101 Things in 1001 Days

Go To:
-a play
-a Mariners or Seahawks game with John (completed 4/11/08)
-some sort of event with my dad (completed, Dead concert at Gorge)
-a museum exhibit
-Cedar Point, Ohio, with Ariel, and ride all the roller coasters (this is not going to happen yet)
Financial Goals!
-buy a house
-buy another car (sort of done. received car as gift, so goal of having two cars is done!)
-pay off credit card
-pay mom and Chris back (Chris paid off as of 12/09)
-have $1000 set aside for true emergencies
-have 3 months of living expenses set aside
Cooking!
-do the New York Times 101 meals list
-stock a bar with enough alcohol for at least 5 different mixed drinks (work in progress)
-buy a fun-looking cookbook or cooking magazine and make everything in it
-use up all food in the house (at the start of this goal). replace as needed(completed 4/14/08)
-grow my own tomatoes again(not doing this because Mike and Ben can't eat tomatoes)
Creative Endeavors!
-sew something on my sewing machine (made Mike and my Halloween costumes!)
-do another felting project
-finish at least one scrapbook (other than Tania’s)
-make Tania’s scrapbook
-make three different self portraits using at least 3 different types of media
-pick one of my favorite pieces of Kaia’s art and have it framed
-complete a knitting project
-make a usable skein of yarn
-knit something from my own yarn
-enlarge and frame at least 5 photos
-do secret project for mom for Mother’s Day 2009 (edited to finish by M'sD 2009) (crap. whoops)
Writing/Blogging!
-write a piece of short fiction
-handwrite 10 letters to family/friends (1/10 done)
-handwrite a blog entry and scan it in
-participate in 3 Sunday Scribblings prompts
-write a memoir with at least one memory from each year of my life
Learnin’ New Knowledges!
-go back to school(started school again Fall 2008)
-take a wine tasting class
-read a scientific magazine cover to cover
-take a dance class
-read 5 biographies
-take Uncle Mike’s high performance driving class
-take a CPR class(completed summer 2008)
-take a cooking class
-learn how to knit from mom (completed 1/09)
-learn how to use a drop spindle
Start Giving Back!
-volunteer at a soup kitchen
-take Kaia to soup kitchen after I’ve gone at least once alone
-give $50 to 2 homeless people
-give a local charity $100
-volunteer for Habitat For Humanity or similar organization
Spend an Entire Weekend:
-just with Kaia
-with each of my siblings
-away with both kids, leave Mike a clean house and no to-do list
-just with Mike
-by myself
Just For Me!
-get a massage
-spend a day at a spa
-have my tattoo redone
-get a passport—then use it (completed 6/14/08)
Time with Friends!
-go on a trip with Kathy and Tania
-visit Kathy and Mike
-go to Andrea’s for a week
-go on a trail ride with Andrea
Preparation!
-make an emergency supplies kit for car
-turn part of hallway closet into a pantry (completed 3/22/08)
-start a 2 week emergency supply rotation
Go An Entire Week (separate week for each goal)
-without sweets
-doing as many pushups and sit-ups every morning as I can
-running each morning
-going to bed at 9 and wake up at 6
-playing a game with my family each night
-cleaning the kitchen before bed
-using g diapers exclusively(completed 5/5/08)
-drinking 64 ounces of water each day
-posting a glimpse of the day each day
-flossing every night
Miscellaneous!
-get a dog (completed January 09)
-go to training class with my dog (completed March 09)
-have family pictures taken (completed 2/28/09)
-teach Ben how to sleep on his own(completed end of 2008)
-get a physical(completed end of 2008)
-vote in the 2008 presidential election(Yes, we did!)
-do each weekly challenge for a full month (g diaper challenge completed 5/08)
-smile at everyone I see for an entire day
-send/give birthday cards made from recycled paper to everyone I know for an entire year
-stay off of computer for 3 consecutive days
-send Christmas cards on time
-finish Kaia’s room re-do(completed 4/30/08)
-make new list for anther 1001 day challenge
Family Time!
-go to the beach with Mike and the kids
-let Kaia help make dinner at least 5 times (3/5 done)
-visit 5 new restaurants with Mike (1/5 done)
-make and decorate cookies with Kaia
-teach Ben at least one baby ASL sign(he learned "more" by 13 months)
-pick out and cook all new food with Mike for a dinner together
-read a book out loud with Mike (reading Altered Carbon...slowly)
-choose a book I loved from childhood and read it with Kaia in one week
-spend a morning or day going to garage sales with Mike
-spend a day with Mike going to art galleries and buy something we love
-have a picnic with Mike and kids
-go on five walks with just Ben(1/5)
-go on five walks with just Kaia
-go puddle jumping with Mike and kids
-buy a king size bed(bought February 2009)

Day Three - A Whole Lotta Fun...and something to mark off my 101 list

I should have my computer back soon, so will be able to post lots of pictures from the last few days......

Yesterday we went to the Pacific Science Center. It was very cool. There were all sorts of hands-on things for the kids -and u -to do, from testing hand eye co-ordination to looking at all sorts of items under a microscope, to making a huge bubble wall. I didn't get as many pictures from this trip, since most of it was better enjoyed while we were there, and less photo ops.

After we got back, John and I got ready and left for the Mariner's game. They played the Angels, and, of course, kicked their asses! I had planned on enjoying myself, if only because I was there with a huge fan, and figured I'd get into the energy of it all....but I surprised myself by how much I actually got into the game. From yelling "RAUUUUUUUUUUUL!!!" to sitting on the edge of my seat when bases were loaded, to whispering "drop, drop, drop!" and willing the ball to NOT be a home run for the Angels, or "go! go! go!" when it looked like a possible homer for the Mariners, to jumping up and screaming when they won (in the top of the ninth, yeah, I can talk the talk now, thankyouverymuch!), I didn't have a bored moment the entire time. I will now know, when people speak of "Felix Hernandez" that they mean the starting pitcher for the Mariners, and I can tell you what a triple is, and the difference between a strike and a ball (I had a fuzzy idea before, but now I can occasionally see what John is talking about when he praises Raul ("RAUUUUUUUUUUL!") for his good eye. I ate a Shishkaberry, and drank a Mike's, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Thank you, John, and I am looking forward to our next game!

Today, however, I bowed out of the festivities. The group, this time including Mike, went to the aquarium and the Sci Fi Museum, but I am enjoying some quiet time at home with Ben. My feet hurt, and my cough is worse. I think a day at home is good for Ben too. I am a bit surprised at my energy today, I am getting a lot done. I think it's because of how active I've been in the last few days, which makes me realize how little exercise I normally get. I am going to make a real effort to plan more walks, maybe asking Natasha if she wants to join me on weekly outings.

Ben is fighting a nap, so I must go.

Happy Easter

I did something a little different this year with the Easter Bunny stuff. Instead of buying a basket and a lot of little junk, I just put a few cool things on the table. Also, I decided not to buy a lot of candy, instead just getting a smallish chocolate bunny (can't forgo THAT!) and 3 little chocolate bugs. Then I got her 3 more groovy girls, a couple groovy girl outfits, and some cookie cutters. She was thrilled! She didn't even notice the absence of a basket, and mentioned to her Granny her "tons of candy!"
Ben got the free duck (see above) that came when I ordered the groovy girls, a little eggplant person (in the picture below) and a wood and cloth dove toy. My mom sent Kaia 2 groovy girl sleeping bags and Ben an awesome onesie that says "SMILE".

This is also the start of my attempted week of posting a Daily Glimpse every day. Wish me luck! Happy Easter, y'all.

first thing complete....

Here is my hall closet, partially turned into a pantry. First thing on my list completed!




I am also working on the cookbook one- made the frosting from one of the recipes. It wasn't the best, I won't be using it again. I started on the week of flossing every night, but forgot the 3rd night in, so have to start over. John and I are going to a Mariner's game on April 11th. I am almost done with the eating everything old in my cupboards. Just a few more things to go.

In Which I Update Because I Am Bored.

Continuing with my endeavor, tonight's dinner used up a box of chicken stock, various herbs, some rice, and the rest of the lentils. I won't bore you with the details of every meal I make, don't worry! I'm just excited to have started.

Another item on my list is to go to a baseball or football game with John. He suggested we go to a Mariner's game when he and Andrea come next month! So on April 11th, we are going to watch them play the Angels.

Andrea is going to bring me some raw wool so I can begin to learn to make yarn! I'm going to learn to knit on store-bought yarn, but my eventual goal is to knit with my own yarn. Leah is going to teach me to use a drop spindle, and my mom is going to teach me to knit!

Starting Strong

The first task on my list that I am tackling is to eat everything that is currently in my cupboards. This does not mean I want - or will have - empty cupboards, but I don't like how I have canned goods and such from several months ago, just languishing there. So I marked everything with a black pen, and in the next two months I will use it ALL up. (actually, not ALL, I didn't mark things like spices or baking powder. I use those things pretty regularly anyway)

I will be grocery shopping during that time, of course, but I am going to try to only buy things on my grocery list, which will be made according to menus I plan ahead. Because I do want to have things on hand, I will buy extras of things I know I use often, such as refried beans and canned corn. But I will try my best not to buy something just because it looks tasty in the store. If I really want something, I will write it down, and incorporate it into the next week's menu. That way I know it will get used.

Today I made pancakes for my lunch using the Bisquick that's been in the cupboard since we moved here, and the frozen berries that have been in the freezer since we realized our blender is not up to making smoothies with them. Kaia also eats them in her lunch, but true to form, I bought WAY too many, and we need that freezer space.

Although I do use my spices, and didn't mark them, I do want to use them MORE. So I am also going to be looking for recipes that use more herbs and spices, instead of simply salt. Mike and I are trying to cut down on our sodium intake, as well as show Kaia how good food can taste even without it.

Wish me luck! And if you know of anything I can do with canned kidney beans, please let me know....

In Which I Make Yet Another Plan

Did you notice my list on the left?! It's not in it's own post so that I'll remember to actually DO it! I got the idea from Zoot and took a few of the ideas from her list and others I read. Most of them I thought up on my own. Here is what it is....

The Mission:Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days? Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Start Date: March 5th, 2007
End Date: December 1st, 2010

1001 days
143 weeks
33 months

Anyone who wants to join me (with or without blogging about it), I'd love to see your lists! I'll be blogging about each task after it's finished.