This is the big year. The year I turn 30. I have actually looked forward to this for a very long time, over half of my 20’s. I looked at the women older than me and thought “Man, they’ve got it all together. They are (fill in the blank: financially successful, emotionally stable, more thoughtful and Christ-like). Now that I am that age, I wish I could have hugged that younger self and told her that none of us have it together. We are all just trying our darn best.
With such a big birthday happening this year, I wanted to join in on the post idea I have seen some of my favorite blogger & writers do: curate a random collection of 30 of my favorite things in honor of my 30th birthday.
1. My Kindle
Over the past year I have read a ton of books on my Kindle. I bring it to me on stroller walks and playground outings. I read it in bed at night and on the couch during quiet moments of the day. Anytime I can squeeze it in I do. Here is a list of my favorite books I’ve read lately.
- Hunt, Gather, Parent
- The Spiritual Physics of Light: How We See, Feel, and Know Truth
- The Priesthood Power of Women: In the Temple, Church, and Family
- Far Above Rubies
- The Holy Covenants: Living Our Sacred Temple Promises
- The Truth About Eden: Understanding the Fall and our Temple Experience
- Embraced by the Light
2. Light
I have always been interested in the topic of light ever since my experience living in Jerusalem for 4 months in 2012. That second book in the Kindle list above really spoke to me (I am still writing a post about all the takeaways I had from that and a second light book I read). I decided to read that book during a month-long hiatus in July 2021 that led me to have the most wonderful month that started a fire and feasting for the scriptures I have never experienced in my life before. That prompting to spend this month researching and reading about this topic and it’s scriptural relevance was a tender mercy from God as August rolled in and my sweet young nephew passed away tragically and unexpectedly. I was coming off a spiritual high and was a testament to me that God is weaved into my life because it was exactly what I needed to comfort me during a terrible time for our extended family.
3. My month-long social media hiatus
That prompting to spend this month researching and reading about this topic and it’s scriptural relevance was a tender mercy from God as August rolled in and my sweet young nephew passed away tragically and unexpectedly. I was coming off a spiritual high and was a testament to me that God is weaved into my life because it was exactly what I needed to comfort me during a terrible time for our extended family.
4. Marco Polo
I absolutely love the app Marco Polo. I have multiple groups with women who we crossed paths at some point in my life (from friends growing up, college, Iowa, St. Louis, family, sisters, etc.). It is the way I have some sort of consistent adult interaction as I am home with my little kids and I love keeping in touch with lots of friends.
5. Wrkwndr Magazine
I only started subscribing to the Work and Wonder magazine in January but it definitely earned it’s spot in my top 30 favorite things because it is the most beautiful designed magazine that holds such beautiful articles and truth. The spring issue Awaken was something that landed in my hands at the exact timing I needed it. I loved every single page of it and I can’t wait to continue getting their magazines in the mail each quarter.
7. Pixie & Evernote
These two apps are things I use daily. Pixie is fairly new and I’m getting a system organized for myself in there, but Evernote has been my go-to for years and years. It is where I keep all my notes on the most random things (from business to Family, to Goal-setting, to Parenting Theories, to Podcast notes, to garden tips, to homemade dye links). Anything I want to save and reference later goes into Evernote.
8. Podcasts
I am a big podcast person. I listen while I drive, while I’m doing dishes or other chores. I have a lot of different podcast shows I love and almost every single one of them has to do with Christianity, motherhood, minimalism, or a combination of two of these.
9. Near Death Experiences
The past few years I stumbled into the world of “near death experiences” and “shared death experiences” and I find them so fascinating. There are hundreds of case studies of people who have experienced a near death and came back to tell their story, or shared death where someone who was near a loved one who passed away that experienced this “passing through the veil” journey. I have read a few books on it (Glimpses of Eternity and Embraced by the Light) and there are dozens more.
10. Rainbow Quilt
I finished making one of those projects I always wanted to make but never actually did it. And it was my rainbow quilt!
11. My Monday Muse Newsletter
This year I started creating weekly newsletters that I called “Monday Muse” and I enjoyed sharing links and resources and ideas with those who were willing to give me their email!
12. Exploring playgrounds with friends
St. Louis has the most amazing playgrounds to explore and I have the coolest friends to are up for spontaneous trips and 30 minute drives to try alllll the playgrounds. I kept them all in a “Google My Maps” so if you’re ever in St. Louis, here is the link!
13. Homemade dye
I tried homemade dye for the first time with avocado skins and pits and it was really cool! It definitely takes a LOT of them to make a real dark color, or I’m just too impatient to let it sit long enough, but I would love to do more in the future.
14. Contact Paper
We used lots of contact paper and I love the versatility of it to create endless crafts with (or without) my kids!
15. Grandma Lucy Book
My Grandma Lucy book will always have a special place in my heart! I had someone design it for me and I created the words. I know I will be reading it to my kids for years to come.
16. Emotions Book
I created an emotions book and it was so fun to do a mini photoshoot and then design my own book with my children’s faces in it.
17. Lightroom
I use Lightroom to organize my photos and it is by far the best way to categorize and keep things exactly where I need them so that if I’m looking for something very specific like “Roczen puppy” in a photo, I can find it instantly.
18. Cross necklace
I read “Considering the Cross” this year and I loved it so much. I bought and have worn a cross necklace far longer than I’ve ever worn any other jewelry in my life (I’m not a jewelry person). It is small and dainty and a wonderful reminder of my Savior.
19. Cake by Courtney Cookbook
I designed my first cookbook!! How exciting and I love working with Courtney Rich after years of helping her with her brand and website.
20. The Living Christ Project
This project is one that came together so wonderfully. I spent hours but happily sacrificed my time to make this amazing project with so many others who gave their skills so that all around the country (and world!) could sing the words of “The Living Christ”.
21. Eye Surgery
I got ICL and PRK eye surgery this year and although it was sorta a long healing process (ICL on both in July and PRK on my left in November), it has absolutely been worth it! The fact that I can wake up and open my eyes and not have everything extremely blurry is such a wonderful feeling!
22. Temple Linocut
I created a Salt Lake Temple linocut this year and I loved making such a huge project and print. I wish I was good at finishing a project completely, I need to get these up and selling because it ended up being such a beautiful print.
23. Breakfast Nook Cushions
We have a breakfast nook in our rental and so I sewed some cushions to make them comfier for my kids. I used a water-repelling black and cream plaid pattern that makes my heart happy when I see them.
24. Thrift Shopping
I fell in love with thrift shopping here in California and love looking for all kinds of things. Baskets are a plenty in our home, wood or brass items I love as well.
25. Dry Clay Tomb
I created a Garden Tomb display with dry clay one General Conference session and it actually turned out amazing! It was shaped and inspired by the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem that I visited often and that has a special place in my heart. I made the inside hollow so that we could place a little Jesus doll and then a rolling stone that can go between the opening.
26. Procreate on iPad Pro
I received an iPad Pro from my husband recently and I was able to finally download Procreate and start playing with the app. I have a LOT to learn, but it is really fun to have that ability to “paint” digitally.
27. Clear Magnolia Calendar
I have always wanted a clear calendar on my wall but everywhere online it was so expensive, but this one from Magnolia was the perfect size and completely affordable. It sits on our wall and I can write on it our meal plan, our monthly activities, etc.
28. Face Sunscreen
Now that I live in sunny Southern California, I need to make sure I take care of my skin and so face sunscreen is something I have grown to love.
29. This sunscreen
This is the sunscreen I have and love!
30. Inklings Zoom Calls
Each week, I join an Inklings Zoom call with a group of women and we discuss a certain General Conference talk. It centers my week, makes me accountable to reading a General Conference talk once a week, and gives me something to look forward to on a mundane day.
