewery
Make a 2014, 2015, and 2016 photo albums
Catch and eat fish
Host a game night
Go skiing somewhere local
Finish the Game of Thrones books
Watch the Game of Thrones series
Go on an Indiana wine tour
Make pottery
Host a backyard BBQ party
Find out about my grandmothers grave
Refinish my grandmothers desk
Lose 15 pounds
Ride a hot air balloon
Make a prayer board
Snorkel somewhere new
Learn to Scuba
Attend a cherry blossom festival
Find out what Purdue has to offer
Check out a local trail
Take a dance class
Medieval Times
Attend a local festival or concert
Learn to play an instrument
Volunteer for a local organization
Attend a church event
Attend a wine and canvas event
Take a walk in a local woods or nature preserve
Subscribe to a magazine
Write out a life plan or make a goal board
Use the Duolingo app to learn some polish
Visti a botanic garden in Michigan
Decoupage something
Have a water balloon or water gun fight
Go on an adventure on the water
Make wine, beer, or other spirit
Make all my t-shirts into a quilt
Have a spa day
Go to a new haunted house
Send cards for a random holiday
Forage for wild food
Go to the drive in with Eric
Write or call a politician
Write a love letter
Go on an adventure in nature
Have a solo picnic in the park
Complete my couch to 5K app
Ride a new roller coaster
Climb a tree
Stay at a bed and breakfast
Go camping just us
Raise my credit score
Read a work book
Save for a down payment on a house
Pay off my credit card
Visit the Ohio house for some updates
Look over the edge of the quarry
Go camping by myself
Visit Chesterton
Get approved for a homeowners loan
Play Settlers of Catan with the expansion pack
Sleep in a Tiki Hut over the South Pacific Ocean
Visit the Southern Hemisphere
Get married!
Take Alyssa on an adventure
Finish Harry Potter with William
Explore more Chicago beach parks

2016 Dump Post

Advent calendar Christmas boxes
I sent my three best Alaskan friends Christmas boxes this year.
Find a new church home
We have tried so many churches in our neighborhood, but we always go back to Northgate. You can feel the energy and love of God in that place!
Adler Planetarium
We spent the day at the planetartium on New Year's Eve day.  We enjoyed learning about space and playing with the contraptions.
Visit Planet fitness at least 4 times per month
I really didnt go as much as I wanted to.  I was surprised when I asked them to count up my total for the year and, sure enough, it was an average of 4 times per month.
Harvest wild food
There are these mulberry trees near our old apartment.  There werent many berries this year, but I went and picked some anyway.
Discover a new favorite musical artist
Matthew West.  I made a Pandora station from his song, Grace Wins, and it is my favorite station.
Make a new friend
I've made a few new work friends and am getting to know Eric's family a little better, which is nice.  I still dont have that solid, go to, everyday kind of friend that I've been looking for here in NWI.
Own a sewing machine
Yes!  Eric got me one for Christmas this year.  It's got all the fancy functions and everything.
Get a job
I've been working for Alverno Clinical Laboratories for 6 months now and I love it!
Play paintball or lasertag
Took Avery and his girlfriend to the lasertag place when we were visiting them in Fort Waybe last fall. It was cool to be back in the place where I used to take Avery when we has little.
Try 3 new teas
So many new ones...white blueberry peach, windy city blend, chai tea, and argo creamy earl grey.  Love them all!
Try 3 new local restaurants
So many new restaurants too!!!  Zel's Roast Beef, Tandor Indian, and Miner Dunn just to name a few!
Send a Spain postcard to everyone I have an address for
I found so many Spain postcards when I was searching through old stuff.  I have now sent them all out.  Send postcards is so fun!

Play Three New Board Games with the Kids

Sequence, Dominos, Big Mouth

We laughed so hard at the Big Mouth game in our hotel that the neighbors started pounding on the wall!

Ready Harry Potter with William

We are in book 3 now.  It's getting interesting!

Spend a Weekend in the City with the Kids

 As a Christmas gift this year, I gave the kids a trip into the city.  We spent New Years Eve weekend in the city being tourists.  We looked at the Macy's window, ate next to the big Christmas tree at the Walnut room, walked around the city, and spent lots of time swimming in the hotel pool.

 On Saturday, we spent the day at the Planetarium, ate dish dish pizza, then went to the zoo to see the zoo lights.  I've always wanted to ride the carousel at the zoo and we finally did with the kids.

On Sunday, we went to church, then had lunch while watching a movie at a dine in theatre

Make Spaghetti Sauce from Scratch

When the garden gave us way too many tomatoes, there was no better way to use them than to make spaghetti sauce from scratch. I have never made spaghetti sauce so I found a few recipes online and made my own version.  The taste turned out excellent, but it was very watery.  Next time I'll boil it a bit longer.

Can and Pressure Cook Something

 Stewed tomatoes from our garden and lots of jam using berries we found at a farmers market.