Lots & Lots & Lots of Updates

Pull up a chair and get cozy. I'm doing a mass update of my 101 Things list. It's been a long time coming. Some updates are good, some not so goo.

#6 - One day of each week, do not watch TV
What should I do with this one? The TV is rarely on during the day, but in the evening, it's always on in the background. I'm usually not paying much attention because I am on the computer, but it's still on. I either need to come up with a new goal to replace this one, or just flat out resolve that this is a goal I will not complete.

#7 - One day of each week, no Internet, except as necessary for job search/work
Ditto to #6 above.

# 10 - Read 5 non-fiction books
In Progress. I've started on two books, but have yet to complete them. Maybe next month?

#16 - Learn how to use PhotoShop to edit pictures
In Progress. I can use actions, but have no clue how people actually created those actions. And I'm only at the point where I run the action, and do very little adjusting to what comes out. I need to learn how to erase wrinkles!

#25 - Take daughter to her first movie in a theater
I'm not marking this complete, but about three weeks ago my sister took the kiddo to see Monsters vs. Aliens. She lasted about 45 minutes in the theater. She had a ton of fun, and three weeks later, she still talks about going to the movie.

#32 - Date night with husband at least once a month
March - Dallas Symphony with friends
April - TBD. Once DH comes back from his hockey tournament this weekend, we have three possible nights to go out on a date.

#40 - Try one new recipe each month
We have been trying out a new recipe just about every other week, if not every week.
March - My favorite new recipe we tried in March was Shake-in-the-Bag chicken from an old Weight Watchers cookbook.
April - My favorite new recipe for this month was Broccoli & Cheese Manicotti from my Healthy Cooking for Two cookbook.

#41 - Try one new restaurant each month
February - Zoe's (Yummmm)
March - Twisted Root Burger (so-so)
April - Cosmic Cafe (super yummy vegetarian restaurant)

#45 - Back-up pictures on external hard drive once a month
Check for January, February, and March. Peace of mind is there!

#46 - Organize daughter's vaccination/medical file
COMPLETE!

I finished this the day before her 2 year doctor appointment on March 5th. Everything from birth to two years is nicely organized in a big binder. I have charts of her growth, all the questions I asked at each check-up, vaccination records, etc. I was so happy to get this one done.

#47 - Place at least one item on Freecycle once a month
March - Non-working vacuum cleaner
April - Uh-oh, forgot about something for this month.....looks like I will be sorting through a closet or two this weekend.

#49 - Clean the fridge out completely once a month
We've actually been doing this each week after grocery shopping. Before loading all the new stuff in the fridge, we clean out each shelve and toss leftovers or expired items.

#50 - Clean out my car once a month
I don't remember a specific day in March when I clean it out, but I'm fairly certain that it was clean. I still need to clean it for April though. Test driving the Traverse though for the next eight weeks, I've kind of forgotten about my trusty old car.

#55 - No internet purchases for one entire month
In Progress. I was almost internet spending free for February, but I ended up making one purchase towards the end of the month. And so far, I'm internet spending free in April, but still have a little over a week to go...hope I stay strong!

#60 - Take a multi-vitamin every day for 6 months
I purchased more vitamins since I ran out, but I have not been good at remembering to take them every day.

#61 - Floss often enough that the hygienist can see an improvement next checkup
I'm still working on this one, holding out for the next 6 month check-up

#62 - Go caffeine-free (drinks) for 6 months (not chocolate)
Still holding strong on this. I think I'm over the need for caffeine, but I do miss a nice tall glass of iced tea now and again

#63 - Go chocolate-free for one entire month
I've already completed this goal, but I'm trying to stretch myself a bit further.

January - Yes
February - No (Just a little "No")
March - Yes
April - No (Big Fat "No")

See a pattern?

#69 - Go to bed before 11:00 p.m. at least once a week
OK, I've completely failed on this one. Not sure what else to say other than I stink.

#70 - Take ten yoga classes
COMPLETE!

I attended class #10 on March 9th. I then took one additional class the following week. But from that point on out, I've swapped Monday morning 6:00 a.m. yoga with Monday morning 6:00 a.m. Body Pump. I like it much better. I will never be the graceful, flexible yoga student. And after the initial guilt of not going back to class, I've been happy with my decision to do something else.

#75 - Send a hand-written note to a friend once a month
I forgot to do this in February, so I made up for it in March by sending out two notes. I still need to send something out in April

#89 - Get two family members to join Facebook
COMPLETE!

My brother and my mother are both on Facebook now, and they regularly send out updates too :) My mom even joined Twitter as well. I don't think we will ever convince my oldest sister to join, even though our extended family (aunts, cousins, second cousins) is joining.

#92 - Phase out non eco-friendly household cleaners
In Progress. I bought several Mrs. Meyers cleaning products as well as Method and Seventh Generation as I was running out of my harsh cleaners. I still have a ways to go to completely phase them out, but we are working on it (even changed dishwasher tabs to earth-friendly ones)

#97 - Take an “us" picture every month

Here's the picture for April . One of these days, I'm hoping we all are smiling and looking at the camera at the same time!




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Whew! Mass update is now done. I definitely have learned that I would rather make updates as I go!

Oh, and I am super bummed that I cannot figure out how to get dates to appear on my posts. I completely trashed my blogger template and started over from scratch, and still no dates. If anyone made it this far and has suggestions on what I should try, I am all ears!

#67 - Complete a ½ marathon

Today I ran in the Big D Half Marathon in Dallas. Yes, I ran 13.1 miles today! I get to cross a rather "big" item off my list of "101 Things". Wohoo!

I started training on January 1 for the half marathon, and three full months later I was able to accomplish my goal. I was on cloud nine when I crossed the finish line because I beat my own personal record (PR). I ran in a half marathon three years ago this past January in Phoenix. My time for that run was 2:06. When I set out to complete this half marathon, I really wanted to beat that time. And I'm happy to report that not only did I beat that time, but I also beat the 2 hour mark!! I completed it in 1:55:16 (8:48 mile). I've never run that fast before in my life! And it was "chilly" and rather windy out for the run too! (I often had to grab my hat so that the wind wouldn't take it away).


My favorite part of this run was seeing DH and TemTem cheering me on right after the nine mile mark. I got a little kiss from TemTem and that gave me an extra little boost in my step. And then they were at the finish line cheering me on as well. For some reason, I almost got a little emotional seeing her waving at me and then so excited to greet me once I finished. She wanted me to hold her, but man I was exhausted and she was heavy :) Oh, and our finish line was right at the entrance to where the Cotton Bowl is played at in Fair Park each year. Pretty cool, eh?

I ran in a full marathon (26.2 miles) three years ago this month. After that marathon, I said I would happily run in half marathons again someday, but I wasn't so sure I would ever want to run a full marathon again. After running 13.1 miles today, I can say that I definitely "enjoy" half marathons much more than a full marathon. Also, it's fun to participate in an organized event with people cheering on the sidelines. I love to people watch and check out other runner's gaits or what they wear or what silly superstitions they have (some guy in front of me had to touch each orange cone on the road that he passed).

I think my next half marathon will be in mid-May in Dallas again. I need to keep up with the running to keep up with the weight loss program!

General Update

I have some major updating to do on this blog. I have been plugging away at many of the items on my list. And other items, well....., I haven't been so good with working on.

I plan to post lots of updates over the next couple days so I can get caught up on these goals. I also need to hold myself accountable for the items I haven't been serious with.

To be continued....

#36 - Send a postcard to PostSecret

Sometime since starting my 101 Things in 1001 Days on January 1 and today, I've sent something to PostSecret.

But that's all I got for you, or else you might figure out my secret. :)

Marking another "Thing" off my list feels good.

#97 - Take an “us" picture every month

Here's our family picture for March. One of these months we will all be looking at the camera and be smiling! DH and I were on our way out to a birthday party at a piano bar, and TemTem was spending the evening with her Auntie Amy.

#75 - Send a hand-written note to a friend

Bad, bad me. I forgot to do this in February. I did purchase a card to send, I just forgot to write it out and mail it. I will double-up in March to make up for my slacking.

Hey, at least I remembered to send out all the needed birthday cards in February for goal #84 (Make a list of all family/friend birthdays and send them a card).

#49 - Clean the fridge out completely once a month

If you opened my fridge right now you wouldn't think I did this in February because it's so crammed full of food, but I did really clean it. I actually have been cleaning it once a week when we put our new groceries away.

#76 - Send a gift to someone in the mail for no reason

I loved doing this one, and actually did it twice. One very small little item to someone in January, and one "special" thing to a friend in February as a "pick-me-up".

Both people were surprised and very thankful. It not only brightened their days to receive something unexpected in the mail, but it brightened my day to do it.

Fun, fun goal on my list that I get to check off.

#47 - Place at least one item on Freecycle once a month

I placed four things on Freecycle in February, but only two of them have been claimed. (I am playing email run around with the other two items that are wanted, but have not been picked up).

So what did I Freecyle?

1. My old sewing machine since I have a spiffy new one to use. It went to special needs preschool program, so that made me feel good about putting it on Freecycle.
2. A collection of holiday teddy bears. The last thing my kid needs is more stuffed animals. The lady who took them was so thankful she even gave me hug. She was giving them to her niece.

I guess I will be reposting the other two items not yet picked up and will get to count those as items Freecycled in March :)

#50 - Clean out my car once a month

Since cleaning out my car really well in January, there wasn't much cleaning up that needed to be done in February. I've been really good at cleaning as I go, so that it's not one big disaster on wheels!

#45 - Back-up pictures on external hard drive

Back-up pictures on external hard drive once a month - check for February.

P.S. I've been pretty good at keeping up with my goals, just not so good about blogging about it.

#63 - Go chocolate-free for one entire month

Although I completed this goal in January, I challenged myself to see how far I could go beyond one month.

Well, I made it three weeks through February, and then I slipped. I was so thirsty, I went to the fridge and took out one of my sister's organic chocolate milks and downed it before I realized what I had done. And then it was TemTem's birthday jubilee week, and I made cake balls, so there was no way I could stay away from chocolate.

But now with the start of May, only 4 days in so far, I'm back to being chocolate free. Let's see how far I make it this month. I'm an all-or-nothing type of girl, that's why I have to do this. It's either lots and lots of chocolate, or no chocolate. No middle ground of me, as I lack a little think called "eating in moderation".

#62 - Go caffeine-free (drinks) for 6 Months

Two months of being caffeine-free - January and February. There are still days where I would love to have a heavily caffeinated latte from Starbucks or a big iced tea, but it's not too hard staying away from it.

#70 - Take ten yoga classes

March 2nd - Class #9

Another class. Another round of not being very coordinated or balanced or stretchy or flexible. Yoga is just not really my thing, as much as I would like for it to be. I loved prenatal yoga, so I'm not sure why I don't like it now. (Maybe because it helped me find comfortable positions when my back was hurting).

#97 - Take an “us" picture every month

My hopes that our family pictures would get better with each month didn't really come through for the month of February. It's kind of hard to get all three of us to look at the camera and smile. But here it is, two snapshots of us that can be counted as the "February Family Picture". And yes, it was taken again on the last day of the month, in the evening. (Goal for next month is to not wait to last minute again).

I attempted to take the first picture of us, but my arms aren't that long. Oh, and my impatient-when-it-comes-to-taking-pictures sister took the second one of us.

#70 - Take ten yoga classes

February 23rd - Class #8

Wohoo, only two more "required" classes before I'm done with this one. Today, I was the only one in class, so I had my own personal yoga instructor. It was a little odd, but at least I had one-on-one instruction and it helped me a bit. I'm still am not very flexible, I have no balance or core strength, and I feel like a fish out of water.

It's-Been-A-While Type of an Update

I've been keeping up with my 101 Things, I just have been a little lazy about posting about them. So here goes, a nice mass update.

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#7 - One day of each week, no Internet, except as necessary for job search/work

I've decided I hate this goal as it is currently written! When I wrote this, my intentions were to cut back on how much I am on the Internet. Well, my "Internet free one day a week" was becoming more of a hassle. I would ask DH to check the weather for me. Or I would ask him to pull up a great recipe sitting in my Inbox. I was checking email on my phone. Basically, I was being sneaky and trying to get my fix any way I could.

Even with my one day a week away from the Internet, I was still on my laptop all the time. I probably spend anywhere from 3 - 4 hours a day surfing away. I also find that I often will "just check" a few things out while the kiddo is running around. So I think I am going to change this task. Still mulling it over, but here are a few options:

Limit Internet time to two hours per day, except as necessary for job search/work.

OR

Limit Internet time to only early morning, nap time, or late evening.

Any thoughts on how I should work on my addiction?

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#32 - Date Night with Hubby at Least Once a Month
February 2009

DH and I went out on Friday, February 13th with another couple to a great wine bar. There we ordered in sushi and I had two (2!) glasses of a fantastic Riesling. Afterwards, we met up with another couple and attended The Big Damn Band concert. The later event was not planned at all, and it turned out to be a pretty fun time!

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#40 - Try one new recipe each month

I've come to realize this task has been the easiest one so far, and I should probably tweak it to make it more challenging. Since we have started meal planning each week, we have been going through our cookbooks every weekend and picking out new things to try. We usually pick from our Weight Watcher or Lickety Split Meals cookbooks, as these have the healthiest recipes. And we probably try at least 2 - 3 new recipes each week right now! My favorites so far have been the White Bean Salad on Feta Pita Crisps. DH also made a Curry Chicken Stew that surprised both of us with how yummy it was. I imagine that once we make it through the cookbooks, we will start circling around and repeating some of our favorite recipes. But for now, this former eat-out-all-the-time family is having fun with new recipes.

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#41 - Try one new restaurant each month

This month we tried Zoes Kitchen for lunch one day. And then I made DH take me back the very next day because I enjoyed it so much! They are a small chain, but I had never heard of them before. Their philosophy is "Eat Smart. Eat Fresh." I love this concept! The food was awesome and it worked well with my healthier eating plan. Just thinking about it makes me hungry right now....maybe I should start with breakfast though.

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#70 - Taken Ten Yoga Classes
February 9th (my birthday) - Class #6
February 16th - Class #7

You think I would have learned with Class #6 that it's not a super smart idea to run 4 miles on the treadmill and head into class dripping with sweat. But no, I did the same thing again for Class #7. Although I did plan to get to the gym even earlier to I could cool down a bit before class, but it's hard to be at the gym at 5:00 a.m. I was proud enough I made it there at 5:15 a.m. (yoga starts at 6:00 a.m.). I wanted to run before class so that I could get home, shower, eat, and relax before kiddo wakes up. Still not enjoying yoga as much as I had hoped I would.

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#78 - Offer to babysit for my friends at least 5 times

DH and I did not have plans to go out on Valentine's Day. Since we'd be staying home, I offered to babysit for about six (yes 6!) different moms (from my Margarita Mamas group). Only one mom took me up on the offer! Amelia is 17 months old, and was the best kid I ever, ever watched (and I did tons of babysitting in high school). Poor TemTem had a major case of jealousy. She did not want Amelia to sit in my lap or play with her toys. She kept whining "Moooommmmmmaaaa!" Amelia's parents just went to the movies, so it was a quick night. And I get to mark this goal as in progress.

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#90 - Go without a bag at the store or purchase an additional reusable bag if I forget to bring mine

I should have marked this as In Progress last month. I've been really good about this. I've only had to purchase 1 new reusable bag so far. On occasion, I've found that I am stuck and still need to get a plastic bag. But I always recycle the plastic bag. And I've been known to often just tell the clerk at a store that I don't need a bag at all if I've forgotten my reusable one. We even have extra reusable bags in DH's car. The good news here is that we always use our reusable bags at the grocery store. And we even get a five cents per bag credit for using our own.

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Enough updates for today! I will be back soon with hopefully a few more. My own personal goal is to mark at least one goal "Completed" this month!

#70 - Take ten yoga classes

February 2nd
5th yoga class completed, and I'm half way through this goal (yipee).

We had a substitute instructor for the class on Monday. She was very calm and relaxing. The She brought these wonderful, fresh, warm towels sprayed with a lemon verbena aromatherapy. So relaxing, especially after running on the treadmill prior to the 6:00 a.m. yoga class this week.

#71 - Try 5 New Exotic Fruits

1st new fruit sampled: Passion Fruit
Verdict: Two thumbs way up!

I've had passion fruit teas and maybe even sorbet in the past. But I've never actually bought a passion fruit, cut it, and tried eating it. Oh my, let me tell you! My taste buds did a little jig. Next trip to the grocery store will result in me picking up a few more of these oh-so-tasty treats.

I had to ask the gentleman working in the fruit section at Whole Foods how I know when it's ripe. When it's super wrinkled and looks almost squished, it's ripe. And then I did a Google search this evening to see just exactly how one is to cut and eat this fruit. Great answer to my burning question here.

#62 - Go caffeine-free (drinks) for 6 Months

One month down and five more to go. This was hard to start again since I LOVE iced tea and Starbucks lattes. I only had a headache or two within the first two weeks. But now that I'm in the swing of it, hopefully the next few months will fly by. I may even start brewing some decaffeinated tea for myself. And yes, there are days where I would love to have a jolt of caffeine to get me moving, but I'm managing!

#97 - Take an “us" picture every month

I will be the first to admit that I am the least photogenic person of anyone I know. (It kinda runs on my side of the family too). I would rather be behind the camera than in front of it. We have lots of pictures of DH and TemTem, but not so many of her and I, and even fewer of the three of us.

And nothing like waiting until the last minute on this one, but on the last day of the month in the evening before we headed out for dinner, I remembered we needed an "us" picture for the month. TemTem was overtired and cranky and did not want to play along. As her parents, we look like we have expressions that say "let's get this over with already". I'm hoping that our pictures will get better with each month!

#65 - No eating after 8:00 p.m. for one month

This goal made me realize how often I would snack in the evenings after TemTem would go to bed. I would eat all the things I didn't really want her to see me eat. I would eat just to eat - pretzels, crackers, cookies, ice cream.

I know it's overall better not to eat so late in the evenings, and there were many times were my stomach would cry out that it was hungry! But I'm happy to say that I stuck it out and accomplished this goal in January.

I will try to stick with this one going forward simply as part of the "healthier living" lifestyle I'm trying to adopt. But if I feel like eating a bowl of popcorn or an apple with cheese after the kiddo is in bed, I won't feel too guilty about it.

#63 - Go chocolate-free for one entire month

I'm on a roll here! Since today is the first day of February, I got to mark off lots of things accomplished in January.

This one shocked the hell out of me! I'm a huge fan of chocolate. Huge. There was one time as a kid when they thought I might be allergic to chocolate, and I had to stop eating it for a few weeks and I thought I was going to go crazy. (Turned out I was allergic to the solvent used to clean a friend's carpet).

When January started, I about wanted to cry about missing out on chocolate. It actually went pretty well with my "eating healthier" mindset, so I was able to make it the entire month without chocolate! I still miss it, but I might even try to challenge myself and see how long I can go without out. I'm such an all or nothing type of person, and can rarely do anything in moderation!

Just happy to get this one checked off the list! Woo-hoo!

#41 - Try one new restaurant each month

January
Blue Fish

I waited until the last minute on this one, and then said "Hey honey, want to go out to dinner tonight?" So we had a bunch of places in mind to go to, but many of the menus we checked out online were a little pricier than we wanted to spend. We ended up at a sushi restaurant that we hadn't looked at before heading out and still spent more than we wanted to spend! The food was good, but I ate way to much. It was also a bit to "commercial" of a sushi restaurant for our liking. Not so sure that we would go back here, as there are other sushi restaurants in the area that we liked better.

We have a few restaurants still in mind to check out next month.

#58 - Move 401K money

All I really needed to do on this one was call up our financial planner and ask him to get paperwork in process to move my 401K money from my old employer into my Roth-IRA account. I tried to do this late last fall, but somehow he never received the information from me. I kept meaning to follow up with him, but always seemed to forget. So I followed up again with him this month, faxed him the paperwork on my end, he then mailed me a form to sign, and that was that. This was a good 6 months overdue, so I'm happy to call it complete!

#56 - No kid clothing purchases for one entire month

I can't believe I did this, but for the entire month of January, I did not purchase any clothes for TemTem. Now, my sister may have purchased a few things. And I may have bought her a bouncy ball and a new sippy cup. But I get to mark this one complete.

Now, I do need to purchase a birthday outfit for her in February, but come March, I may just try to do this one again. It helped on our pocket book for me not to just pick something up because it was on sale and was "too good to pass up".

#50 - Clean out my car once a month

I know, I know. I should probably clean out my car more than once a month. But I like to clean my car out about as much as I like running on the treadmill. Before child, I never had the cleanest car. After child, it looks like a national disaster hit.

I also used to be one of those people before kids that said "I will never let my child it in his/her carseat" after seeing how gross those things can get from some of my friends' kids. Once I had a child, that got thrown out the window pretty fast. I would rather hand her a sippy cup of milk than listen to her cry "milk, milk, MIIIILLLLKKK" over and over the entire car ride. I've also been known to hand her grapes or dried apricots and the occasional snack. (Yes, in the back of my head I still have that awful "what-if-she-chokes-while-I'm driving" fear).

While cleaning out the car for January, I think I honestly found a full container worth of puffs under the seats. I also found other random food items, missing barrettes, a few rocks, chapstick, and lots of spare change. I even went so far as to pull the carseat into the house, vacuum it out, and scrub out all the milk-dried stains. I then took the car up to the car wash for a good detailing, after my attempt to vacuum it out and wipe it down wasn't producing great results.

Here's my proof!

#45 - Back-up pictures on external hard drive

Back-up pictures on external hard drive once a month - check for January.

I'm glad I recorded this as a 101 Thing on my list, otherwise I would not remember to do it on a regular basis. And it makes me so happy to have all those great family pictures backed up somewhere other than on my computer.

#80 - Let someone in front of me at the grocery store ten times

This seems like it would be an easy one to knock out of the park, that is if I did my grocery shopping without an antsy toddler in tow.

So when we were at Dick's Sporting Goods the other day (OK, yes, it's not a "grocery" store, but it is a store with a line to pay for goods), they needed to do a price check on one of my items. The cashier had to call a manager to the front, so I let the girl in line behind me go in front of me.

She said "Are you sure?"
I said "Yes."
She said "Thanks"
Pretty typical conversation for things like this.

All the while DH was keeping the antsy little one occupied so I didn't need to fret about making a break out of the store as fast as possible.

Nine more times of letting someone in front of me, and then this one will be done.

#85 - Leave 100% tip at a restaurant

Earlier this week I went out wit the Margarita Mamas to a wine bar. The waiter was super friendly and managed the large group of women without breaking a sweat. Our water glasses were always filled, and those sharing bottles of wine always had full glasses.

I only had two glasses of wine, but when it came time to pay, I asked for a separate bill and left him a 100% tip.

OK, so it wasn't "technically" a restaurant, but it was still a place with wait staff. And even though my bill was rather inexpensive (hey, times are tough), I still left a big tip. I'm marking this one complete.

DH and I have always been what we feel are really good tippers. We leave 20% as a rule of thumb unless the service is super, super bad, then we leave 15% (there may have been one occasion where we left 10%). If the service is super, super great, we round up a bit passed 20% .

So my take away from Item #85 on my list is that on a rare occasion, when the mood is right, the service is exceptional, and we are feeling generous, a 100% tip can go a long way - not just for the server, but for us for making someone's shift at work.

#70 - Take Ten Yoga Classes

January 26th
4th yoga class is done.

It was that memorable I forgot to post about it :) In all honesty, the instructor is very, very good. I'm just not the biggest fan of yoga yet. I have six more classes to go to see if I change my mind. I'm sure that after the tenth class, I will not be so strict with myself when 5:30a.m. comes around on Monday mornings and I need to get up for yoga.

The hardest thing for me besides balance and being flexible is remembering to breath correctly.

#14 - Take a beginner sewing class

Look at that beautiful pillowcase! When TemTem saw it, she said "Oh, pretty!"

I signed up and took sewing 101 at the local fabric store on Saturday. The instructor was wonderful, and there were about 5 other ladies in the class all around my age. The class was great in that we were all the most beginner of beginners - not so much as a home economics class in high school or the basic knowledge of the sewing machine parts. The instructor stepped us through everything, and our project was a pillowcase. Now I have a long, long way to go, but I had fun! I can't cut or sew very straight yet, but I'm hoping that will just come with lots and lots of practice. I plan to sign up for the next class they offer, and I will take a look at a new sewing machine too. (Mine is the most basic. In class, I worked on one that had such nice bells and whistles and was pretty much idiot-proof).

Taking the class brought back such nostalgia for me. As a kid, I remember spending what seemed like hours flipping through the pattern books as my mom went about finding items she needed at Minnesota Fabrics (store closed, many, many years ago). The sound of the sewing machine humming away reminded me of the countless hours my mom would spend in the basement sewing everything from Halloween costumes to prom dresses. She is such a wonderful seamstress, and I wish I would have taken the time to learn from her. Now, I will have to wait until she visits me next to teach me beyond bare-bones basics.

And since I had so much fabric leftover from my project, I attempted (key word is attempted) to make TemTem a little smock dress. It was not super successful, but she's none the wiser and she told me "Thank you pretty dress" today, so it made me feel good. At least I learned a lot from the practice project, so maybe on the next outfit I will improve :)

#61 - Floss often enough that the hygienist can see an improvement next checkup

My last dental cleaning was about 7 months ago. At this cleaning, they did one of those gum "tests" where they check how deep the pockets of your gums are on your teeth. I pretty much failed. They strongly recommend I have periodontal therapy done. However, my insurance was not going to cover it, and it was rather expensive. So I told myself that I would floss as much as I could and be diligent with the oral hygiene and see if I couldn't get my "test" scores to improve on my own.

I did not think at my cleaning appointment today that I would hear such good news. My scores were improved and they no longer are recommending the expensive periodontal therapy. They said that I am still at increased risk for gum disease and that I always need to keep an eye on this. But the hygienist also said she was super impressed with how well I did on my own! Yay!

I am not marking this one complete yet, even though I "technically" could do so. I am going to wait until my next 6 month appointment and make sure that I keep up with the flossing.

As a side note, I also learned today that my high scores on my test seven months ago could have been due to hormonal fluctuations because it had only been a month or two since I stopped breastfeeding.

#89 - Get two family members to join Facebook

I've got one family member signed up on Facebook, so I'm adding yet another task to the "In Progress" status.

Even though he resisted it at first, my brother joined Facebook. Well, let's be honest. I set up his account, filled out his profile, uploaded a bunch of pictures for him, and sent out a few friends requests.

And, like most people who get on Facebook, he seems to be enjoying it and is adding friends each day. He's even learned to post comments to other people's wall.

Next on my list will be to help my mom set up her account.

#84 - Make a list of all family/friend birthdays and send them a card

This task is now "In Progress" as well. The list of all family/friends birthdays that I wanted to gather has been compiled, and I even sent out the first birthday card this month too.

I will mark this task as complete after the first year, but I plan to continue sending cards out each year now that I have the list together.....oh, that reminds me, I think I still need to confirm two dates.

#75 - Send a hand-written note to a friend once a month

One letter off to a dear old friend. Not that she's old as in years "old", just that she's been a friend for a while and always lends a good ear.

Task is now officially "in progress".

#76 - Send a gift to someone in the mail for no reason

I could technically mark this one complete, as I sent something small to someone unsuspecting last week. (And she sent the sweetest little thank-you note with money for TemTem to put in her piggy bank).

But I have an even better idea for someone else, so I'm going to keep this one open until I can get the other idea executed.

This is definitely a fun one!

#49 - Clean the fridge out completely once a month

So this is a rather boring goal, but a necessary evil. I mean, who really needs one lone pickle floating in a large jar in the back of the fridge?

Sometime last week I pulled everything out, checked dates on bottles, threw out old stuff, wiped down racks, and put everything back in place. I even pulled out the crisper drawers and wiped behind them as well.

It's much easier to clean the fridge in our place now vs the fridge in our house back in Michigan. This one is much smaller and does not have all glass shelves to get icky.

Now if only I could get to cleaning my car.....

#70 - Take ten yoga classes

January 19th
3rd yoga class can be marked off.

Yep, Monday morning and I hit the gym again for a 6:00 a.m. yoga class. The instructor is amazingly talented. She said something profound again about emotions, but I already forgot what it was!

I stink at yoga. I stink at breathing correctly. I hope that at some point I can catch on a wee bit and enjoy it.

#55 - No internet purchases for one entire month

I was doing so well. 13 days with no Internet purchases. That's probably a record for me. And it's super hard for me too. But this is also a super important one for us since I still have not found employment and need to keep extra spending to a minimum.

What was just so important that I had to purchase? I attend on a somewhat regular basis Metro Mom events in Dallas. The event I'm going to is presented by a local Professor and is called "Sensitive Parenting: Forming a growth-promoting relationship with your child." You can only pay for the event through PayPal, so it's most definitely an Internet purchase.

My goal for the rest of the month is still to make no more purchases, and then we move on to February and see what happens.

#21 - Fly a kite in the park with my daughter

My first goal is complete!!

Did you hear that?

I almost forgot that I actually tracked this as one of the 101 Things I wanted to do until I re-read through my list today. And lo and behold, I did add it to my list and now I get to mark it as complete.*
I had to stop by the toy store last week to pick up a present for a birthday party we will be attending this month. It was a beautiful, sunny day, and I thought it would be a perfect day to go to the park with TemTem. I asked if they had any kites in stock, and we got a nice little one for $10.

Unfortunately, we had other errands to run that day and nap time was a must, so we never made it to the park. So this past weekend we made sure to head to a nearby park and test out our purchase. It was sunny and a little "chilly", but there was a slight wind that was great for a first-time kite flying experience. It was so much fun to watch DH show TemTem how it all worked (for the most part, I was busy trying to get pictures). She was really excited, for about 10 minutes that is! Then she had no more interest in flying a kite and wanted to run off and play.

* The good news is that the kite is in the back of my car and ready for more flights on the next perfect kite-flying day. So although this goal gets to be marked complete, it's not really a "one and done" type of goal. I'm looking forward to many more days like this for all of us. It's so much fun to experience these simple things with my kiddo.

#70 - Take Ten Yoga Classes

January 12th
Second yoga class is done.

Let's just say I think I am the least bendable person on earth! I have no grace. Picture a big, burly football player in a ballet class. That's what I feel like!

#47 - Freecycle once a month

January - Let's Pretend Elmo
Since TemTem received Elmo Live for Christmas from her Uncle Ryan and Aunt Tina, there was no reason to keep around the ill-fated Let's Pretend Elmo (I'll save the story that goes along with him for another day, as it would definitely place me atop my soap box). So I posted it on North Dallas Freecycle yesterday, and today the new owner picked it up for her grandson. I even put new batteries in it too! Funny thing is that as soon as I pulled it down and put new batteries in it, TemTem wanted to play with it. But now that it's gone (luckily she did not witness the transaction), I know she won't miss it. In fact, she's playing with Elmo Live right now. (If I hear that darn "Why is six afraid of seven?" joke one more time......)

#70 - Take ten yoga classes

January 5th
1st yoga class - check!

The instructor is in her mid-forties and has to be in the best shape of any woman her age (ok, not that far off from my age). She was so incredibly tone, but not crazy Madonna-muscular. If I could pick any body to look like, it would be this woman's.

Anyway, I digress. I am so not cut-out for yoga. Maybe it's just that I've never really done it (other than pre-natal yoga), and I need to give it a few more classes before I determining if I will like it or not. I'm so not flexible and I'm so out of shape. It's not very fun to try and get into some moves when your saddlebags or muffin top are getting in the way.

And holy wall of mirrors! I haven't looked at myself in a set of mirrors like that in ages, and I didn't recognize the person looking back at me. At one point, the instructor said something like "Open up your hips, as that is where you store all your emotions". And I was thinking the whole time, "Damn, I sure as hell have a lot of emotions stored up!"

#40 - Try one new recipe each month

I set this goal up as a monthly task, but I think I will be able to do this at least 2 - 3 times a month.

January

1. Monday, January 5th - New recipe was a Rosemary Lemon Chicken. It came from my Healthy Cooking for Two recipe books. It was alright, but nothing to right home about. It likely won't become one of our regular meals. I did get to use fresh rosemary from my little rosemary tree that is on its last leg though!
2. Tuesday, January 6th - Wow, we are on a role! Tonight's new recipe was much tastier. It was Creamy Dijon Chicken from my Lickety-Split Meals for Health Conscious People on the Go cook book (that's a mouthful). We had it with egg noodles and asparagus. Yum!

#69 - Go to bed before 11:00 p.m. at least once a week

Well, with no Internet and no TV on Sunday night, and the alarm set for 5:00 a.m. so I could head to the gym, I managed to close my eyes around 10:30 p.m.! Wohoo!! I still needed a nap when TemTem took her nap because I am no longer used to waking up so damn early. I think once I start working again, this goal will not be hard to reach each week.

#7 - One day of each week, no Internet

I can happily report this one as In Progress as well. No Internet for one day had to be the hardest thing for me! I have a little bit of an addiction problem (I won't tell you what I am doing while typing this). I even made a list of all the things I needed to do once I was "allowed" back on the Internet.

As hard as this will be for me each week, I know it's very important to "unplug" once in a while. It's good for me, even if it is a bit painful. I really need to learn to sit back and relax and enjoy the little things, and hopefully unplugging each week will make me remember the life that is happening around me!

My goal is not to only do this each week, but to also start to look forward to prying my fingers off the keyboard!

#6 - One day of each week, do not watch TV

Yeah, I can mark this one as In Progress now.

Our first no TV day was Sunday, January 5th. TemTem is really into movies right now (against my better judgement, I know, but we are trying to limit it to one a day). So when she asked for a movie, we lied (bad parents) and told her we lost the remote control. We could not contain our laughter when she came running to us yelling "Yeah, TemTem found it!" DH had hidden it under a couch cushion, and I guess she was determined to find it! Still, we didn't cave and the TV stayed off.

It was a nice quite day, and I actually read a bit as well. It wasn't as tough as I thought it would be, and it definitely was an eye-opener as to how much we have the TV on for background noise.

#14 - Take a Beginner Sewing Class

I attempted to take a beginner sewing class tonight, but the class was cancelled due to not enough participants signing up. I'm rescheduled to take the class mid-month, which gives me a little time to try and dig my machine out of storage. I'm not even sure if it works, as it was a hand-me down from someone!

#32 - Date night with husband at least once a month

January 2008
DH and I went to see Revolutionary Road at the Angelika at Mockingbird Station. Overall well acted and well written, just a very tough, depressing movie to watch.

End of Week 1 Update

I have a confession to make. I think I may have messed up a little already on some of my "weekly" goals - all those goals where I said I wanted to accomplish X at least once a week.

If I follow the calendar weeks, Week 1 was Thursday, January 1st - Saturday, January 3rd, with Week 2 starting Sunday, January 4th. That means my first week I would have only had 3 days to complete several tasks.

If I follow my own "personal" Week 1, it would have started Thursday, January 1st and wouldn't end until this coming Wednesday, January 7th.

I think to give myself the benefit of it all, I may for the first week count my deeds through January 7th. And at the same time, Week 2 will start on Sunday, January 4th. So there will be some overlap and some things I will have to double up on this coming week to be on course.

Enough rambling!

I've started on a few tasks, but nothing significant enough that requires lots of attention. I've been caffeine-free and chocolate-free for three days now and am ready to go crazy! I've also (barely) remembered to take my vitamin each day as well. I went about doing an "eco-friendly" goal that I thought I listed but didn't, so I'm just giving myself a good pat on the back for changing most the light bulbs in the place so far to the energy efficient ones. And hubby and I went on a date this past Friday night. I think I will add a quick extra post just so I jot down the "date" logistics.

And the hardest thing I think for me to try and accomplish on this list is no internet once a week. I'm fully admitting that I'm addicted to the Internet. Every spare moment not with Temperance, I run over to the computer. It's sad. It's like a drug. I will have to work hard on this one!

What’s It All About?

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 organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Why 1001 Days for Me?
I’m tired of creating the same old New Year’s Resolutions each year, that simply get pushed to the wayside come February or March of the New Year. I wanted to try something just a little bit different. I wanted to do something fun and challenging at the same time too. I decided to create a separate blog to track my goals on a regular basis. Talk about putting it all out there! I’m nervous and excited to start this project. Making this list made me stop, think, and evaluate who I am and how I can make “me” a better person.

Some of these goals just might not be attainable, but it’s all good. For every goal not reached, I will donate at least $2 (or more depending on finances) to a charity of my choice. Maybe I can inspire at least one other person to start his/her own list as well.

Inspiration
The 101 Things To Do in 1001 Days project was created by Triplux. I was inspired to get my butt in gear and give this a go by several fellow bloggers (Kameron @ A Wrinkle in Time, Heather @ Adventures of Aidanpod, and Liz @ Loving Mom 2 Boys). I did borrow many "things" from the lists of other bloggers :) My

Timeline
January 1, 2009 through September 29, 2011

The Key
Not Started
In Progress
Accomplished (with date)

My 101 Things to do in 1001 Days

Be a Better Me
1. Identify 5 bad habits and work on getting rid of them.
2. Identify 20 things I like about myself
3. Identify 100 things that make me happy
4. Make one new real friend
5. Visit 10 new churches
6. One day of each week, do not watch TV
7. One day of each week, no Internet, except as necessary for job search/work
8. Research & determine timeframe on becoming a surrogate

Be Knowledgeable
9. Read 20 books, any kind I want
10. Read 5 non-fiction books
11. Read 2 books with husband and discuss
12. Read Nikon camera manual
13. Read Sigma lens manual
14. Take a beginner sewing class
15. Re-hone my German skills
16. Learn how to use PhotoShop to edit pictures
17. Learn 50 countries, their capitals, and their leaders
18. Attend one blogging conference

Be a Family
19. Put daughter's postcards into a photo album
20. Buy a bicycle trailer for my daughter and go on a bike ride
21. Fly a kite in the park with my daughter
22. Take daughter berry picking at least twice
23. Have at least two family picnics
24. Dress up for Halloween with a theme for the family
25. Take daughter to her first movie in a theater
26. Take daughter fishing
27. Build a sand castle with my daughter
28. Search for beach glass on Lake Michigan with daughter
29. Teach daughter all 50 states and their capitals
30. Give daughter a sibling

Be Adventurous
31. Visit 3 new states or 1 new country
32. Date night with husband at least once a month
33. Attend a dinner/wine-tasting event
34. Host a party
35. Have a spa day with my sisters
36. Send a postcard to PostSecret
37. Participate in 20 Postcrossings
38. Watch 20 movies on IMDB's Top 250 list
39. Take a cooking class with a friend
40. Try one new recipe each month
41. Try one new restaurant each month
42. Watch the sun rise and set five times each

Be an Organizing Junkie
43. Organize my “Contacts” List and sync with my phone
44. Re-vamp the household filing system for efficiency
45. Back-up pictures on external hard drive once a month
46. Organize daughter's vaccination/medical file
47. Place at least one item on Freecycle once a month
48. Add jewelry to rider on insurance
49. Clean the fridge out completely once a month
50. Clean out my car once a month

Be Professional
51. Find a paying job
52. Find a paying job that I enjoy
53. Find a mentor in my field of employment
54. Teach myself to do pivot tables and vLookups in Excel

Be Frugal
55. No internet purchases for one entire month
56. No kid clothing purchases for one entire month
57. Organize bills through MS Money
58. Move 401K money from old employer into my Roth-IRA
59. Sign-up with a company to monitor credit report

Be Healthy
60. Take a multi-vitamin every day for 6 months
61. Floss often enough that the hygienist can see an improvement next checkup
62. Go caffeine-free (drinks) for 6 months (not chocolate)
63. Go chocolate-free for one entire month
64. Drink nothing but water for 1 month
65. No eating after 8:00 p.m. for one month
66. Make ****** doctor's appointment
67. Complete a ½ marathon
68. Fit back into my skinny jeans (even if they are out of style)
69. Go to bed before 11:00 p.m. at least once a week
70. Take ten yoga classes
71. Try 5 new exotic fruits that I've never had
72. Get serious about skincare

Be Giving
73. Pay for someone behind me in the drive thru
74. Participate in 2 volunteer opportunities
75. Send a hand-written note to a friend once a month
76. Send a gift to someone in the mail for no reason
77. Plan a girl's trip somewhere for my big sister's 40th birthday
78. Offer to babysit for my friends at least 5 times
79. Give up a parking space in a crowded lot to the person behind me
80. Let someone in front of me at the grocery store ten times
81. Put change in someone’s expired meter
82. Compliment ten complete strangers
83. Make 3 dresses to send to Little Dresses for Africa
84. Make a list of all family/friend birthdays and send them a card
85. Leave 100% tip at a restaurant for exceptional service
86. Put flowers on someone's grave who I don't know
87. Buy a gift for 3 children for the Christmas Angel/Salvation Army program
88. Convince someone to become an organ donor
89. Get two family members to join Facebook

Be Eco-Friendly
90. Go without a bag at the store or purchase an additional reusable bag if I forget to bring mine
91. Install 3 Smart Strip Power Strips in the house
92. Phase out non eco-friendly household cleaners
93. Plant one tree
94. Research and start using rechargeable batteries
95. Start composting
96. Use eco-friendly/cloth diapers for baby #2

Be a Memory Keeper
97. Take an “us" picture every month
98. Convert the first two year’s of Temperance blog entries into a scrapbook
99. Record Grandmother's and Grandfather's siblings names in one central location
100. Create a wall of photos for one room in the house
101. Keep a journal of my 101 completed tasks (blog)