I have been trying to use reusable bags whenever I go shopping. Sometimes I remember and sometimes I either forget to bring them with me or leave them in the car. Duh! I have noticed that there are some grocery stores that are giving discounts for bringing your own bags (now that has helped with the motivation). Since I typically carry a big bag (combo purse and diaper bag), there are times I just tell them I don't need a bag and put it in my purse.
I do still get plastic bags occasionally but I try to at least re-purpose them, so that they do double duty.
I know reusable bags are becoming the norm. At our staff Christmas party, one of the teachers brought these really cute bags and plastic (reusable) cups. Now a day, going green can look good too.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Saturday, January 1, 2011
65 in 365 Final Update
This is the list of 65 things I tried to accomplish in the past 365 days. (No, I didn't come up with this idea myself, I borrowed it from this Foster Mama, along with some of her items. Completed items are in italics. Those items I didn’t complete, I’ve tried to justify in parenthesis after.
1. Update the 65 in 365 once a month
2. Come up with 65 goals for the year
3. Complete Sophie's baby album (I’m close, really close. All I have left are just a few of the monthly pages. I do those as I complete the month in our annual album.)
4. Complete 2009 annual album (All I have left is the month of December. I probably would have finished that had we not ended up traveling.)
5. Attend average of 5 StrollerStrides classes a month (After preschool started again in September, I found it harder to attend. I hated to have to wake Sophie up on non-work days just to get to class on-time. I am proud of how long I did do this and I have found that I enjoy walking enough that I will continue to do it on my own.)
6. Girls Night Out (or Mom's Night Out) at least 4 times
7. Go to the movies at least 6 times
8. Finish reading 2 non-fiction books (I actually read 4.)
9. Read 4 fiction books (Thanks to a trip to China, I was able to complete this.)
10. Payoff law school loan
11. Try 26 new recipes
12. Make our wills (I have the template, just need to add our specific information, print, and give a copy to our attorney.)
13. Participate in a fun run with Paul and Sophie (I thought this might be fun to do as a family, but it just never happened, maybe in 2011.)
14. Get at least 8 hours of sleep each night; complete after 30 days
15. Have at least one fresh fruit each day; complete after 30 days (This one took all year to complete and was helped by the fact that we spent 2 weeks in China eating hotel breakfast buffet every morning.)
16. Take at least one picture of Sophie every other day; complete after 60 days
17. Get back to pre-pregnancy weight
18. Come up with a system for backing up digital photos
19. Cooking lessons
20. Make bed everyday; complete after 30 days
21. Have date night once a month (We didn’t quite get this one done, probably about 8 for the year. Now with 2 kids, it will probably be even harder. We may have to get creative and be flexible about what we consider Date Night. We may have to stay in and have a date after the kids go to bed.)
22. Build a snowman
23. Join a moms group
24. Set up a cleaning schedule and follow it; complete after 3 months
25. Have lawn guys come on a regular basis (And there are already set to start back up in March.)
26. Take Wrangler to Kady the groomer 4 times
27. Purchase a jogging stroller for Paul to use
28. Put items in JBF Consignment sales, 2 sales each sales season (I only managed 3 for the year. One of the sales just didn’t work out with my schedule.)
29. Make and stick to a weekly menu and grocery list; complete after 5 weeks
30. Decorate the tabletop tree for each holiday or season
31. Update a blog everyday or at least average one new post each day (So if you go and count my posts right now it’s about 332, but I have some in the works that will dated in 2010. It may not be exactly 365, but close.)
32. Go on a scrapbooking retreat
33. Attend a scrapbooking crop every other month (Not quite every other month but I attended 8 crops)
34. Complete 150 scrapbook pages (It’s actually more, I just quit counting at 150)
35. Sign Sophie up for swim lessons
36. Attend one playgroup event each month ( Although we didn’t get one in each month we attended over 15 events.)
37. Take Sophie to a library storytime/event each month (This is the one that disappoints me most. Part of the problem was our city library doesn’t do storytime consistently, in fact hasn’t had one since the summer. There’s other libraries in the area but only one that doesn’t conflict with our regular schedule. I think storytime will be very helpful for Logan so I will definitely continue to work it into our schedule.)
38. Attend a local Chinese New Year event
39. Have teeth cleaned twice a year (Only got this done once, I know I need to go twice a year, but once is more than before, so I’m making progress.)
40. Have Sophie’s picture taken with the Easter Bunny
41. Take Sophie to see a fireworks display
42. Update the framed photos of extended family members (Started this, but not exactly sure how to do it. I have lots of pictures of some families and almost none of others. We’ll see, I may end up just replacing everyone else’s photos with just my kids. Ha!)
43. Attend Living Last Supper at church
44. Plan Sophie’s first birthday party
45. Take Sophie to visit another state ( I added this one because my friend Jill got pregnant and I figured I go to Arkansas to visit after the baby came. Surprise, surprise, she decides to move to Texas, so no road trip for Sophie.)
46. Take Sophie trick-or-treating in the neighborhood
47. Decorate outside for Christmas (With the trip to China, I was just glad to get a tree up. Next year we’ll haul out all the decorations.)
48. Create our own family Thanksgiving tradition (We had Grandpa come over the day after to help with Christmas decorations.)
49. Take Sophie to the zoo
50. Establish Family Night/Day twice a month (not including MIC Meals); complete after 4 months (We easily accomplished this one. We may even be able to have a Family Day/Night once a week. But I won’t commit to anything just yet.)
51. Frame and hang Sophie’s first year photos
52. Furniture for China child
53. Update Sophie’s wedding dress photo
54. Get a family portrait done (We just did this in October and now we need a new again!)
55. Daily devotional, complete after 30 days (Not even close. And I have no excuses!)
56. Create a list of happy things, one for each day (over 1000) we’ve been waiting for MIC (This is one of the posts that I haven’t quite finished, but it is done.)
57. Complete new adoption visa paperwork
58. Open a savings account for Sophie (Now I need to open one for Logan.)
59. Clean out and organize pantry
60. Attend at least 3 plays and/or musicals (I saw 2, and that was probably ambitious so 3 would have been impossible.)
61. Purchase fire extinguishers for the house
62. Get personalized tags for the pets (Okay 3 of them have tags. Really, I’m probably doing good just to keep their vet tags and collars on at all times. But I’d still like to get the last 3 done.)
63. Clean out flowerbed in backyard
64. Buy new couches
65. Make a new list of 65 (Although I enjoyed seeing my progress each month as I did my update, it was tough to come up with 65 things, and took me a few months just to do that. I think I may do something similar but it may be more like 6.5 in the next 365. Ha!)
1. Update the 65 in 365 once a month
2. Come up with 65 goals for the year
3. Complete Sophie's baby album (I’m close, really close. All I have left are just a few of the monthly pages. I do those as I complete the month in our annual album.)
4. Complete 2009 annual album (All I have left is the month of December. I probably would have finished that had we not ended up traveling.)
5. Attend average of 5 StrollerStrides classes a month (After preschool started again in September, I found it harder to attend. I hated to have to wake Sophie up on non-work days just to get to class on-time. I am proud of how long I did do this and I have found that I enjoy walking enough that I will continue to do it on my own.)
6. Girls Night Out (or Mom's Night Out) at least 4 times
7. Go to the movies at least 6 times
8. Finish reading 2 non-fiction books (I actually read 4.)
9. Read 4 fiction books (Thanks to a trip to China, I was able to complete this.)
10. Payoff law school loan
11. Try 26 new recipes
12. Make our wills (I have the template, just need to add our specific information, print, and give a copy to our attorney.)
13. Participate in a fun run with Paul and Sophie (I thought this might be fun to do as a family, but it just never happened, maybe in 2011.)
14. Get at least 8 hours of sleep each night; complete after 30 days
15. Have at least one fresh fruit each day; complete after 30 days (This one took all year to complete and was helped by the fact that we spent 2 weeks in China eating hotel breakfast buffet every morning.)
16. Take at least one picture of Sophie every other day; complete after 60 days
17. Get back to pre-pregnancy weight
18. Come up with a system for backing up digital photos
19. Cooking lessons
20. Make bed everyday; complete after 30 days
21. Have date night once a month (We didn’t quite get this one done, probably about 8 for the year. Now with 2 kids, it will probably be even harder. We may have to get creative and be flexible about what we consider Date Night. We may have to stay in and have a date after the kids go to bed.)
22. Build a snowman
23. Join a moms group
24. Set up a cleaning schedule and follow it; complete after 3 months
25. Have lawn guys come on a regular basis (And there are already set to start back up in March.)
26. Take Wrangler to Kady the groomer 4 times
27. Purchase a jogging stroller for Paul to use
28. Put items in JBF Consignment sales, 2 sales each sales season (I only managed 3 for the year. One of the sales just didn’t work out with my schedule.)
29. Make and stick to a weekly menu and grocery list; complete after 5 weeks
30. Decorate the tabletop tree for each holiday or season
31. Update a blog everyday or at least average one new post each day (So if you go and count my posts right now it’s about 332, but I have some in the works that will dated in 2010. It may not be exactly 365, but close.)
32. Go on a scrapbooking retreat
33. Attend a scrapbooking crop every other month (Not quite every other month but I attended 8 crops)
34. Complete 150 scrapbook pages (It’s actually more, I just quit counting at 150)
35. Sign Sophie up for swim lessons
36. Attend one playgroup event each month ( Although we didn’t get one in each month we attended over 15 events.)
37. Take Sophie to a library storytime/event each month (This is the one that disappoints me most. Part of the problem was our city library doesn’t do storytime consistently, in fact hasn’t had one since the summer. There’s other libraries in the area but only one that doesn’t conflict with our regular schedule. I think storytime will be very helpful for Logan so I will definitely continue to work it into our schedule.)
38. Attend a local Chinese New Year event
39. Have teeth cleaned twice a year (Only got this done once, I know I need to go twice a year, but once is more than before, so I’m making progress.)
40. Have Sophie’s picture taken with the Easter Bunny
41. Take Sophie to see a fireworks display
42. Update the framed photos of extended family members (Started this, but not exactly sure how to do it. I have lots of pictures of some families and almost none of others. We’ll see, I may end up just replacing everyone else’s photos with just my kids. Ha!)
43. Attend Living Last Supper at church
44. Plan Sophie’s first birthday party
45. Take Sophie to visit another state ( I added this one because my friend Jill got pregnant and I figured I go to Arkansas to visit after the baby came. Surprise, surprise, she decides to move to Texas, so no road trip for Sophie.)
46. Take Sophie trick-or-treating in the neighborhood
47. Decorate outside for Christmas (With the trip to China, I was just glad to get a tree up. Next year we’ll haul out all the decorations.)
48. Create our own family Thanksgiving tradition (We had Grandpa come over the day after to help with Christmas decorations.)
49. Take Sophie to the zoo
50. Establish Family Night/Day twice a month (not including MIC Meals); complete after 4 months (We easily accomplished this one. We may even be able to have a Family Day/Night once a week. But I won’t commit to anything just yet.)
51. Frame and hang Sophie’s first year photos
52. Furniture for China child
53. Update Sophie’s wedding dress photo
54. Get a family portrait done (We just did this in October and now we need a new again!)
55. Daily devotional, complete after 30 days (Not even close. And I have no excuses!)
56. Create a list of happy things, one for each day (over 1000) we’ve been waiting for MIC (This is one of the posts that I haven’t quite finished, but it is done.)
57. Complete new adoption visa paperwork
58. Open a savings account for Sophie (Now I need to open one for Logan.)
59. Clean out and organize pantry
60. Attend at least 3 plays and/or musicals (I saw 2, and that was probably ambitious so 3 would have been impossible.)
61. Purchase fire extinguishers for the house
62. Get personalized tags for the pets (Okay 3 of them have tags. Really, I’m probably doing good just to keep their vet tags and collars on at all times. But I’d still like to get the last 3 done.)
63. Clean out flowerbed in backyard
64. Buy new couches
65. Make a new list of 65 (Although I enjoyed seeing my progress each month as I did my update, it was tough to come up with 65 things, and took me a few months just to do that. I think I may do something similar but it may be more like 6.5 in the next 365. Ha!)
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Happy Things 421-462
421. reading all night and sleeping all morning
422. wrapping yourself in a blanket in front of a fireplace
423. music in the air
424. accepting a compliment
425. Frank Lloyd Wright designs
426. fried bologna sandwiches
427. dreaming of going home.
428. sugar wafers
429. cucumber sandwiches
430. pencil boxes
431. being able to hula-hoop
432. perfect baked potatoes
433. eating alone
434. a Crayola beginners set
435. Texas toast
436. standing up for yourself
437. accomplished musicians
438. magic tricks
439. Highlights childrens magazine
440. senior proms
441. volunteering at a soup kitchen
442. knowing where all your books are
443. Fonzie from Happy Days
444. apple butter
445. fireworks over a lake
446. bebop tunes
447. reaching out to people
448. piglets
449. unexpected phone calls
450. creme brulee
451. railroad stations
452. skinny Christmas trees
453. being glad you have each other
454. Ellery Queen mysteries
455. a romantic holiday with one special person
456. most popular US main dish being fried chicken
457. soaking in the tub reading a good book
458. spiral staircases
459. grandmothers
460. taco dinners
461. someone holding a sign with your name meeting you at the airport
462. Meeting my son for the very first time!
422. wrapping yourself in a blanket in front of a fireplace
423. music in the air
424. accepting a compliment
425. Frank Lloyd Wright designs
426. fried bologna sandwiches
427. dreaming of going home.
428. sugar wafers
429. cucumber sandwiches
430. pencil boxes
431. being able to hula-hoop
432. perfect baked potatoes
433. eating alone
434. a Crayola beginners set
435. Texas toast
436. standing up for yourself
437. accomplished musicians
438. magic tricks
439. Highlights childrens magazine
440. senior proms
441. volunteering at a soup kitchen
442. knowing where all your books are
443. Fonzie from Happy Days
444. apple butter
445. fireworks over a lake
446. bebop tunes
447. reaching out to people
448. piglets
449. unexpected phone calls
450. creme brulee
451. railroad stations
452. skinny Christmas trees
453. being glad you have each other
454. Ellery Queen mysteries
455. a romantic holiday with one special person
456. most popular US main dish being fried chicken
457. soaking in the tub reading a good book
458. spiral staircases
459. grandmothers
460. taco dinners
461. someone holding a sign with your name meeting you at the airport
462. Meeting my son for the very first time!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
65 in 365 Month 11 Update
This will be a list of 65 things I want to accomplish in the next 365 days. (No, I didn't come up with this idea myself, I borrowed it from this Foster Mama, along with some of her items.) I'll update the list once a month (that's the first thing on the list). Completed items are in italics.
1. Update the 65 in 365 once a month (11/12)
2. Come up with 65 goals for the year (65/65)
3. Complete Sophie's baby album
4. Complete 2009 annual album
5. Attend average of 5 StrollerStrides classes a month (28/60)
6. Girls Night Out (or Mom's Night Out) at least 4 times
7. Go to the movies at least 6 times
8. Finish reading 2 non-fiction books
9. Read 4 fiction books (1/4) (The Help)
10. Payoff law school loan
11. Try 26 new recipes
12. Make our wills
13. Participate in a fun run with Paul and Sophie
14. Get at least 8 hours of sleep each night; complete after 30 days
15. Have at least one fresh fruit each day; complete after 30 days (0/30)
16. Take at least one picture of Sophie every other day; complete after 60 days
17. Get back to pre-pregnancy weight
18. Come up with a system for backing up digital photos
19. Cooking lessons
20. Make bed everyday; complete after 30 days
21. Have date night once a month (7/12) (03/13, 04/10, 05/28, 06/10, 07/17, 08/27, 09/17)
22. Build a snowman
23. Join a moms group
24. Set up a cleaning schedule and follow it; complete after 3 months
25. Have lawn guys come on a regular basis
26. Take Wrangler to Kady the groomer 4 times (3/4) (March, June, Sept.)
27. Purchase a jogging stroller for Paul to use
28. Put items in JBF Consignment sales, 2 sales each sales season (3/4) (Feb., Mar., Oct.)
29. Make and stick to a weekly menu and grocery list; complete after 5 weeks
30. Decorate the tabletop tree for each holiday or season (snowflakes, hearts, green and gold beads, eggs, flowers, red and blue stars, Christmas)
31. Update a blog everyday or at least average one new post each day (304/365)
32. Go on a scrapbooking retreat
33. Attend a scrapbooking crop every other month
34. Complete 150 scrapbook pages
35. Sign Sophie up for swim lessons
36. Attend one playgroup event each month
37. Take Sophie to a library storytime/event each month (6/12) (02/01, 02/25, 04/13, 06/14, 06/29, 10/14)
38. Attend a local Chinese New Year event
39. Have teeth cleaned twice a year (1/2) (Mar.)
40. Have Sophie’s picture taken with the Easter Bunny
41. Take Sophie to see a fireworks display
42. Update the framed photos of extended family members
43. Attend Living Last Supper at church
44. Plan Sophie’s first birthday party
45. Take Sophie to visit another state
46. Take Sophie trick-or-treating in the neighborhood
47. Decorate outside for Christmas
48. Create our own family Thanksgiving tradition (have Grandpa come over the day after to help with Christmas decorations)
49. Take Sophie to the zoo (May)
50. Establish Family Night/Day twice a month (not including MIC Meals); complete after 4 months
51. Frame and hang Sophie’s first year photos
52. Furniture for China child
53. Update Sophie’s wedding dress photo
54. Get a family portrait done
55. Daily devotional, complete after 30 days (0/30)
56. Create a list of happy things, one for each day (over 1000) we’ve been waiting for MIC (300/328)
57. Complete new adoption visa paperwork
58. Open a savings account for Sophie
59. Clean out and organize pantry
60. Attend at least 3 plays and/or musicals (2/3)(Wicked, Shadowlands)
61. Purchase fire extinguishers for the house
62. Get personalized tags for the pets (3/6)
63. Clean out flowerbed in backyard
64. Buy new couches
65. Make a new list of 65
1. Update the 65 in 365 once a month (11/12)
2. Come up with 65 goals for the year (65/65)
3. Complete Sophie's baby album
4. Complete 2009 annual album
5. Attend average of 5 StrollerStrides classes a month (28/60)
6. Girls Night Out (or Mom's Night Out) at least 4 times
7. Go to the movies at least 6 times
8. Finish reading 2 non-fiction books
9. Read 4 fiction books (1/4) (The Help)
10. Payoff law school loan
11. Try 26 new recipes
12. Make our wills
13. Participate in a fun run with Paul and Sophie
14. Get at least 8 hours of sleep each night; complete after 30 days
15. Have at least one fresh fruit each day; complete after 30 days (0/30)
16. Take at least one picture of Sophie every other day; complete after 60 days
17. Get back to pre-pregnancy weight
18. Come up with a system for backing up digital photos
19. Cooking lessons
20. Make bed everyday; complete after 30 days
21. Have date night once a month (7/12) (03/13, 04/10, 05/28, 06/10, 07/17, 08/27, 09/17)
22. Build a snowman
23. Join a moms group
24. Set up a cleaning schedule and follow it; complete after 3 months
25. Have lawn guys come on a regular basis
26. Take Wrangler to Kady the groomer 4 times (3/4) (March, June, Sept.)
27. Purchase a jogging stroller for Paul to use
28. Put items in JBF Consignment sales, 2 sales each sales season (3/4) (Feb., Mar., Oct.)
29. Make and stick to a weekly menu and grocery list; complete after 5 weeks
30. Decorate the tabletop tree for each holiday or season (snowflakes, hearts, green and gold beads, eggs, flowers, red and blue stars, Christmas)
31. Update a blog everyday or at least average one new post each day (304/365)
32. Go on a scrapbooking retreat
33. Attend a scrapbooking crop every other month
34. Complete 150 scrapbook pages
35. Sign Sophie up for swim lessons
36. Attend one playgroup event each month
37. Take Sophie to a library storytime/event each month (6/12) (02/01, 02/25, 04/13, 06/14, 06/29, 10/14)
38. Attend a local Chinese New Year event
39. Have teeth cleaned twice a year (1/2) (Mar.)
40. Have Sophie’s picture taken with the Easter Bunny
41. Take Sophie to see a fireworks display
42. Update the framed photos of extended family members
43. Attend Living Last Supper at church
44. Plan Sophie’s first birthday party
45. Take Sophie to visit another state
46. Take Sophie trick-or-treating in the neighborhood
47. Decorate outside for Christmas
48. Create our own family Thanksgiving tradition (have Grandpa come over the day after to help with Christmas decorations)
49. Take Sophie to the zoo (May)
50. Establish Family Night/Day twice a month (not including MIC Meals); complete after 4 months
51. Frame and hang Sophie’s first year photos
52. Furniture for China child
53. Update Sophie’s wedding dress photo
54. Get a family portrait done
55. Daily devotional, complete after 30 days (0/30)
56. Create a list of happy things, one for each day (over 1000) we’ve been waiting for MIC (300/328)
57. Complete new adoption visa paperwork
58. Open a savings account for Sophie
59. Clean out and organize pantry
60. Attend at least 3 plays and/or musicals (2/3)(Wicked, Shadowlands)
61. Purchase fire extinguishers for the house
62. Get personalized tags for the pets (3/6)
63. Clean out flowerbed in backyard
64. Buy new couches
65. Make a new list of 65
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
My Wedding Dress Story
My friend Texan Mama is doing a Link Up where we tell about our wedding dresses. Although I don't have any digital pics from when we got married 6 years ago or a scanner, I do have pictures of the dress. This idea was also borrowed. I am going to take a picture of my daughter wearing my wedding dress each year (hopefully on our anniversary). Here is the first when she was just 3 days old:
This is not your traditional wedding dress (I'm not even sure it was considered a wedding dress). No train, just a straight skirt with a crossover top, but it did have some beadwork on the front. It was cream-colored (white looks terrible on me). I went back to my wedding album and found the actual receipt for the dress...total with tax just under $200. The crazy part is the the shoes and undergarments (you know the strapless bra with that extra that keeps your tummy held in nice and tight), those cost just as much as the dress.
And here she is a year later:
This is not your traditional wedding dress (I'm not even sure it was considered a wedding dress). No train, just a straight skirt with a crossover top, but it did have some beadwork on the front. It was cream-colored (white looks terrible on me). I went back to my wedding album and found the actual receipt for the dress...total with tax just under $200. The crazy part is the the shoes and undergarments (you know the strapless bra with that extra that keeps your tummy held in nice and tight), those cost just as much as the dress.
For those who may not know me well, this wasn't my first wedding and thus not my first wedding dress. But I was somewhat consistent. My first wedding was bigger and more formal but I was still a frugal dress-buyer. I believe that first dress cost less than $300, and I bought the shoes at Payless. And in case you like the idea and dressing your daughter in your wedding dress, here's what you can do for your son...have him wear one of your husbands white button downs, reminiscent of the tux shirt the hubby probably wore for the wedding.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Happy Things 351-420
351. youth group dances
352. holiday music all year long
353. homemade pear butter
354. smell of baby powder
355. a sweet tooth
356. electric toothbrushes
357. rock sugar for hot tea
358. fried pickles
359. taking a cooking class together
360. baking your own bread
361. Texas wildflowers along the highway
362. family time
363. East Texas Piney Woods
364. backgammon sets
365. someone who wants to take you dancing
366. library storytime
367. leaving notes on cars
368. toasting marshmallows
369. crayons for kids at restaurants
370. starting a collection
371. comparing your fortune with your dinner partners
372. stocking stuffers
373. Nerf guns
374. leg warmers
375. pulling your ears as you slurp spaghetti
376. lazily drifting on a raft on a lake
377. monkey bars on the playground
378. turning off all the lights except the Christmas tree
379. rearranging the furniture
380. heaters in the bathrooms
381. a big bag of Hershey's kisses
382. tire swings
383. hummingbirds
384. rollerskating
385. laughing till you cry
386. ice carvings
387. sleepy dogs
388. gingerbread
389. Silly Putty
390. food debris under the high chair after a feeding
391. Hula Hoops
392. searching cookbooks looking for something new for dinner
393. rereading a good book
394. cheese quesadillas with bacon
395. banana milkshakes
396. singing in the shower
397. floor plans
398. earthquakes that are exciting but don't do damage
399. moving to a new house
400. hauling out photo albums from high school
401. "painting" with water
402. babysitting
403. a three-day weekend
404. hymn-sings at church
405. fireflies
406. pasta salad
407. creating a scrapbook
408. trains
409. fried chicken
410. making believe you're somewhere else, in a different era, or role
411. homemade lemonade
412. framed marriage certificates
413. putting things back where they were found
414. remembering a birthday
415. brown-sugar toast
416. great mashed potatoes
417. cotton candy
418. living alone
419. Tex-Mex food
420. the summer Olympics
352. holiday music all year long
353. homemade pear butter
354. smell of baby powder
355. a sweet tooth
356. electric toothbrushes
357. rock sugar for hot tea
358. fried pickles
359. taking a cooking class together
360. baking your own bread
361. Texas wildflowers along the highway
362. family time
363. East Texas Piney Woods
364. backgammon sets
365. someone who wants to take you dancing
366. library storytime
367. leaving notes on cars
368. toasting marshmallows
369. crayons for kids at restaurants
370. starting a collection
371. comparing your fortune with your dinner partners
372. stocking stuffers
373. Nerf guns
374. leg warmers
375. pulling your ears as you slurp spaghetti
376. lazily drifting on a raft on a lake
377. monkey bars on the playground
378. turning off all the lights except the Christmas tree
379. rearranging the furniture
380. heaters in the bathrooms
381. a big bag of Hershey's kisses
382. tire swings
383. hummingbirds
384. rollerskating
385. laughing till you cry
386. ice carvings
387. sleepy dogs
388. gingerbread
389. Silly Putty
390. food debris under the high chair after a feeding
391. Hula Hoops
392. searching cookbooks looking for something new for dinner
393. rereading a good book
394. cheese quesadillas with bacon
395. banana milkshakes
396. singing in the shower
397. floor plans
398. earthquakes that are exciting but don't do damage
399. moving to a new house
400. hauling out photo albums from high school
401. "painting" with water
402. babysitting
403. a three-day weekend
404. hymn-sings at church
405. fireflies
406. pasta salad
407. creating a scrapbook
408. trains
409. fried chicken
410. making believe you're somewhere else, in a different era, or role
411. homemade lemonade
412. framed marriage certificates
413. putting things back where they were found
414. remembering a birthday
415. brown-sugar toast
416. great mashed potatoes
417. cotton candy
418. living alone
419. Tex-Mex food
420. the summer Olympics
Monday, November 1, 2010
65 in 365 Month 10 Update
This will be a list of 65 things I want to accomplish in the next 365 days. (No, I didn't come up with this idea myself, I borrowed it from this Foster Mama, along with some of her items.) I'll update the list once a month (that's the first thing on the list). Completed items are in italics.
1. Update the 65 in 365 once a month (10/12)
2. Come up with 65 goals for the year (65/65)
3. Complete Sophie's baby album
4. Complete 2009 annual album
5. Attend average of 5 StrollerStrides classes a month (28/60)
6. Girls Night Out (or Mom's Night Out) at least 4 times (6/4) (02/27, 03/17, 03/25, 06/30, 07/15, 10/14)
7. Go to the movies at least 6 times (7/6) (Avatar, Kickass, Date Night ,Iron Man 2, Karate Kid, The Switch, Step Up 3D)
8. Finish reading 2 non-fiction books (3/2) (Home, Baby Signs, 101 Things To Do Before You Turn 40,5 Practices of Fruitful Congregations)
9. Read 4 fiction books (1/4) (The Help)
10. Payoff law school loan
11. Try 26 new recipes (29/26)
12. Make our wills
13. Participate in a fun run with Paul and Sophie
14. Get at least 8 hours of sleep each night; complete after 30 days (0/30)
15. Have at least one fresh fruit each day; complete after 30 days (0/30)
16. Take at least one picture of Sophie every other day; complete after 60 days
17. Get back to pre-pregnancy weight
18. Come up with a system for backing up digital photos
19. Cooking lessons (09/17)
20. Make bed everyday; complete after 30 days, will restart counter when I miss a day (30/30) (April)
21. Have date night once a month (7/12) (03/13, 04/10, 05/28, 06/10, 07/17, 08/27, 09/17)
22. Build a snowman (02/11)
23. Join a moms group (Jan.)
24. Set up a cleaning schedule and follow it; complete after 3 months (3/3)
25. Have lawn guys come on a regular basis
26. Take Wrangler to Kady the groomer 4 times (3/4) (March, June, Sept.)
27. Purchase a jogging stroller for Paul to use
28. Put items in JBF Consignment sales, 2 sales each sales season (3/4) (Feb., Mar., Oct.)
29. Make and stick to a weekly menu and grocery list; complete after 5 weeks (5/5)
30. Decorate the tabletop tree for each holiday or season (snowflakes, hearts, green and gold beads, eggs, flowers, red and blue stars, apples, Halloween, fall leaves, Christmas)
31. Update a blog everyday or at least average one new post each day (304/365)
32. Go on a scrapbooking retreat (Jan)
33. Attend a scrapbooking crop every other month (7/6) (02/19, 04/16, 04/30, 05/01, 08/20, 09/11, 10/15)
34. Complete 150 scrapbook pages (150/150)
35. Sign Sophie up for swim lessons (Mar.)
36. Attend one playgroup event each month (17/12) (01/28, 02/09, 03/02, 03/04, 03/17, 04/22, 5/28,06/03, 06/14, 06/21, 07/02, 07/07, 07/30, 08/09, 08/27, 10/07, 10/08)
37. Take Sophie to a library storytime/event each month (6/12) (02/01, 02/25, 04/13, 06/14, 06/29, 10/14)
38. Attend a local Chinese New Year event
39. Have teeth cleaned twice a year (1/2) (Mar.)
40. Have Sophie’s picture taken with the Easter Bunny
41. Take Sophie to see a fireworks display (July)
42. Update the framed photos of extended family members
43. Attend Living Last Supper at church
44. Plan Sophie’s first birthday party
45. Take Sophie to visit another state
46. Take Sophie trick-or-treating in the neighborhood
47. Decorate outside for Christmas
48. Create our own family Thanksgiving tradition
49. Take Sophie to the zoo (May)
50. Establish Family Night/Day twice a month (not including MIC Meals); complete after 4 months (16/4) (05/31 Joe Pool Lake,5/16 Dragonboat Festival,4/3 Easter Eggs, 3/13 Stockyards, 4/18 Balloon Festival, 3/6 Swim Pics Shop Dinner, 06/12 Devon’s, 06/27 Olenjack’s, 07/03 Crow Museum, 07/05 Splash Pad, 07/17 VBS Picnic, 07/31 Zoo, 08/28 Becky’s party, 09/04 zoo, 09/26 Fall Fest, 10/16 Uptown Village)
51. Frame and hang Sophie’s first year photos
52. Furniture for China child
53. Update Sophie’s wedding dress photo
54. Get a family portrait done (Oct)
55. Daily devotional, complete after 30 days (0/30)
56. Create a list of happy things, one for each day (over 1000) we’ve been waiting for MIC (300/328)
57. Complete new adoption visa paperwork
58. Open a savings account for Sophie (August)
59. Clean out and organize pantry
60. Attend at least 3 plays and/or musicals (2/3)(Wicked, Shadowlands)
61. Purchase fire extinguishers for the house
62. Get personalized tags for the pets (3/6)
63. Clean out flowerbed in backyard
64. Buy new couches (May)
65. Make a new list of 65
1. Update the 65 in 365 once a month (10/12)
2. Come up with 65 goals for the year (65/65)
3. Complete Sophie's baby album
4. Complete 2009 annual album
5. Attend average of 5 StrollerStrides classes a month (28/60)
6. Girls Night Out (or Mom's Night Out) at least 4 times (6/4) (02/27, 03/17, 03/25, 06/30, 07/15, 10/14)
7. Go to the movies at least 6 times (7/6) (Avatar, Kickass, Date Night ,Iron Man 2, Karate Kid, The Switch, Step Up 3D)
8. Finish reading 2 non-fiction books (3/2) (Home, Baby Signs, 101 Things To Do Before You Turn 40,5 Practices of Fruitful Congregations)
9. Read 4 fiction books (1/4) (The Help)
10. Payoff law school loan
11. Try 26 new recipes (29/26)
12. Make our wills
13. Participate in a fun run with Paul and Sophie
14. Get at least 8 hours of sleep each night; complete after 30 days (0/30)
15. Have at least one fresh fruit each day; complete after 30 days (0/30)
16. Take at least one picture of Sophie every other day; complete after 60 days
17. Get back to pre-pregnancy weight
18. Come up with a system for backing up digital photos
19. Cooking lessons (09/17)
20. Make bed everyday; complete after 30 days, will restart counter when I miss a day (30/30) (April)
21. Have date night once a month (7/12) (03/13, 04/10, 05/28, 06/10, 07/17, 08/27, 09/17)
22. Build a snowman (02/11)
23. Join a moms group (Jan.)
24. Set up a cleaning schedule and follow it; complete after 3 months (3/3)
25. Have lawn guys come on a regular basis
26. Take Wrangler to Kady the groomer 4 times (3/4) (March, June, Sept.)
27. Purchase a jogging stroller for Paul to use
28. Put items in JBF Consignment sales, 2 sales each sales season (3/4) (Feb., Mar., Oct.)
29. Make and stick to a weekly menu and grocery list; complete after 5 weeks (5/5)
30. Decorate the tabletop tree for each holiday or season (snowflakes, hearts, green and gold beads, eggs, flowers, red and blue stars, apples, Halloween, fall leaves, Christmas)
31. Update a blog everyday or at least average one new post each day (304/365)
32. Go on a scrapbooking retreat (Jan)
33. Attend a scrapbooking crop every other month (7/6) (02/19, 04/16, 04/30, 05/01, 08/20, 09/11, 10/15)
34. Complete 150 scrapbook pages (150/150)
35. Sign Sophie up for swim lessons (Mar.)
36. Attend one playgroup event each month (17/12) (01/28, 02/09, 03/02, 03/04, 03/17, 04/22, 5/28,06/03, 06/14, 06/21, 07/02, 07/07, 07/30, 08/09, 08/27, 10/07, 10/08)
37. Take Sophie to a library storytime/event each month (6/12) (02/01, 02/25, 04/13, 06/14, 06/29, 10/14)
38. Attend a local Chinese New Year event
39. Have teeth cleaned twice a year (1/2) (Mar.)
40. Have Sophie’s picture taken with the Easter Bunny
41. Take Sophie to see a fireworks display (July)
42. Update the framed photos of extended family members
43. Attend Living Last Supper at church
44. Plan Sophie’s first birthday party
45. Take Sophie to visit another state
46. Take Sophie trick-or-treating in the neighborhood
47. Decorate outside for Christmas
48. Create our own family Thanksgiving tradition
49. Take Sophie to the zoo (May)
50. Establish Family Night/Day twice a month (not including MIC Meals); complete after 4 months (16/4) (05/31 Joe Pool Lake,5/16 Dragonboat Festival,4/3 Easter Eggs, 3/13 Stockyards, 4/18 Balloon Festival, 3/6 Swim Pics Shop Dinner, 06/12 Devon’s, 06/27 Olenjack’s, 07/03 Crow Museum, 07/05 Splash Pad, 07/17 VBS Picnic, 07/31 Zoo, 08/28 Becky’s party, 09/04 zoo, 09/26 Fall Fest, 10/16 Uptown Village)
51. Frame and hang Sophie’s first year photos
52. Furniture for China child
53. Update Sophie’s wedding dress photo
54. Get a family portrait done (Oct)
55. Daily devotional, complete after 30 days (0/30)
56. Create a list of happy things, one for each day (over 1000) we’ve been waiting for MIC (300/328)
57. Complete new adoption visa paperwork
58. Open a savings account for Sophie (August)
59. Clean out and organize pantry
60. Attend at least 3 plays and/or musicals (2/3)(Wicked, Shadowlands)
61. Purchase fire extinguishers for the house
62. Get personalized tags for the pets (3/6)
63. Clean out flowerbed in backyard
64. Buy new couches (May)
65. Make a new list of 65
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