30 before 30

It was my birthday a few weeks ago. We celebrated by going to my Dads house where my step-mum hosted a party for me, my husband, my kids, and my mum! For the first time in a good 15 years I had my Mum and Dad together singing me happy birthday, weird but good all at the same time.

As this is the last year of my 20s and I feel a bit wobbly about turning 30 (because it means that roughly 1/3rd of my life is over) I’ve written myself a list of 30 things I want to do or accomplish before I’m 30. I’m going to instagram them, and maybe blog them as I cross off the list (woohoo for blog content!)

Here goes…..

ps – this photo is me on my second birthday, I’m not sure where my 1st birthday photos are, most likely in a loft somewhere.

pps – 2 year old Maxi + 2 year old Vivi look EXACTLY like 2 year old Clare, take that Clev side!!!

ppps – I really wish my mum didn’t dress me like a boy the entire time I was growing up. That pink striped jumper is crying out for a little pink tutu with it. Fact.

pppps – there are lots of links in the list so you can all click along and see what i’m talking about.

1. Visit the Rock of Cashel. Because it looks like an awesome place for some moody photos.
2. Stand up Paddleboarding in Galway bay. This was on Groupon last summer but I was heavy with child so missed out. Im totes doing it this summer though.
3. Belfast – I really want to see the Titanic exhibition.
4. Cork – We had it on our summer bucket list but never got round to it so its transferring here!
5. Write thank you cards – My godmothers are super amazing at always remembering birthdays, and my Mum is really good at writing cards throughout the year. Before I’m 30 I want to get into the habit of always writing and sending birthday cards, but also thank you cards and general ‘you are awesome’ cards too.
6. Date my husband more. We never go out. I would like for us to go out more, proper ‘out out’ not just to the local pub but to the cinema, or to dinner or to fun events.
7. Make a profiterole tower – I’ve wanted to do this since I was about 18, but I vow that one of these days before 23rd September 2015 I WILL lock myself in the kitchen ‘bake off’ style and get one done!! Then I’ll invite all my friends round to demolish it with me 🙂
8. Run a marathon. Or, run full stop. Commit to regular exercise with a goal in mind. I said I would run a marathon before I’m 30 to my sister, and I fear she will hold me to it. The first step is always the hardest right?
9. Eat more fish – not just the cod and chips variety either. I want my children to like fresh fish, as I do, which will only happen if it is on the menu more.
10. Go on a proper holiday – outside of the British Isle, like to France, or Holland, or Italy. Italy might be a bit too far, with 5 kids under 9 I think we will still be tied to car based holidays for a few years yet anyway.
11. Re-memorise all the presidents of the United States of America. I used to know it by heart because I had a little song, but I forgot it, which is rubbish.
12. Learn all the counties of Ireland. I’m nearly there on this one but always forget Tyrone!
13. Have a proper family portrait done, I have lots of family photos I like but I would like to get one sketched or painted, because I’m fancy like that.
14. Cycle somewhere – probably the Wild Atlantic Way, but I’m trying to convince my sissy that Athlone to Galway could be fun!
15. Cliffs of Moher – I’ve not been for like 3 years now and its such a beautiful place to visit. Putting it on the Summer ’15 bucket list.
16. Wicklow – Again, Ive wanted to visit since we moved here!!!
17. Glendalough – As above!
18. Eat healthier stuff – I feel like as a nearly 30 year old proper grown up I really should get a better handle on my sugar cravings and not do stuff like eat chocolate spread out the jar with a spoon (well at least not every day!!!), also I want to stop having to put 3 sugars in my coffee.
19. bake something every day – Again I’m nearly there with this one but I want to make the switch from buying treats in the shops to making them here, and tie this in with the healthy eating.
20. Shift the baby weight once and for all – urgh, just urgh. But I really want to be a hotmama for my 30th, so diet and exercise are the way forward!
21. Get measured for a proper bra, because I’ve not done that since I was 21. Yeah, bad isn’t it. I just guess somewhere around mid alphabet and get what ever is on sale.
22. Go on a night away with my husband. We have been dating/official/’going steady’ for 10 years on the 2nd of Feb, I think that warrants a trip away somewhere. Dont all volunteer at once for baby sitting duty!!!
23. Start using Anti-Wrinkle beauty products, ya know, seeing as im nearly 30 I should probably stop using the exact same brand of skincare stuff iv’e used since I was 18 and get something better suited for me now, post 5 children and moving to a new (rainier) climate. Brown Thomas here I come!!!
24. Fix my front tooth + get my wisdom teeth taken out -I’ve been needing my wisdom teeth out since I was 24, but i’ve been pregnant or feeding a baby since then so been unable to do it. Also my front tooth chipped a month ago. My dentist recommends going under GA and getting the whole lots done, which I’m fine with, its just a bit scary and needs a lot of organisation (and €€€€€) before I do it, but I would like to have a nice smile for birthday photos!
25. Write a letter to my kids for them to open on their 30th birthday, I thought this would be fun to do. My mum was 30 when she had me and I would love to know what she was doing and thinking.
26. Rekindle my love of history. A lot of the points on here will hopefully help me achieve this. I love history, I love visiting historical places, I love reading about history. I just don’t do it any more, I think its because I fell out of love with it a bit when I was trying to do a degree in it and raise my family and move house. I would like to start loving history again.
27. Do something charitable – I give to charity on a regular basis but I want to actually DO something. I know for a fact that there are local people who need some help and I want to get involved and volunteer my time.
28. Make a Jesse Tree. I attempted to start this on November 20th last year but never finished. I will, I will, I will do it this year!!! and all the ornaments will be hand painted by me and when I’m old and not here anymore my kids can fight over who gets it at Christmas!
29. Celebrate my husbands 30th!!! He is 30 4 months before me, and I want to do something really nice for him to celebrate, because he deserves it.
30. Ok the biggest till last. Buy a house. So I realise that might be a bit ambitious for a year, but I really want to be in the position on September 23rd 2015 where I can say that a little patch of this island belongs to me. I dont have to have keys, or be living there, but I have to have a bit of paper which says I own a house. I want to live out the remaining 2/3rds of my life having the security of a house, and the security of knowing my kids have something stable in their lives. Its by far the biggest on my list, but I’ve been working on it for about 2 years now and will keep going until I get those keys!!!