*Winner alert!* Lil’ J randomly drew Amy! Congratulations! I’ll be emailing you to claim your prize!

I’m really still a year out from turning 30 but it’s creepin up on me way too fast. I’m looking at my 30 by 30 list (ok, I need to update it because I’m doing better than it looks right now) and realizing there are a few major things I need to start getting underway. One of which is finding my signature dish.

Thanks to a new partnership, Sears approached me about reviewing some of their new Calphalon cookware and at first I sorta chuckled because me?… Cook? HA! But I was reminded of the fact that it is actually one of my big goals to tackle, and I’m not going to find a signature dish overnight. I asked you all on my facebook page what recipes you love and was seriously so impressed by all of you little chefs out there! There are so many delicious dishes I want to try but I haven’t had time yet.

Anyway, so I have these fabulous new Calphalon nonstick pans that are nice for the cooking pros yet also super durable for my clumsy self, and yet all I’ve made on them so far is grilled cheese and pasta (breaking news: I also just made scrambled eggs). They all turned out great, and as promised… food didn’t stick to the pan and cleanup was easy too. So now I’m all cocky and overconfident thinking I can probably cook anything with these things. But what to cook?

Check out my video to see my dilemma.

So like I said, if you can offer some help and leave a recipe you love and you think I could handle in the comments. As a thank you I’d like to give away a $25 gift card to Sears to someone who comments on this post. It doesn’t have to be a recipe you invented, just something you love or think I’d love (or for your non-foodies, just some words of encouragement for me will do 😉 -added 10-11)

Things to keep in mind if you skipped out on the video:
Easy
Not too hard
Painless
Straightforward
Easy

If you want to submit a baking recipe that works too. I have some cool muffin pans I’ll be tempted to put store-bought cupcakes in, so help a sista out with your baking recipes too if you’d like.

I’ll draw the winner on October 12th October 16th so you’ll have plenty of time to go shopping and get some cookin’ practice in before Thanksgiving.

Meanwhile, you can learn more about Calphalon at Sears here. A big thanks to Sears for sponsoring my quest to becoming a little more domestic. All opinions (and typos) are my own.

*By can’t, I mean I currently suck, but I’m sure I’m probably capable.

When I was in middle school I remember seeing posted signs around the halls for a civic oration competition. I had an interest in public speaking, and a will to participate in almost every activity advertized around school, so I signed up.

We were given a set of rules, and a topic to write a speech about. I recall practicing mine over and over, but have no idea what the topic was. I did a practice run in front of a small audience and thought I was going to get crushed by a guy named Amir. He was also in the 8th grade, and his speech had everyone, including myself laughing along the way.

I spruced up my speech a little bit after our run through, trying to make it less dry, but in the end I pretty much stuck to my script. I hoped to get second or third place at best and was stunned when I won.

That was my first taste of presenting in front of a big crowd. Well… Aside from my fifth grade acting stint, but I sucked at that.

Since then I’ve presented at other events through the years. I spoke at my college graduation, I’ve emceed beauty pageants and nonprofit events. My level of suck has varied at each event. Fluctuating depending on the topic, but mostly my confidence.

Giving the main speech is something I was reluctant to put on my 30 by 30 list, because I was trying to be realistic, but what the heck, I jotted it down anyway. So imagine my surprise when I got an email asking to give the keynote speech at the Austin Birth Awards.

I thought it was a mistake at first. I’m not a birth junky… I prefer to call myself a birth fan. And I love having babies. So I guess that qualified me for such a task. Still, I gladly accepted and started Googling how to give one!

That along with the fact that my husband and babysitter were both working, and I’d have to bring the kids left me feeling very intimidated. But I decided I was going to do it, and do my best.

I recruited a helpful hand to hold my baby before going on stage, and I tried to prepare my daughter as best as I could well before the event.

“Mommy’s going to give a speech on stage and you have to stay with your brother and listen ok?”

She agreed. I handed her my iPhone and some goldfish as a last-ditch bribe.

I wasn’t so worried about my son, but my daughter, who might start yelling for me or worse… Follow me up to the podium.

All was well when I left them in their seats and started my presentation. I had rehearsed a few times that day, with my kids as the audience. I felt slightly nervous but mostly calm and confidant. I knew my material.

I mentioned the birth of my children and glanced down at them in the seats below, sitting amongst their friendly helpers. My son was starting straight at me, smiling the biggest smile I’ve ever seen. My daughter was inching her way closer to the stage. In that moment I was so proud. Glad they I could bring them with me to be a part of my dreams. It was like my two paths–Life dreams, and professional goals had merged right there in front of me.

If you’ve known me for any period of time you know how I’m constantly changing my mind about big plans, and pretty much have an epiphany of some sort on a weekly basis. This weeks realization… I want my kids to be a part of my professional success. Whatever it is.

Three quarters through my speech my daughter completed her trek to my side, and she tugged on my pants whispering: “Mommy? Mommy!”

I leaned over and asked her to go sit back down while mommy finished.

“But… But I want to say something!” She told me.

I picked her up and put her in front of the microphone and she grinned a big grin. I asked the crowd to say hi her her and they obliged, which just tickled her to death. Then I set her down to finish my bit. Lil’ J wasn’t ready to go back to her seat so she did a little tap dance protest behind me.

I finished my speech in a bit of a hurry, then carried her offstage. A few minutes later I was presented a “breastfeeding hero” award after doing a parenting segment about normalizing breastfeeding, while nursing my son on the news. I was definitely surprised, and honored, and Lil’ J loved my her shiny new “crystal.”

After all the awards were doled out, and people cleared out of the auditorium, she still wanted to have a turn at the microphone. I took a few photos on my phone, knowing this is definitely one of those stories childhood I’m going to be embarrassing her with her entire life.

And as for her future in performing… Well, I think that’s obvious.

I’m always surprised when someone asks me where my kids get my curly hair.

“Really?” I want to ask. But I guess I can’t blame them. After all, most people have only ever seen my hair in its straight state.

I’ve never really regularly worn it curly in my adult life, mostly blaming that fact on my career. They prefer news anchors have a sleek and “professional” look. Which is why white or black, you rarely see anchors sporting curly locks on air.

I’ve never taken the time to straighten my hair myself. I have so much hair I just know by the time I’m done, my arms would be sore and my hair a mess. For this reason I go to the salon to get my hair straightened, or “pressed” as we called it growing up. Using a searing hot comb to pull my hair straight after it’s been washed and blow dried.

Nowadays getting my hair straightened simply replaces the hot comb with a flat iron. Works just dandy.

Since (to me) it’s a big ordeal to schedule a salon appointment ever time I want to go from curly to straight, or just when I want it to get to looking nice again, I preferred I not swim or wet my hair between most stylings. And when I plan things like my crazy 5k, I schedule hair appointments right after, to go back to straight and sleek.

Well, since I’m on vacation, not anchoring anymore, and couldn’t book an appointment before my trip, I decided now was the time for me to start embracing my natural hair. I feel unjust calling it a full on hair journey cause I’m not going very far and wide to change my hair back to a natural curl pattern, but it is my own journey. My little hair hike.

You may run across a lot of #naturalhair hashtags, or hear a lot of hubalub about people transitioning their hair, or even doing the “big chop.” That’s essentially cutting off the chemically relaxed or permed ends of the hair and transitioning back to your hair’s natural state. A reader recently asked if that was in the works for me. Thankfully, growing up my mom never allowed me to chemically process my hair–color or relaxer–so getting it back to it’s natural state was only a matter of getting it wet.

And here’s the result…

Well, this was after twisting off my hair into sections, letting it dry, then pulling the twists apart.

I’m not gonna lie, I’m very conservative when it comes to my hair. Aka BORING. I love pony tails and many days I’ve skipped brushing it all together. Wearing it curly requires me to do a lot more maintenance to keep it looking nice. Which is good and bad. Good because it looks super cute (I think), bad because I actually have to do my hair every day.

A friend of mine came over and helped me style the front into a parted halo braid, and I’ve been playing with the back since then. Since I’m in Utah, it’s extra dry and I’m trying to keep my hair hydrated and moisturized without having to wash it every couple of days. So I’m attempting to make one wash last several days in different styles.

I re-twisted and pulled up my hair one day.

Let them down the next.

(I’m just now realizing Big T was in each of these selfies).

And I’m hoping to maybe fluff them up a bit more today and crossing my fingers it’ll be cute. Especially because I’m taking mommy and me photos with my kids today. Rebecca Loren Photography took my last two blog header photos during a shoot Lil’ J and I did with her three years ago. I’m hoping to score a new one with both my babies while I’m here in Utah. The crazy/ exciting/ scary thing to me is that I’ll be representing the curls for the first time in not only these pictures, but our family portraits we’ll be taking Friday (and my brother-in-law’s wedding photos Saturday).

I know it sounds so vain/insignificant/ lame to worry about, but it’s a big deal to me. These pictures will be hanging up forever, so I really hope I like my ‘do.

The good thing is I’m feeling more confidant than ever about my hair, I’m excited to sport my natural hair with my curly-haired kids. And I haven’t set any plans to go back to straight for the time being. I wanted to embrace my natural hair before I turn 30 and by golly, I’m going to do it now!

I did it. I ran my first 5k! Alright I confess, I walked most of the way. Well, walked and climbed, dove, jumped, swam, balanced, and slid that is. It was as ridiculous as I expected, but more fun than I imagined!

I recruited my friend Brittani more than a month ago to do this crazy obstacle course race with me. She’s awesome and can run for days (she’s training for a half-marathon!) but promised not to leave me in the dust during the run. Thankfully she didn’t cause my legs were already shaking after running through the first obstacle.

As I’ve mentioned before, I hate running. I prefer to reserve that kind of exertion for life or death situations. But I’ve sorta taken it up as a challenge, and a way to get some time to myself.

5ks don’t typically excite me but when I saw this one gave me the chance to pretend I’m a ninja warrior on Wipe Out, I signed up.

It’s funny how before the event, I imagined myself nailing each obstacle like a champ. Then the outcome just didn’t quite… Yea, it didn’t happen.

My favorite obstacle was probably the wrecking ball, and yes, it knocked me in. But I did make it about halfway across, maybe a little more.

I went face first down the world’s largest inflatable water slide. After climbing to the top the guy at the top said “on your stomach!” I thought he was joking and asked him if he was serious. He was.

“Do a lot of people go down on their stomach?”

“Yea!?”

“What percentage of people?”

“About 80 percent!”

Good enough for me to quickly evaluate the odds of me dying going face first were low. If he was telling the truth that is.

It was the time of my life! Can’t wait to do it again next year. Maybe I’ll run a little more. And as for crossing of the first item on my 30 by 30 list… Done and done. Just 29 more to go!

Lately I’ve been feeling like I need to check myself. Do a life evaluation about where I am, what goals I’ve reached, and where I want to be. I’m extremely happy with my life and feel overwhelmingly blessed. I can’t help but feel like I’m capable of being and doing so much more, considering. I want to be extraordinary. I want my kids to see me being extraordinary, and I want to inspire them to dream big.

This is a list in progress. I haven’t thought of all my 30 by 30 tasks yet, because I want them to be something that truly mean something to me, and realistic to accomplish in the next 28 months. I have other, more lofty and holistic goals for my family on my dream boards. This 30 by 30 list is about accomplishments for myself.

Some of these items have been on “my list” since before I had my first child, and remained before my second. Now, it’s do or die before I’m 30.

I’ll already be crossing off one tomorrow… Running in my first 5K alongside a great friend. Hopefully I’ll add photos and/or links to updates as I complete these goals.

Here is my list in progress:

Find a dish that can be “my specialty” and master it
Learn a language<– In progress
Produce an award-winning story
Visit a place I can practice the language I’ve learned
Finish writing my book
Run a 5K
Take my family to Disney World <— Planned for February 2015!
Share my testimony with a stranger
Fully embrace my curly hair
Sew something for myself
Take a ballroom dance class<— Hip hop!
Get life insurance
Do something awesome (indoor skydiving!)
Swim the length of a pool
Test drive my dream car
Learn a new handy skill
Take a creative writing class
Celebrate my 10th anniversary in a phenomenal way
Take a helicopter ride
Make a business plan
Attend a career conference
Organize all of my digital photos
Grow something edible or really pretty
Go on a gettaway for myself
Throw a fancy party
Give a speech at an event
Learn to play piano
Go zip lining
Visit Hawaii <— Planned for January 2015!
Start an IRA

(No, skydiving)<— actually we went indoor skydiving. SCORE!