Birthday Recap, By the Numbers

Oh hello everyone! Do I look any different? In case you didn’t notice, I am now officially a 30 year old woman.

When I snap my fingers, you will magically turn...OLD.

When I snap my fingers, you will magically turn…OLD.

I was very pleased to see that a wrinkle did not appear the moment I turned 30, nor did my joints begin to give out. I don’t feel a day over 29. Phew.

Anyway, I’ve only got a few more days in O-Town to catch up with my friends, so I need to make this birthday recap post short and sweet (seriously, I’m really going to do it this time. Shorter is one of my renewed goals for the blog after all!)

Last time I recapped a B-day on the SHLB, I did a birthday recap, by the numbers (along with the stages of Sometimes Healthy Hangover, which of course, I experienced again), and the post was one of my most popular!

Here comes the birthday recap!

Here comes the birthday recap!

So, if it ‘aint broke, don’t fix it.

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A Trip to the Mediterranean and Bucket Lists

I’ve got big plans scheduled for next weekend (more on that later), so this weekend was full of rest and relaxation. Whenever we can, if we know we have big plans coming up, we purposely try to keep it low-key for the week leading up to the big plans.

Our weekend included an early morning hike up a nearby mountain.

The bugs and humidity were so worth it once we saw this view!

The bugs and humidity were so worth it once we saw this view!

And a “trip to the Mediterranean” through a meal cooked up on Saturday night. The meal included homemade hummus, tzatziki sauce, baked pita chips, a Greek salad and smothered chicken. I promised the BF we’d be transferred to the Mediterranean, and I feel like I delivered!

greek collage

Here are the abridged recipes I used to make this meal. I highly recommend that you give them a try, because everything was delicious!

Feast fit for the Greek Gods

Feast fit for the Greek Gods

  • Pita Chips: Cut pitas into 8ths, sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper, bake at 400 for 15 to 20 minutes
  • Hummus: Blend together 1 can chickpeas, 1/4 cup liquid from can, 1 tbsp tahini, 2 garlic cloves, 5 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil and salt to taste
  • Tzatziki: Mix together 1 cup greek yogurt, 2 tbsp fresh chopped dill, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 finely chopped cucumber, 1/2 lemon, 1 tsp lemon zest and top with olive oil and mint for flavor
  • Greek Salad: Chopped romaine, feta cheese, kalamata olives, tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers; dressing = 10 tbsp olive oil, juice from a lemon, 1 tsp red wine, 2 cloves minced garlic and oregano
  • Mediterranean Smothered Chicken: From my girl, Kristen at Iowa Girl Eats (sans pasta)

However, instead of talking about food and fitness, today I’d like to talk about goals and bucket lists. Why am I getting so deep, you may ask? Well, because, my friends, next weekend we’re headed to my hometown, Omaha, to celebrate my 30th birthday!

And, like any milestone birthday, turning 30 makes you think a little deeper (which I don’t often do!) about what you’ve achieved in life so far and what you’d like to do next… (settle in with your lunch folks, this one’s a lengthy post!)

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