Today's my birthday. 36. Let's not dwell on that number for too long.
Last year I wrote a 40 Before 40 post. It only seems natural that this list should be revisited each year for a little self-evaluation.
If I've done the math correctly, I need to accomplish at least 8 each year.
Here goes nothing....
1. Catch up on my kids' scrapbooks.
{Progress made....but definitely not 'caught up'.}
2. Exercise faithfully. No more four weeks on, three weeks off. There is a reason no one markets that routine.
{Ummmm.....Does 2 weeks on, two weeks off count?}
3. Go on vacation for an entire week with just my immediate family, and not because work sent us.
4. Read 5 classics recommended by my classic literature fanatic friend.
{Shoot, now I have to read more than one per year.}
5. Go snow skiing for the 2nd time. The first time was okay, but everyone says you have to go a second time to really enjoy it.
6. Take my children to a professional football or baseball game.
{DONE!! Colorado Rockies vs. Chicago Cubs - last summer.}
7. Visit at least half of the States. So far I think I've only been to 15.
8. Develop and keep up a habit of drinking 6-8 glasses of water each day.
9. Landscape - or better yet, hire someone - to landscape our front yard.
10. Begin and maintain a well-tended garden.
{DONE!! Does 'maintain' mean more than one year? I'm gonna say no.}
11. Go through the entire house, basement included, room by room, throw out junk, and organize everything.
12. Go to the Mall of America.
13. Complete a family scrapbook - One that my husband and I actually appear in.
14. Read the Bible through in a year. I started this year, but at the rate I am going, I may hit the New Testament in 5 years.
15. See the Grand Canyon.
16. Get my Master's Degree.
{Started....but many years left.}
17. Repaint all the walls in my house.
18. Remember my friends' and family members' birthdays by sending cards, calling, or at least sending emails.
{Not bad this year. If I'm desperate, I could say DONE!}
19. Get new living room furniture.
20. Teach, by example, my kids to volunteer and think of others more.
21. Eat less sugar.
{On again, off again.}
22. Begin recycling and keep it up faithfully.
{DONE!!}
23. Relearn to play the piano well.
{I have decided the easiest way to do this is to keep playing the songs my son plays as he progresses through each level. I have successfully mastered Level 2.} :-)
24. See Niagara Falls.
25. Make a family recipe book. I come from a family, and married into a family, with slews of amazing cooks. It would be sad not to pretend that I like to cook and document all of their fabulous recipes.
26. Still be taking girls' weekends.
{So far, so good.}
27. Lay on a beach. Since we love going to the lake, let me qualify this by saying a beach at the local reservoir does not count. I should not be able to see land on the other side of the water.
28. Write an adoption book for my son.
29. Have my entire wardrobe be in a single digit size for the first time since I was twelve years old.
30. Go on a mission trip, preferably a family mission trip.
31. Tell my kids everyday that I love them.
{Unless I don't see or talk to them....}
32. Spend more time putting others before myself.
{I should have made these a bit more measurable!}
33. Consistently do family devotions.
34. Visit my brother in Oregon.
35. Lead a workshop at a Teacher Convention.
36. Be able to run a 5K.
37. Try more food that ends with -ese....Chinese....Japanese.....
38. Spend an entire weekend at home without kids.
39. Water ski for more than a minute without screaming.
{What was I thinking??}
40. Practice saying "forty" so I don't pass out when the day arrives.
{No way....}
Shoot.
Not even close to 8.
And was I thinking I was going to win the lottery to do all that traveling?
There's always next year....
