#28: Do the Couch to 5k to prepare for run with Kurtis

So those that know me really well know that I have absolutely zero interest in working out.  I'm one of the lucky ones that doesn't have to work to fit into my clothes.  I've been the same size since high school with no effort on my part to stay that way. (Yes, I'm knocking on wood so that won't change!)  By no means do I live an inactive lifestyle... I just don't work out in any formal since of the word.  Well on my last 101 in 1001 list, I put down that I wanted to do a charity run/walk to give back to the Ronald McDonald House at Texas Children's Hospital.  When my youngest son was born, he had complications with his breathing, and to put it plainly, it turned out he had two holes on his lungs.  He was transferred two days after his birth from the hospital he was delivered at to the NICU at Texas Children's Hospital.  He was born on Dec. 22 which meant a lot of crazy scheduling and driving over the Christmas holidays.  It was a very stressful time for me and my husband, but the people at the Ronald McDonald House at TCH made it all a bit better.  Their kindness and generosity to us was so unexpected and appreciated.  They had gifts on Christmas day for all our boys, a bed at night for my husband to stay at the hospital with our son, meals for him to eat, and so many other things that made that time easier to focus on our son.  I will forever be grateful to the doctors and nurses at TCH for their care and patience during that time.  The least I could do was give back to them so they can keep doing what they do best.

So why not a charity run?  Sounds like a great idea!  Until it's race day and you haven't prepared for a single inch of the race, let alone a whole 5k's worth of inches.  I did complete the race, which was great and all...but I definitely had enough time during the race to think of a million other things I could do to give back to the RMH at TCH that didn't involve running.  I swore I'd never do another one... Until I got back around to my family who had been at the finish line cheering me on.  There was Kurtis, all smiles and so excited.  "Sarah, Sarah!  I wanna do this race with you next year!" he tells me.  I'm thinking, "Nuh-uh.  Ain't happening."  But Kurtis is a bit persuasive, and maybe my mind forgot a bit of the misery I inflicted on myself that day... I finally agreed to do the race with him this year.

So, now I'm in a pickle.  Kurtis is my "bounce off the wall" kid with tons of energy.  I now have to keep up with him during this race.  I can't just run awhile and then walk a longer while at my own leisure.  No, I'll have to actually keep his pace.  And yes, I am saying he could run faster than me.  There is no doubt in my mind he could run the whole thing and never look back (or hurt the next day either!)  It became very clear to me that I wasn't going to be able to to do this race without some sort of preparation for it.  How can I let an 11-year-old smoke me in a race?  I'd never live it down.

And so begins day one of the Couch to 5k for me.  I downloaded the app on my phone.  Crawled out of bed. Got dressed.  Put on my awesome new running shoes.  And did day 1.

Stage	Distance	Time	Pace
WU	505 yards	5:00	17:24
1	167 yards	1:00	10:31
1R	173 yards	1:30	15:15
2	182 yards	1:00	9:38
2R	160 yards	1:30	16:24
3	183 yards	1:00	9:36
3R	154 yards	1:30	17:06
4	155 yards	1:00	11:20
4R	162 yards	1:30	16:15
5	165 yards	1:00	10:37
5R	155 yards	1:30	16:56
6	166 yards	1:00	10:33
6R	160 yards	1:30	16:28
7	162 yards	1:00	10:50
7R	155 yards	1:30	16:55
8	166 yards	1:00	10:32
CD	497 yards	5:00	17:40
Total	1.40 miles	18:30	13:09
inc WU/CD	1.98 miles	28:30	14:24

To all my fellow friends that are runners...feel free to giggle now. :o)

I hated every minute of it.  I will continue to hate every minute of it.  I've tried being positive, but am finding nothing positive about the situation other than I WILL be able to keep up with my son on race day. Period.  The rest sucks.  That said, I hate reading other people's negative posts on the internet, and I strive not to post complaints myself.  So that's the last you'll hear about my Couch to 5k training until I get to week 9 and run a whole 5k without stopping.  I'll have nothing positive to say about this subject until then, so I just won't say anything about it at all! :o)

101 in 1001 {take 2}

So, here is my second 101 in 1001 list!  :o)

My first 101 list taught me quite a bit.  There's just something about a list that calls for completion.  So all those things I said I'd get to "one day soon...when I have the time" went on the list.  While I didn't complete my whole list, I sure did have a ton of fun checking off the activities I did get to do.  It's all about living a life you want to live and having fun while doing it....and if you can make a difference in someone's life along the way, it's all the better.  So bring on the big things, the little things, the fun things, and best of all the 101st check mark saying I did them all! 

The Mission:

Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

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

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

June 6, 2012

+

1001 Days

=

March 4, 2015

Items in Italics are in progress.  

Items in Bold are complete.

1. Finish all the unfinished goals of list #1 by December 31, 2012.
2. Do the 365 day photo challenge starting on my 30th birthday.
3. Make a digital album of those photos.
4. Start a community vegetable garden in the Houston area.
5. Start a community vegetable garden in the Dominican Republic.
6. Go to every Buc-ees in one weekend.
7. Go on at least 3 photography road trips.
8. Be the cause in 10 of my close friends and family doing the Landmark Forum. (1/10)
9. Organize my closet like S.L.R. would.
10. Enjoy a bottle of Cristal champagne with friends on a joyous occasion.
11. Finish Christian’s baby book/ convert it to a digital album.
12. Make my own jam.
13. Try 5 new artistic photography techniques in my photos.
14. Learn how to paint a picture.
15. Paint the picture I have in my head onto canvas.
16. Do something I’m scared of doing.
17. Make a Family Digital Album from mom’s side.
18. Make a Family Digital Album from dad’s side.
19. Make a Family Digital Album from my side.
20. Cook a steak for Erik.
21. Cook a hamburger for Erik.
22. Organize my photos into one location.
23. Make a “Best of” folder for my photos for easy reference.
24. Print our family portrait onto a large canvas.
25. Teach Westin to tie his shoes.
26. Teach Christian and Zack how to take pictures.
27. “Run” a 5k with Kurtis.
28. Do the couch to 5k to prepare for said run.
29. Do an art project with Beau. {thinking maybe a really hard origami project.}
30. Make a piece of jewelry with one of Grandma’s spoons.
31. Write an E-book.
32. Read 25 books.
33. Go to the Chihluly exhibit at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.
34. Go to one of Chris’ dog competitions.
35. Buy a house.
36. Catch a fish from the pond at the farm.
37. Do 5 Pinterest projects.
38. Enter 5 photography contests. (1/5)
39. Submit a photo every month to the National Geographic "Your Shot" contest.
40. Dye my hair chocolate brown.
41. Teach Westin to write his name.
42. Organize my music into one location on Amazon Cloud.
43. Photograph 10 species of birds in nature.
44. Teach the boys how to wash their own laundry.
45. Take the boys to see “Rount Mushmore” :o)
46. Take the boys to see the Badlands.
47. Fly my Cat kite.
48. Do charity portrait photography for families in the Dominican.
49. Make a difference in someone’s nutrition by teaching them to grow food.
50. Iron all of my outfits for a week...Even if it doesn't matter!
51. Use my phone as just a phone for a week.
52. Plant a willow tree by the pond at the farm.
53. Write at least one blog entry a month.
54. Keep a gratitude journal.
55. See Hayes Carll in concert.
56. Shoot something and eat it.
57. Go on one of Erik’s adventures.
58. Put all of these goals onto my calendar so they get done in a timely manner.
59. Play and beat a Final Fantasy game with Erik.
60. Go to an Astro’s game every season.
61. Teach Zack and Christian how to drive.
62. Read 5 books from Erik’s library that he recommends to me. (2/5)
63. Learn 3 new 30 minute meals.
64. Learn 3 new crock pot recipes.
65. Buy myself a handgun.
66. Get my CHL.
67. Do an art welding project.
68. Complete a Bible study on 5 books of the Bible.
69. Surprise Erik with 3 sweet nothings a month.
70. Go to the Alamo.
71. Go on 15 kid-less date nights.
72. Buy new living room furniture.
73. Spend a whole day being lazy with Erik and the boys.
74. {personal goal with the Hubby} /grins! :o) {0/10}
75. Identify and find 10 Texas native plants in the wild that are edible.
76. Identify and find 10 Texas native plants in the wild that are medicinal.
77. Learn the proper fishing knot to string my own fishing pole.
78. Buy me a new Canon 580EX II flash.
79. Make 5 new dessert recipes.
80. Take the boys to the drag races.
81. Donate my time/skills to the Ronald McDonald House at TCH.
82. Take a nap in a hammock.
83. Buy a pair of boots.
84. Stay at a bed and breakfast in the Hill Country.
85. Catch a really big fish.
86. Make a quilt for my bed.
87. See Cirque du Soleil “O”
88. Make my own laundry detergent.
89. Go play Bingo.
90. Buy me a new Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L lens.
91. Contribute $10 to a vacation account for every accomplished task {and make Erik do it too.}
92. Become a PPA member.
93. Go a whole week without spending any money.
94. Shoot a target Annie Oakley style: backwards with a mirror. 
95. Take the boys to a Six Flags theme park.
96. Build a really awesome sand castle with the boys.
97. Decorate a Christmas tree and deliver it to a family who is at TCH over the holidays.
98. Pay for a strangers coffee at Starbucks.
99. Take the boys on the behind the scenes tour at Sea World.
100. Teach the boys how to identify 5 constellations... {and how to see satellites going by}
101. Participate in 100 snapshots project.

Currently in May

I normally do this post on the 1st of every month. I missed last month's Currently post completely because I was so busy with work, so I figure while I'm still in May I should post my Currently post while I have the chance!

Current Book(s): I'm in the middle of the third book of Fablehaven and the newest book from the Sookie Stackhouse series.  I've kinda had to put books on the back burner due to my crazy work schedule.  But I'm trucking along through these two at a slow but steady pace.

I started reading the Fablehaven series after my husband recommended them for our kids to read.  I wasn't all that impressed with the first one as an adult read, but the second and third have been surprisingly better and more in depth that the first.  I would recommend them to anyone  who has kids that like reading adventures.  

Of course I'm hooked on Sookie, so I interrupted the Fablehaven book to start this one that just came out.  I haven't read far enough into this one to have an opinion yet....but it's Sookie, so I'm sure it'll be a good one!

Current Playlist: I've been on a Texas Country music kick here lately.  It just seems to match my mood with Spring in full swing where the nights are still cool enough to sit outside, watch the hubby grill something for dinner, and hang out with friends and family.  There's just nothing better than that!  Fav artist at the moment would probably be: Hayes Carll

Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure: Eating the chocolate covered strawberries my kids got me for Mother's day!  mm,mm,mm!

Current Color:  I've really liked this Coral Pink color lately...not usually fond of pink, but this one is bright and fun.

Current Drink:  Sweet tea and Coke...the usual!

Current Food: We did a crawfish boil at our house...my favorite Spring time meal!

Current Favorite Show: I've tried to keep up with DWTS, but that seems to be a lost cause here lately!  Not much time to keep up with TV!

Current Wishlist:  I wish for funds to keep coming in for my family to join me in the Dominican Republic this June for a mission trip I'm going on.  I'm so excited to be a part of this group.  It's been amazing to see the various pieces of the puzzle come together for this trip to be a success!

Current Needs: I need a new pair of summer work shoes (which is actually my mother's day gift.) I just haven't had time to go pick some out.

Current Triumphs: I crossed off a 101 in 1001 list item this past week!  I took my boys dewberry picking at my farm and then came home to make miniature pies for them to eat.  My Grandma would do this for me when I would stay at her house, so I'm excited to share the experience with my boys.  I'm still waiting for the rest of the big pie I made to disappear so I can make Dewberry Delight, my ReeRee's specialty!

The harvest!

The mini pies!

Current Bane(s) of my Existence: Mosquitoes!  Why can't we just sit outside and enjoy a nice evening without becoming a meal?

Current Celebrity Crush: ehhh...not much on celebrities this month.

Current Indulgence:  Well, the Dewberry Pie is calling my name right now...

Current #1 Blessing: Life is grand!  My family is all good, Spring is here, I get to garden everyday after work (and sometimes while I'm at work!), the butterflies are out, and I'm perfectly content!  What more could a girl ask for?

Current Slang or Saying:  Hmmm, I don't think I have one at the moment.  

Current Outfit: A solid color T-shirt about the color of the coral above, khaki capri's , and flip-flops.

Current Excitement:  The AIM mission trip to the Dominican Republic!  I got my passport in over the weekend (yay!), and I went to get my son's made today just in case the funds do come available for him to join us.  

Current Mood: Exhausted from work but elated that Spring is here in full force.

Current Link: The AIM website!  Check it out and see what the mission is all about!  It's truly awesome!

Happy May!

89) Leave a Geocache (check!)

I'm on a roll this week with my 101 in 1001 list!  Earlier this week I scattered Bluebonnet seeds at my farm, and  today I left a Geocache for others to find.  For those who haven't read my other blog on geocaching, I'll briefly explain the adventure "sport."  Geocaching is a treasure hunting game where people place caches in a location then post the GPS coordinates online so others can locate it too.  I came across this idea while making my 101 in 1001 list, and knew right away it was something my boys would love to do as a family activity.  I was extremely surprised to find so many caches hidden so close to home.  We've gone on many nature walks around our town and really have had a great time with this "sport."  I've wanted to leave one of my own, so my husband bought me an ammo can so we could hide our cache.

A lot of the caches have themes for the contents inside.  For example, we have found a cache named "What are Little Boys Made of?" which was filled with toys for boys.  Another cache is for the state quarters.  People can drop and exchange different quarters to complete their collection.  There are many others, but you get the idea.  My husband came up with the idea to make a food related cache.  As you can imagine, placing food inside the cache would be a very bad idea since it will be in the woods, so instead we decided to leave some of our favorite recipes inside for others to take and exchange.  We placed 5 recipes, a log book for people to sign, some blank note cards for people to write their recipes down, and two pens inside the ammo can.  We debated where to leave the cache, but finally decided on Telge Park which is right next to our house.

The trails through Telge Park

The recipes we put inside

Telge Park is next to Cypress Creek which runs through our town, and we love to walk along its banks through the nature trails there.  My husband goes fishing about once a week on the creek and knows the land like the back of his hand.  We parked at Telge Park and started walking through the trails to find a good hiding spot.  After a good hike, we found a really tall Pine tree just off the trail to hide the ammo can behind.  We covered it up with sticks and leaves, and then started pinpointing the GPS coordinates so I could post them to the Geocaching website.  We got the coordinates, I snapped a few photos, and off we went.

The tall Pine tree

Hidden under leaves and sticks

Saved co-ordinates in our GPS

I just got done posting the cache online, and am awaiting approval from the webmaster for the post to clear.  I named the cache "The Dinner Bell" since it is food related.  I can't wait to see how many people find it!  This is such a fun adventure seeking game.  I get a kick out of it every time we find one.  I highly recommend parents with boys take their kids out for this (Girls too, but the boys would really like it!).  It's a great family activity that is free, and you get to explore your local surroundings.  What are you waiting for? Go try it!

94) Scatter Bluebonnet Seeds at the Farm. (check!)

Today, I crossed off #94 on my 101 in 1001 list of things to do.  I have been wanting to scatter Bluebonnet seeds along the lane that leads to our property for awhile now.  I remember when I was my kids age, Grandma and I would walk down the road and I would pick flowers or smell the buttercups and honeysuckle.  Our neighbor mowed the flowers too early one Spring, and that was the end of the Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrushes she had growing along the lane.  I've wanted to replace them, but I have always missed my sowing date by the time I think about it.

Earlier this month, Dad and I went to Wildseed Farms in Fredricksburg, TX and bought 1lb of Bluebonnet seeds along with 1/4 lb of wildflower seed mix.  I wanted the wildflowers planted because Dad has a honey bee company coming this Spring to put some hives on our property.  The bees need something to eat, so I scattered all their favorites. (okay, I confess:  I planted the favorites of the butterflies and hummingbirds too.)

The wildflower seeds were spread on the backside of our property and along the fence of the vegetable patch my Dad and I have.  My Dad made my life much easier by tilling the ground for me (I think he felt sorry for me raking the ground by hand.)  My littlest son, Westin, helped scatter the seeds too (I think he ate a few while I wasn't looking!)

After I spread the wildflower mix, Dad tilled two small areas by our entrance gate for a small patch of Bluebonnets.  I planted those and then moved down the lane to spread the rest of the seeds.  We didn't want to till the lane since we aren't the only ones who use it.  So, I used a rake to rough up the ground and spread a 1/2 lb of seeds in a sunny spot along the lane.  I'm hoping they make it since the ground there is kind of hard.  I kept about an 1/8 of a lb in case they don't come up.  We shall see in a few weeks!

I had such a good day!  I crossed off a "to-do" on my big list, and had a great day with family.  I can't wait 'til Spring when everything is in bloom!

Oh, I almost forgot!

Dad fixed the Jeep my grandfather made from an old refrigerator.  I know it may look a little beat up, but Dad is going to have it repainted soon.  This Jeep was made by my grandfather for my Dad and Aunt Linda to drive around.  This was WAY before the kid vehicles you see now.  The Jeep made it through my cousins and my brother and I.  My other kids have gotten to drive it, but then it sat for a few years.  Dad got it going again so Westin could have his turn wrecking the poor thing (like it doesn't have enough scratches and dings already!)  He's a little to young yet to drive it on his own, so I gave him some help.

I think he was  a little scared of it at first since it does have a real motor in it and is kind of loud.  Once we started going though, he was all smiles!  I can't wait to see what he crashes into first.  My whole family all remember the first thing they crashed into.  I think I hit the tree in the front yard more than once.  I have so many good childhood memories on this Jeep.  I'm glad my kids get to experience it too.

That's my day, folks!  It was a good one!

72) Go to 2 Festivals or Fairs - (1/2) check!

On Saturday, my Mom, Aunt Marcy, Karrie, Christian, Kurtis, Westin and I all went to the Scarecrow Festival in Chappel Hill, TX.  This is more of a craft show than a festival, but I look forward to it every year.  The festival is held in the streets of Chappel Hill, which is a small country town between Hempstead, TX and Brenham, TX.  In the Spring, the festival is called the Bluebonnet Festival where many people make the trip out to take pictures in the bluebonnets along 290.  On Saturday, the weather was perfect for fall - cool and misty.  We walked through the booths looking at all the arts and crafts people were selling.  I got a few good ideas of things I want to make. (I know, like I need more craft ideas!)  Mom and Karrie bought a few things for my neice who is arriving in November.  We enjoyed some kettle corn that sent wonderful smells through the air.  As we were about to leave, I saw a lady carrying a few plants in a bag.  I recognized one as a Butterfly Vine.  I've wanted this plant for years and have not been able to locate it.  I was very excited to hear that she picked it up at the Bluebonnet House there.  I walked down to the shop and found my plant.  Of course this made my day!  I will post pictures on my Plant of the Day post following this one.  As we left, I took some pictures with the boys with some scarecrows.  When we left, we went into Brenham and ate lunch.  After that, we left the country, and came home from our fun/exhausting day. 

88) Search for a Geocache (check!)

On a whim of a "date night," Erik and I decided to search for a geocache that was about a mile from us off of Cypress Creek in Telge Park.  For those who have no clue what the heck a geocache is, let me explain.  Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online.  I found out about this adventure game when I was coming up with my 101 in 1001 goals.  This just sounded like something right up my alley, and it was something we could take the boys to do for free.  Sounded like a win-win to me!

So, after searching www.geocaching.com, I found a location right around the corner from us!  Who knew such adventure was this close to home!  Erik and I decided to go search for it and see if the terrain was okay to bring the boys back to.  Turns out, it was, and we'll bring them along for the adventure soon.

This experience all started with the coordinates and a deciphered clue from the person who hid the cache.  Erik and I set out with those two things in hand, and off we went through the nice trails in Telge Park along Cypress Creek.  We let the GPS lead the way, and after a little bit of searching in the general area, we found the ammo can filled with "treasure."  This is definitely not a sport to quit your day job over, but it was a neat find to say the least!  We signed the log book inside the container, where so many people had signed before.  We put everything back in the container, and re-hid the box just like we found it.

All in all, I had a really good time!  I mean, really, what else was I doing on a Thursday night?  Why not go treasure hunting?!  We returned home, and I went back to the website to log-in and say we had been there and thank the people who hid the cache.  I can't wait to go to more spots around Cypress, but most of all I can't wait to hide one of my own!

This is the deciphered message from the website along with the coordinates we put in the GPS.  It says, "Walk southeast down the trail 75ft from the creek.  Look for two fallen trees near the cache.  Think pine needles and sticks."

Here's our GPS!

Off we go! (Erik brought his camping gear he takes when he fishes the creek.)

The name of this geocache is "Pleasant Grove Over the Bridge"

Pleasant walking trails.

You know me- can't take me anywhere without me taking pictures of plants!  -Not sure what this is but it was a beautiful vine hanging from the canopy of the trees.

Did a little searching and moving stuff around.

Erik found it!

The log book and pen to sign.

Other items in the cache.

More goodies.

Putting it back under cover. "Think pine needles and sticks!"

Ready for the next person to come along!

Parents reading this, especially ones with boys, do this activity with your kiddos!  I can't wait to take ours along for their first experience!  I had so much fun with this, and I know you will too!

101 in 1001

I have been wanting to start this project for awhile now, and I know a few people who have done this.  So, off I go!  I must say, "I am very excited about this list!" While creating the "to do's", I visited several website links from the Day Zero Project that helped with inspiration to add 101 things to do over the next 1001 days. Some things are small, some are big, but all are important. I even found a few that I never would have thought of had I not started this project. So bring on June 5, 2012! I can't wait to say I accomplished it all, and start again!


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

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

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

Tuesday, September 8, 2009
+
1001 days
=
Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Items in italics are in progress

Items in bold are complete

Family and Friends

1)  Get the family's important documents organized.

2)  Keep up with laundry 

3)  Clean out car/suburban every Sunday for a month  (4/4)

4)  Go on a picnic togther 

5)  Have family game night once a month 

6)  Name a star after each of the boys with the Star Registry 

7)  Surprise the boys with lunch at school 

8)  Watch an entire anime series with the boys - I'm nixing Dragonball right now! 

9)  Send Christmas cards with family photo in it to my family and friends - missed actually sending cards out...I did email them though...it counts! :o)

10)  Go dancing with friends

11)  Potty train Westin

12)  Visit Sarah in Colorado

13)  Ditch Facebook for a week

14)  Collect all 50 state quarters for all 5 boys

15)  Collect the new Pennies for all 5 boys 

16)  Collect the new Nickels for all 5 boys

Marriage

17)  Go fishing with Erik on the creek

18)  Kiss in the rain

19)  Surprise Erik with something special

20)  Convince Erik to make this list for himself

21)  Take a candlelit bath together

22)  Go to 5 new restaurants for date night (5/5)

23)  Sleep under the stars together

24)  Play chess with Erik

25)  Get to level 40 on EQ2 by playing with Erik

Art Projects

26)  Finish Westin's baby blanket

27)  Finish Westin's baby book

28)  Start and finish my mosaic tabletop

29)  Make a garden totem - Garden Totem Photos

30)  Learn how to make stained glass windows - I like this project!

31)  Make a piece of garden art by wielding

32)  Learn how to make jewelry and complete at least one item

33)  Learn how to make soap

34)  Make and sell something on etsy.com  -  Etsy.com

35)  Make a Secret Santa Christmas wreath for my neighbor

Photography

36)  Take individual pictures of the boys

37)  Take pictures of a sunrise and sunset

38)  Scan old family photos from ReeRee's house

39)  Collect photos from Erik's side of the family

40)  Print, Frame and Hang 5 of my flower photos

41)  Sell at least one of my flower photos

      Cooking

42)  Learn to cook 5 new meals - by myself, without Erik's help. (5/5)

43)  Cook one 5 course meal from scratch

44)  Make my own pickles

45)  Make Grandma's famous pie recipe

46)  Take the kid’s dewberry picking and make pies

Spiritual

      47) Pray more
      48) Start and finish a bible study
(49-51) Went to Dominican Republic on two mission trips!  IT WAS AWESOME!!!!

49)  Set a date to go to Guatemala to continue Grandma's mission trips

50)  Organize 10 people to go on trip to Guatemala

51)  Go to Guatemala

52)  Memorize 10 Bible verses

53)  Pray before meals

Knowledge is power!

54)  Read 5 classic novels

55)  Read 5 books from Erik's library (that I normally wouldn't have picked myself.) (2/5)

56)  Learn Spanish phrases to communicate at work.

57)  Finish writing a book with Erik

58)  Learn and use 25 new vocabulary words

59)  Create a book list of every book read starting now   Goodreads.com

60)  Spend a whole day in bed reading

61)  Donate 480,000 grains of free rice which will feed 25 people - Freerice.com (9.8.09 - 1000)(9.9.09 - 2000)(9.12.09 - 1000)(9.22.09 - 1500)(9.26.09 - 1500)

Culture

62)  Go to a play

63)  Go to a concert (or two!)

64)  See a midnight showing of a movie

65)  Watch an IMAX movie

66)  Go to the Nutcracker   - Didn't get to go before this list will end :o(

67)  Go to the Festival of Lights at Moody Gardens

68)  See a Cirque du Soleil show

69)  Go to the Renaissance Festival   - Didn't get to go before this list will end :o(

70)  Go to at least 1 Astros game each season

71)  Get my passport

72)  Go to two festivals or fairs (2/2) Scarecrow Festival

73)  Go to a Drive-In movie theater...it was actually a "sit-in" theatre, but it was under the stars outside on my birthday!  It counts!

Finance

74)  Read Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace book

75)  Start getting out of debt.

76)  Stick to a budget.

77)  Pay off my student loans

      78) Pay off the suburban
      79) Save $1 a day for 1001 days  I've decided this is not the route I want to go with saving money...I'm strictly following Dave Ramsey's advice!

Health
80)  Drink more water - I think 64 would make me sick, so I'll go with 32oz.a day

81)  Quit drinking Coke for breakfast. - I REALLY don't want to do this, but I know I should.

82)  Start exercising -I'll start with walking.  This is another one I really don't want to do!
83)  Walk for the Ronald McDonald house at TCH to give back for Westin - scheduled for Jan 15, 2012!  Houston's 5k "run" (I don't run.) ;o)

84)  Meditate more often

85)  Pack a healthy lunch for a week.

86)  Start taking vitamins

Politics

87)  Write a letter to a politician about an issue I feel strongly about

Adventure

88)  Search for a Geocache - Geocaching.com  Click here to read about my adventure!

89)  Leave a Geocache - Geocaching.com Click here to read about my cache!

90)  Go tubing down the river

91)  Go ice skating

92)  Go on a road trip with no set destination

      Gardening
      93) Build a greenhouse
      94) Scatter Bluebonnet and wildflower seeds at the farm
      95) Plant a tree at the farm
      96) Help the boys grow something and eat it.
      97) Go to Mercer Arboretum

      Splurge When I Can

98)  Add 2 pieces of Vaseline glass to my collection - Vaseline Glass Info

      99) Buy a new laptop

     100) Buy something at an auction

      Pass on the experience!
     101) Get 5 people to start their own 101 list (5/5)