Thursday, September 1, 2011

31 before 30 Check In

I've been thinking a lot about this challenge since my birthday in July and I've been wondering how I've been doing on it.... So here goes...
You can read my previous update and original goal too.
1. Run at least a half marathon if not a full one
I've been training and training and I'm NOT a good runner. I'm not one of those people who get on and get 5 or 10 miles done and smile as they hop off the treadmill to go about their day... I"m one of those coughing, wheezing types that is totally wet by the end of half walking mile 2 and will instead be icing their extremities the rest of the day. That being said, I was kicking butt in my own personal best times and then I sprained my ankle when I fell down some stairs. I'm working back up but two months later I'm still slower than I was. So frustrating.
2. Clean out my closet to things that I only actually wear (not wish I could wear or might wear someday)
This was awesome to get accomplished, but then I lost quite a bit of weight over the summer and was sad I hadn't kept a few of my favorite pieces that would fit again. But then again, I used it as an excuse to do a little birthday shopping. Now I need to go back through again and get rid of the things that are too big.
3. See the pacific ocean
4. Decide whether or not (and have if we are) any more children
I don't know if this discussion is ever done. Now that Penny is past the frustrating baby stage, I'm ogling babies again...
5. Weekend in Chicago (this was on my list last night as I was thinking of things, and that's what my gift from Adam is for my birthday! He must have read my mind)
We've been to Chicago a few times, and Max was just asking the other day if we could go again. I'd like to take the train up there sometime this fall.
6. Learn to quilt
Well not traditionally, but I did complete a quilt. It's just about twin sized and Penny sleeps with it every night.
7. Complete another full sized afghan (either knit or crochet)
I'm working on one. It started out as a baby blanket for a baby that's now crawling. Eeps.
8. Decide on a career
I take tests next weekend to finish my license to teach English here in Illinois. I'm not planning on going back to teaching until the kids go to school though
9. Join a CSA for a summer
10. Get Adam to eat the veggies from the CSA
11. Take Max and Penny to a real live farm to see animals and/or harvest
We went to go see the harvest and Max and Adam rode the combine
12. Visit the PNW
13. Find a little black dress I actually like
This is like the hardest thing to do EVER! But I do have a pretty turquoise one I've been wearing all the time... Maybe I'm just meant for color?
14. Finish reading the whole Bible (I've started this one so many times, but always go back to my favorites instead of reading it all)
15. knit myself a sweater
I have a fear of commitment. I couldn't decide on a pattern and then freaked about committing to a yarn. So I knitted Penny a really pretty sweater instead. I just finished it last night.
16. Feel comfortable in my own skin, no matter what it looks like, or who I'm with
I've hit some crazy crazy strides with this over the summer. I don't know when it happened, but it was all in God's timing. I love it!
17. Clean out everything we collect and make it into everything we use/need/love
This is like a never ending cycle. I'm actually on my second round through this weekend. But since I've finished one round, I'm gonna call it completed!
18. Catch up on Max and Penny's scrapbooks
I said to Adam a few days ago "I give up on scrapbooking. I'm just gonna finish each kid's first year and call it quits"
19. Have a "handmade Christmas" where everything I give has been handmade by myself or someone I know
I'm not in a position to do any better this year than last because of me opening my Etsy shop and doing a few craft fairs. So I'm calling this one completed since I'm pretty satisfied with last year.
20. Vacation without the kids (I think the overnight in Chicago might count for this one too...)
I'm totally counting it.
21. Go to Disneyland
22. Learn to use our camera in manual mode a little better
I shoot in manual quite a bit now. And I'm getting better all the time.
23. Have professional (really professional) family pictures taken
We tried. The kids were awful that morning. It's like they KNEW I wanted a nice picture. We'll have to try again.
24. Visit Dallas again
25. Spend some time alone on a beach and just read a book or magazine or knit

I'm hoping to get a little of this in October when we visit the gulf with Adam's parents and then end our time with a Disney Cruise with the whole family.
26. See MOPS (or any other ministry I might be involved in) flourish
Our second year of MOPS starts on Friday and the response this year has been a little overwhelming if those interested do choose to participate! I love all the relationships I've built out of this and I love seeing the Lord glorified through them!
27. Play my cello again
Bahaha still taking up space in the back of the spare room closet.
28. Read all the books I've bought and never read
Ok so I haven't bought a book.... that is a real hold in your hands book. Unfortunately, Adam got me a Kindle for my birthday. So now I collect unread books on there too.
29. Use trifle dish that I bought years ago but have only used to hold ice
I used it for fruit salad- I was also reminded that I totally have used it already- December 2008- 
30. Have a garage sale
It was awesome! And I loved getting rid of stuff. I might have collected enough to do another one this fall.
31. So I've been wanting to do something for a while I've never had the courage to do. It's something kinda silly, and I was thinking I was too old to, but I realized I'm not and I've been hemming and hawing about it for a few weeks now. So mystery item number 31 is going on the list and will be revealed when I do it.
I'm not gonna do it. At least now anyway. Maybe in different circumstances I would just go for it, but not right now.

Oh wow! That's really sad that I've only completed 13 out of 30 (31). But I also realize that a few of these might just be dreams (like the pacific ocean, visiting PNW, Disneyland group - all these would be completed with one trip that we might not get to take in the next year) Some are in the works and have some promise and others I at least knew weren't going to happen realistically... Adam eating veggies... who am I kidding? :)

2 comments:

Dawn said...

Since you're not going to do #31, do we get to know what it was? Or do we just have to eternally wonder in suspense? :)

Tina said...

So good to see you back on the blog. Love the fam picture. You look fantastic and happy and did I mention FANTASTIC- I still want to live next door to you sometime...