This week I’m celebrating my 30th birthday (today actually!) and to celebrate I’m counting down 20 defining moments from my twenties. Yesterday I shared Part 1 or the “pre-scrapbooking years” as I like to call them and today I’m sharing part 2, the scrapbooking years.

11. Discovering digital scrapbooking

You knew this add to end up on the list eventually, right? Who would have ever thought this little hobby of mine would end up having such a profound impact on my life? Not only because of the opportunities that have resulted directly from it, but because being a scrapbooker has made me look at life in a different way. It’s taught me to take time to notice details, to stop and capture moments I love and more importantly, it’s given me an outlet for which to deal with all the big life stuff that’s been thrown at us. It’s hard to imagine what life would be like if I’d never picked up that first digital scrapbooking magazine way back in 2006.

12. Surprising Susan at her college graduation

This is probably the least “big” event on the list but it’s one of the most vivid in my mind. Five months into our year in Korea, my sister was graduating from college and I made plans to fly back to California to surprise her. One 14 hour flight and a very miserable sleepless night later, her reaction to seeing me there made it 150% worth it.

13. Joining the DigiShopTalk team

I remember the day DigiShopTalk opened up to general scrapbooking community. I had largely been a lurker up to that point and I made the decision to jump in with both feet and become a part of the community and I’m SO glad I did. Not only did I meet some amazing people in my time there, but it gave me a place to refine and grow my design skills. Even though I no longer hang out there, it will always have a special place as my first real digi home.

14. Buying our first house

Our next stop after our year in Korea was Colorado. Since the housing market was doing well at the time, we did what people often do and decided to buy a house in January…2007. Yeah, I’m sure you all know how this story goes, haha, as shortly after the housing market crashed. While our little house ended up being a terrible investment monetarily, it will always hold a special place in my heart and I hope the family living there now loves it as much as we did.

15. Surviving 17 months of deployments

I’m not going to lie: deployments suck. The feeling you get when you have to leave your loved one and drive away knowing you may not see them again is gut-wrenching. But as weird as it sounds, I actually feel like deployments have made me a better person and Adam and I a better couple. Not many couples get an opportunity to take a break from their day to day life and realize just how awesome they really have it. While it hasn’t always been easy, deployments have made us more appreciative of the time we have together and what each of us brings to the table.

16. Becoming a Sweet Shoppe Sugarbabe (& Designer!)

Ask any Babe if they still have their invite email and I’m sure they’ll tell you yes. I still remember the moment I got the email! The Sweet Shoppe is a place that has a special place in my heart, not only because of how it’s help me grow as a scrapbooker and designer but because of all the super sweet people I’ve met there. I have no doubt I would never have stuck with this hobby for so long if it weren’t for all the awesome people who are a part of it.

17. Buying our very first real car

It seems so silly to include this on here because well, it’s a car. But there’s something that feels super grown up about finally being able to own a car that doesn’t have a million miles on it and most likely isn’t going to crap out on you when you’re sitting at a signal (totally happened). And well, it’s just awesome and fun to drive.

18. Trips, trips & more trips

19. Opening Nettio Designs

Owning my own business has always been something on my bucket list so the fact that I’ve made it happen is SO cool to me. It’s been single-handedly one of the most exciting, challenging, inspiring and frustrating things I’ve ever done but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I can’t wait to see what happens with it next.

20. Living a life full of adventure and awesomeness

If there’s one lesson I want to take from my twenties it’s this: life is either a glorious adventure or nothing at all. Looking back at all of the awesome adventures I’ve been able to have the past ten years makes me unbelievably grateful, appreciative and excited for what my thirties have in store. It’s been a wild ride so far and I can’t wait to see where this life journey takes me next. And of course, you know I’ll be scrapping and sharing all the details here with you.

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