Time to update some more of my posts.
First of all, I'm proud to say I started the C25K program this week. And I am feeling really good so far, so God willing, I'm sticking with it. Anything to get closer to my pre-children body.
Now, for the Household and Finance section:
15. Get into a solid housekeeping schedule and stick to it for three months. - Well, let's say I have at least devised a theoretical schedule. I've yet to stick to it for more than two days. Baby steps!!
16. Frame and hang photos and prints that are waiting to go up. - Yes, as soon as I have some extra money and buy some frames. I am also devoting one space on the wall where I am going to frame a bunch of the kids' artwork.
17. Apply feng shui in at least three areas in the house. - Not yet. Have to clean it first.
18. Organize my recipes and purge the cookbooks I don't use. - I actually did get rid of a few cookbooks, but the six-inch high (at least!) pile of loose recipes I have desperately needs attention.
19. Try one new recipe each month. - I actually try new recipes all the time, so this one is a no-brainer for me. At some point I will post some of the winners.
20. Create and maintain a family budget. - Maybe one day when we actually have some money - LOL.
21. Start an IRA - not yet.
22. Make sure we have enough life insurance. - I think we're okay, but I do need to check this.
23. Begin regular deposits into the kids' college accounts. - Regular? No.
24. Start chores and allowances for the kids. - One of these days.
25. Bake a cheesecake. - If anyone has a good fail-proof recipe, send it on.
26. Shop regularly at the local resale shop. - Again, regularly? Not yet.
27. Establish an emergency savings fund. - ha!
28. Come up with a regular meal planning system. - in progress
29. Organize and maintain our paperwork. - in good progress
30. Buy a stock. - not yet
31. Make our bed every day. - I was doing really well on this, but lately not so much.
32. Go one week without spending any money. - Close, but no cigar.
Friday, May 15
Tuesday, May 5
How time flies ... time to update the list!
Well, well ... as is customary for me, I started this wonderful project and haven't been able to give it the time and attention it deserves. But(!) I have been making some headway nonetheless. I thought it was time to give a little update to let those of you following this know what the heck is going on with me and my nutty list.
So, taking it section by section:
Health & Fitness
1. Complete Couch to 5K program - yeeeaaaah ... haven't really started this one. Really need to get my butt off the couch before it gets any larger. Really, really do want to do this. Seems that working out is difficult to schedule when I am home alone with the kiddos from 5:00a to 3:30 or so, and then I start working (from home) at 4:00, until late at night. Must, MUST give this one more attention.
2. Run in a 5K - see above
3. Run in a 10K - again, see above
4. Run in a half-marathon - good lord, see above
5. Run in a marathon - God willing, this WILL happen by 2011!
6. Get entire family on regular doctor/dentist visit schedule - hey, actually working on this one - pats on the back for me.
7. Participate in Avon Walk for Breast Cancer - maybe next year.
8. Get back into the habit of taking a daily multi-vitamin - DONE!
9. Find a good doctor for fibromyalgia - as it turns out, there are no fibro specialists in the area. Not even in Chicago. Go figure. Closest is apparently Ann Arbor, Michigan, which doesn't do me much good. I did, however, find a rheumatologist who is willing to treat me, and work with me rather than be dismissive.
10. Try the fibromyalgia protocol from Fibromyalgia Treatment Center - Done, as in I decided not to do it after all.
10. Join the YMCA - not so much yet.
11. Walk the dogs regularly - hey, I actually started this. Yes, I did. Now, consider that Zoe can't walk more than a block and Echo thinks she can, but not really. But still, even short walks count for little dogs.
12. Give up soda for 30 days (0/30) - I am about to pee my pants I'm laughing so hard at this. Maybe in a few months. Caffiene is close to my only vice these days.
13. Try yoga for one month (0/30) - Does it count if I tried it once?
14. Get prescription sunglasses -one of these days. I need new regular glasses first, as Echo thought my current pair would be nice to chew on.
So, taking it section by section:
Health & Fitness
1. Complete Couch to 5K program - yeeeaaaah ... haven't really started this one. Really need to get my butt off the couch before it gets any larger. Really, really do want to do this. Seems that working out is difficult to schedule when I am home alone with the kiddos from 5:00a to 3:30 or so, and then I start working (from home) at 4:00, until late at night. Must, MUST give this one more attention.
2. Run in a 5K - see above
3. Run in a 10K - again, see above
4. Run in a half-marathon - good lord, see above
5. Run in a marathon - God willing, this WILL happen by 2011!
6. Get entire family on regular doctor/dentist visit schedule - hey, actually working on this one - pats on the back for me.
7. Participate in Avon Walk for Breast Cancer - maybe next year.
8. Get back into the habit of taking a daily multi-vitamin - DONE!
9. Find a good doctor for fibromyalgia - as it turns out, there are no fibro specialists in the area. Not even in Chicago. Go figure. Closest is apparently Ann Arbor, Michigan, which doesn't do me much good. I did, however, find a rheumatologist who is willing to treat me, and work with me rather than be dismissive.
10. Try the fibromyalgia protocol from Fibromyalgia Treatment Center - Done, as in I decided not to do it after all.
10. Join the YMCA - not so much yet.
11. Walk the dogs regularly - hey, I actually started this. Yes, I did. Now, consider that Zoe can't walk more than a block and Echo thinks she can, but not really. But still, even short walks count for little dogs.
12. Give up soda for 30 days (0/30) - I am about to pee my pants I'm laughing so hard at this. Maybe in a few months. Caffiene is close to my only vice these days.
13. Try yoga for one month (0/30) - Does it count if I tried it once?
14. Get prescription sunglasses -
Friday, December 12
Slight progress
Wow, with the holidays upon us, I haven't had as much time as I thought I would to tackle my list. I have, however made a bit of headway.
43. Start reading bedtime stories again. Check! I'm glad I have gotten back into this habit with the kids. Right now the boys and I are reading Prince Caspian. We should finish it up before they get the movie for Christmas from Grandma.
66. Reinstitute monthly date night. I have to be honest. I hadn't really worked on this one yet. It just sort of happened. Our landlord called me and invited us to a dinner theater presentation at his church. Well, going back to church is also on my list, so it couldn't hurt to see what his parish (do they call it a parish if it's not Catholic?) was like. He paid for the tickets, and dinner was included. Grandma watched the kids. So I think dinner and a show counts as date night. The play was actually very funny, and the acting by the church members was outstanding. There was no overly Christian overtone, thankfully, so we didn't feel awkward. Now I just have to keep it up. Time to start thinking ahead for January.
80. Spend one week a month completely away from the computer. That's going to be this weekend. EEK! I am working now (ahem ... supposed to be working!) and when I sign off at 10:00 p.m., old faithful gets turned off until Monday morning.
89. Find an organization to volunteer with regularly. This one turned out to be so easy. One of my 101 things supporters is the woman we adopted our furbaby Zoe from. She is involved in Midwest Boston Terrier Rescue, and she suggested I sign up to help them. We aren't really able to foster dogs waiting for adoption right now, but there are plenty of other things that they can use help with. Perfect! So tomorrow, Echo (MWBTR adoptee #2) and I are heading out to an adoption expo to represent MWBTR. I'm excited, and looking forward to more events like this as well.
43. Start reading bedtime stories again. Check! I'm glad I have gotten back into this habit with the kids. Right now the boys and I are reading Prince Caspian. We should finish it up before they get the movie for Christmas from Grandma.
66. Reinstitute monthly date night. I have to be honest. I hadn't really worked on this one yet. It just sort of happened. Our landlord called me and invited us to a dinner theater presentation at his church. Well, going back to church is also on my list, so it couldn't hurt to see what his parish (do they call it a parish if it's not Catholic?) was like. He paid for the tickets, and dinner was included. Grandma watched the kids. So I think dinner and a show counts as date night. The play was actually very funny, and the acting by the church members was outstanding. There was no overly Christian overtone, thankfully, so we didn't feel awkward. Now I just have to keep it up. Time to start thinking ahead for January.
80. Spend one week a month completely away from the computer. That's going to be this weekend. EEK! I am working now (ahem ... supposed to be working!) and when I sign off at 10:00 p.m., old faithful gets turned off until Monday morning.
89. Find an organization to volunteer with regularly. This one turned out to be so easy. One of my 101 things supporters is the woman we adopted our furbaby Zoe from. She is involved in Midwest Boston Terrier Rescue, and she suggested I sign up to help them. We aren't really able to foster dogs waiting for adoption right now, but there are plenty of other things that they can use help with. Perfect! So tomorrow, Echo (MWBTR adoptee #2) and I are heading out to an adoption expo to represent MWBTR. I'm excited, and looking forward to more events like this as well.
Saturday, November 15
#71 Get rid of 100 unused items
Done! This turned out to be much easier than I expected. While I was unpacking some boxes still left from the move, and cleaning out the coat closet, I easily found more than 100 items of clothing and other household stuff to donate to our local resale store. Everything is boxed up and ready to go on Tuesday morning (they are closed Sundays and Mondays).
Yay me - I am still riding this high from the motivation of listing my 101.
Yay me - I am still riding this high from the motivation of listing my 101.
Friday, November 14
Well THIS certainly isn't a good sign ...
So here I was, feeling very proud of myself because I was able to put one of my list items in bold meaning I was in the process of working on it (see #31). Then I sat down to do some research on the guaifenesin protocol for treatment of fibromyalgia (my former #10). And I quickly found out that the protocol is not scientifically proven and in fact there is lots of evidence that points to it actually being well, a bunch of bunk. So I guess I won't be trying THAT after all!
Wow - Day 2 of my 1,001 days and I already have to edit my list. I suppose I could just mark it as completed - I did enough research to tell myself that it isn't worth my time, so there is no need to pursue it further, but that just doesn't seem to be in the spirit of things, now does it? So, seeing as it is only Day 2, I am going to elect an alternative #10. I hope that's okay with all of you.
My new #10, as you will see, is to join the local YMCA. Access to fitness equipment = much needed workouts, hopefully.
Back to fibromyalgia for a moment ... if anyone out there has a treatment that worked for them or someone they know, please give me a shout and let me know about it. So far I haven't had very impressive luck with any doctor wanting to do much but prescribe me Cymbalta. Gracias!
Wow - Day 2 of my 1,001 days and I already have to edit my list. I suppose I could just mark it as completed - I did enough research to tell myself that it isn't worth my time, so there is no need to pursue it further, but that just doesn't seem to be in the spirit of things, now does it? So, seeing as it is only Day 2, I am going to elect an alternative #10. I hope that's okay with all of you.
My new #10, as you will see, is to join the local YMCA. Access to fitness equipment = much needed workouts, hopefully.
Back to fibromyalgia for a moment ... if anyone out there has a treatment that worked for them or someone they know, please give me a shout and let me know about it. So far I haven't had very impressive luck with any doctor wanting to do much but prescribe me Cymbalta. Gracias!
Thursday, November 13
101 Things To Do In 1,001 Days
So I completely randomly ran across this idea of making a list of 101 things that you would like to accomplish in 1,001 days. Since I have never been good at New Year's resolutions, but I am in a bit of a rut and wanted some motivation to get organized and make some changes, I decided to take this one on.
Why am I creating a blog for my list? Good question. I am not a blogger. Not into MySpace or anything like that. However, I need something to hold me accountable, and hopefully this will do the trick. So please, keep me motivated. Add your comments, encouragement, ask me if I'm crazy, whatever. It will be much appreciated.
This little experiment will end for me on August 12, 2011, when hopefully I will be inspired to start a new list.
By the way, to give credit where credit is due, this idea originated at Day Zero, so please go there and read more about it. (And start your own list!)
And now, my list:
(items that are red are completed - items that are bold are in the process)
101 in 1,001
December 1, 2008 through August 29, 2011
Health & Fitness
1. Complete Couch to 5K program - on Day 3 as of 05/15/09
2. Run in a 5K
3. Run in a 10K
4. Run in a half-marathon
5. Run in a marathon
6. Get entire family on regular doctor/dentist visit schedule
7. Participate in Avon Walk for Breast Cancer
8. Get back into the habit of taking a daily multi-vitamin
9. Find a good doctor for fibromyalgia
10. Try the fibromyalgia protocol from Fibromyalgia Treatment Center
10. Join the YMCA
11. Walk the dogs regularly
12. Give up soda for 30 days (0/30)
13. Try yoga for one month (0/30)
14. Get prescription sunglasses
Household & Finance
15. Get into a solid housekeeping schedule and stick to it for three months (0/90)
16. Frame and hang photos and prints that are waiting to go up
17. Apply feng shui in at least three areas in the house
18. Organize my recipes and purge the cookbooks I don’t use
19. Try one new recipe each month (3/33)
20. Create and maintain a family budget
21. Start an IRA
22. Make sure we have enough life insurance
23. Begin regular deposits into kids’ college accounts
24. Start chores and allowances for the kids
25. Bake a cheesecake
26. Shop regularly at the local resale shop
27. Establish an emergency savings fund
28. Come up with a regular meal planning system
29. Organize and maintain our paperwork
30. Buy a stock
31. Make our bed every day
32. Go one week without spending any money (0/7)
Family
33. Go sledding with the kids
34. Go to the beach with the kids
35. Go to the Adler Planetarium
36. Go to the Museum of Science and Industry
37. Go to the zoo at least once a year (0/3)
38. Have my will drawn up
39. Go to a Trojans football game
40. Go to to a Railcats baseball game
41. Have a family portrait taken
42. Teach Logan and Quinn to ride bikes without training wheels
43. Start reading bedtime stories to the kids again
44. Take a family trip to the Indiana Dunes
45. Create a real, lasting family tradition that does not involve a holiday
46. Visit the library with the kids at least once a month (5/33)
47. Take a trip to Indianapolis and visit the zoo and the children’s museum
48. Take the kids fishing
49. Take the kids bowling
50. Take the kids horseback riding
Personal Fulfillment
51. Try the fondue restaurant
52. Read at least one new book each month (3/33)
53. Complete a corn maze
54. Treat myself to a spa day
55. Take a photography class
56. Frame and display some of my photos (not of the kids)
57. Take a quilting class
58. Make a quilt
59. Go back to church
60. Keep a journal
61. Start recording our family tree
62. Plant a garden
63. Learn some real origami
64. Become a member of Indiana Ghost Trackers
65. Participate in an overnight ghost hunt
66. Re-institute monthly date night (1/33)
67. Become Advanced Unit Leader in AVON
68. Go on an architectural tour of Chicago
69. Go antiquing
70. Take golf lessons
71. Get rid of 100 unused items (100/100)
72. Re-learn how to use my sewing machine
73. Take a cake decorating class
74. Bake and decorate each family member a birthday cake - one down, four to go
75. Find a great hairstyle
76. Learn to play chess
77. Watch the sun set and rise (not necessarily in one sitting!)
78. Rent a beach house for a weekend
79. Identify 100 things that make me happy.
80. Stay away from the computer for an entire weekend once a month (3/33)
81. Find a great bra that fits and buy 10 of them
82. Get an aquarium for the house
83. See a production by Cirque de Soleil
84. Get scrapbooking caught up
Paying it Forward
85. Plant a tree on Arbor Day
86. Chair a PTO activity
87. Pay for the person behind me in the drive thru
88. Give an anonymous gift
89. Find an organization to volunteer at regularly and do so
90. Send birthday cards
91. Start recycling
Just for Fun
92. Get tipsy in good company (I'm lookin' at you, Katie!)
93. Host a poker night
94. Learn a magic trick and perform it
95. Host a pumpkin carving party
96. High five a stranger in a non-athletic setting
97. Dress up for Halloween
98. Ride a rollercoaster
And …
99. Save $10 for each task completed
100. Donate $10 to a charity for each task not completed at the end of 1,001 days
101. Convince others to make their own 101 lists, and start my next list
Life Goals:
Go on a cruise
See the Northern Lights
Visit the pyramids
Take a hot air balloon ride
Go whale watching
Go white water rafting
See Niagara Falls
Swim with dolphins
Why am I creating a blog for my list? Good question. I am not a blogger. Not into MySpace or anything like that. However, I need something to hold me accountable, and hopefully this will do the trick. So please, keep me motivated. Add your comments, encouragement, ask me if I'm crazy, whatever. It will be much appreciated.
This little experiment will end for me on August 12, 2011, when hopefully I will be inspired to start a new list.
By the way, to give credit where credit is due, this idea originated at Day Zero, so please go there and read more about it. (And start your own list!)
And now, my list:
(items that are red are completed - items that are bold are in the process)
101 in 1,001
December 1, 2008 through August 29, 2011
Health & Fitness
1. Complete Couch to 5K program - on Day 3 as of 05/15/09
2. Run in a 5K
3. Run in a 10K
4. Run in a half-marathon
5. Run in a marathon
6. Get entire family on regular doctor/dentist visit schedule
7. Participate in Avon Walk for Breast Cancer
8. Get back into the habit of taking a daily multi-vitamin
9. Find a good doctor for fibromyalgia
10. Try the fibromyalgia protocol from Fibromyalgia Treatment Center
10. Join the YMCA
11. Walk the dogs regularly
12. Give up soda for 30 days (0/30)
13. Try yoga for one month (0/30)
14. Get prescription sunglasses
Household & Finance
15. Get into a solid housekeeping schedule and stick to it for three months (0/90)
16. Frame and hang photos and prints that are waiting to go up
17. Apply feng shui in at least three areas in the house
18. Organize my recipes and purge the cookbooks I don’t use
19. Try one new recipe each month (3/33)
20. Create and maintain a family budget
21. Start an IRA
22. Make sure we have enough life insurance
23. Begin regular deposits into kids’ college accounts
24. Start chores and allowances for the kids
25. Bake a cheesecake
26. Shop regularly at the local resale shop
27. Establish an emergency savings fund
28. Come up with a regular meal planning system
29. Organize and maintain our paperwork
30. Buy a stock
31. Make our bed every day
32. Go one week without spending any money (0/7)
Family
33. Go sledding with the kids
34. Go to the beach with the kids
35. Go to the Adler Planetarium
36. Go to the Museum of Science and Industry
37. Go to the zoo at least once a year (0/3)
38. Have my will drawn up
39. Go to a Trojans football game
40. Go to to a Railcats baseball game
41. Have a family portrait taken
42. Teach Logan and Quinn to ride bikes without training wheels
43. Start reading bedtime stories to the kids again
44. Take a family trip to the Indiana Dunes
45. Create a real, lasting family tradition that does not involve a holiday
46. Visit the library with the kids at least once a month (5/33)
47. Take a trip to Indianapolis and visit the zoo and the children’s museum
48. Take the kids fishing
49. Take the kids bowling
50. Take the kids horseback riding
Personal Fulfillment
51. Try the fondue restaurant
52. Read at least one new book each month (3/33)
53. Complete a corn maze
54. Treat myself to a spa day
55. Take a photography class
56. Frame and display some of my photos (not of the kids)
57. Take a quilting class
58. Make a quilt
59. Go back to church
60. Keep a journal
61. Start recording our family tree
62. Plant a garden
63. Learn some real origami
64. Become a member of Indiana Ghost Trackers
65. Participate in an overnight ghost hunt
66. Re-institute monthly date night (1/33)
67. Become Advanced Unit Leader in AVON
68. Go on an architectural tour of Chicago
69. Go antiquing
70. Take golf lessons
71. Get rid of 100 unused items (100/100)
72. Re-learn how to use my sewing machine
73. Take a cake decorating class
74. Bake and decorate each family member a birthday cake - one down, four to go
75. Find a great hairstyle
76. Learn to play chess
77. Watch the sun set and rise (not necessarily in one sitting!)
78. Rent a beach house for a weekend
79. Identify 100 things that make me happy.
80. Stay away from the computer for an entire weekend once a month (3/33)
81. Find a great bra that fits and buy 10 of them
82. Get an aquarium for the house
83. See a production by Cirque de Soleil
84. Get scrapbooking caught up
Paying it Forward
85. Plant a tree on Arbor Day
86. Chair a PTO activity
87. Pay for the person behind me in the drive thru
88. Give an anonymous gift
89. Find an organization to volunteer at regularly and do so
90. Send birthday cards
91. Start recycling
Just for Fun
92. Get tipsy in good company (I'm lookin' at you, Katie!)
93. Host a poker night
94. Learn a magic trick and perform it
95. Host a pumpkin carving party
96. High five a stranger in a non-athletic setting
97. Dress up for Halloween
98. Ride a rollercoaster
And …
99. Save $10 for each task completed
100. Donate $10 to a charity for each task not completed at the end of 1,001 days
101. Convince others to make their own 101 lists, and start my next list
Life Goals:
Go on a cruise
See the Northern Lights
Visit the pyramids
Take a hot air balloon ride
Go whale watching
Go white water rafting
See Niagara Falls
Swim with dolphins
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