inspired from my friend jessica of pen and paper flowers
for the past few days, i've been adding to my list.
i now have have a total of 35 items, and i am done.
i this these will be plenty to keep me challenged over the next 12 months.
to make them real, i'm sharing.
here is my list of promises:
1. cook 12 new dishes for the family (In Progress)
1. eggplant parmesean (c and i loved it - the short people in the house not so much)
2. veggie lasagne (packed with veggies - a hit with all but scoutie)
3. brown sugar and honey glazed salmon (though c's made this on the grill, i experimented in the oven - a hit - even scoutie ate it (his first fish ever 7/25/11)
4. chicken enchiladas (all enjoyed these but scoutie - refused even a 'polite bite')
5. turkey chili (since i don't enjoy cooking -i'm separating my two chilis)
6. veggie chili (a hit - packed it full of all types of veggies)
7. curry pumpkin soup (love but not a fan with the short people)
8. quinoa salad (just discovered this fabulous little grain) nice to have a new side at dinner
2. run san diego's annual st patty's day race with finn (COMPLETED: finn and i ran 3/12/11)
3. participate in at least (2) community service activities (in progress: plan on attending Surfrider's Annual Paddle for Clean Water 9/24) UPDATE: C was sick and i don't trust myself to paddle with a child onmy board so we missed this year and will try again next year)
4. add (3) new dresses to my wardrobe (COMPLETED 9-24-11)
5. learn one new piano piece (in progress: selected a song on 4-6-11, taking piano lessons
6. compete in the bootcamp challenge with christopher and try to get a new personal record (PR)
COMPLETED - no PR this year...try again next year)
7. build a sandcastle with the boys (COMPLETED 11/20/11 - Mexico vacation)
8. watch a sunset (COMPLETED 7/28/11: after a run/ (boys biked) on the bay, we all sat and watched the sunset. scoutie announced "i think it's my bedtime".
9. read at least 15 books this year -12 with my book club and at least 3 on my own (in progress)
book 1: the help (4.5 stars)
book 2: the hunger games (4.5 stars)
book 3: as the great world spins (4 stars)
book 4: room (3 stars)
book 5: cutting for stone (4 stars)
book 6: breathing lessons (3.5 stars)
book 7: the boy who harnessed the wind (4 stars)
book 8: catching fire (4.5 stars)
book 9: mocking jay (4.5 stars)
book 10: the battle hymn of the tiger mother (4 stars)
book 11: the immoral life of henrietta lacks (4 stars)
book 12: animal dreams (5 stars)
book 13: wench (4 stars)
book 14: cat's cradle (2 stars)
book 15:
book 16: a tree grows in brooklyn (5 stars)
book 17: the prodigal summer (4 stars)
book 18: the tipping point (3.5 stars)
book 19: outliers (4.5 stars)
book 20: five chimneys: a woman's true story of auschwitz (4.5 stars)
book 20: a wrinkle in time (3 stars)
10. go on a field trip with finn's 1st grade class (COMPLETED 5/6/11 - went to suzie's farm)
11. do something that scares me. (COMPLETED 12/12 - coached Scout's soccer team, Fall 2011 season at the YMCA)
12. discover a new neighborhood in san diego (discovered sherman heights when the fam was there for the soapbox derby races in may 2011. would like to explore another neighborhood)
13. watch 3 classic movies and check off in my 501 must see movies book (a gift from my s-i-l) - in progress: idenitifed 3: blazing saddles, cool hand luke and rear window
14. go hiking somewhere new with finn and scout (COMPLETED 11-19-11: Yelapa, Mexico)
15. host a 'girl's day' at the pool (COMPLETED: ladies lounge day at the Hilton Hotel while boys were in MN
16. discover 3 new music artists - COMPLETED: Snow Patrol, sampled Adele, and discovered Keane - LOVE them (piano led band and male vocalist)
17. play 'photographer' and do at least 3 photoshoots (COMPLETED: friend's daughter (paige) in august, madison and bella in september and aunt j and boys in october)
18. hotel stay overnight with christopher (no kids) (COMPLETED : c and i stayed at the indian wells resort on 3/13/11)
19. get a massage (in progress: spa day planned for 9/11 with book club girls: hoping to get one)
20. find a new tennis partner since mine moved to chicago (in progress: asking around and attending weekly group workouts at barnes - may meet future partner?)
21.
22. listen to an entire series of spanish cds on my commutes (COMPLETED 10/11)
23. build a fort with the boys and sleep in it overnight (COMPLETED 3/11 - i didn't make it through the entire night on the floor. when c crawled in got way too croweded. i decided to to go upstairs to my comfy bed). they didn't notice until the am. *oops*
24. take the boys on a train ride (COMPLETED 8/11: rode the coaster to encinitas for a half day)
25. bring my photo albums up to date (in progress: ordered photos from finn's recent birthday)
26. bake a lemonade cake or any cake by scratch (triple layered) - COMPLETED 4/10/11 - tried baking with my sis and the darn thing didn't rise. still not sure why (we followed instructions -maybe we overmixed). the homemade lemon frosting was a success so we put that on a boxed cake mix!
27. fingerpaint with scoutie COMPLETED 3/6/11
28. gather ideas together for displaying ticket stubs i've saved from past theater productions
(been wanting to do this for years. YES, i've saved them all)
(starting to poke around on the internet)
29. spend a half day one weekend watching 'chick flicks' COMPLETED 6-23-11
30. camping with the family (last attempt left alot to be desired)
31. spend a day practicing R.A.K.s or Random Acts of Kindness with the boys
(borrowed this idea from jessica's list - love it!) - (in progress - made a list with boys)
32. take an online tutorial for some aspect of photography (Photoshop Lightroom) - (in progress)
33. sing outloud when i play the piano COMPLETED 6/1/11
34. purchase a print with dorothy law nolte's children learn what they live' poem for our home
(in progress: having conversation with a graphic designer i found on etsy)
35. build a robot or something with finn (his choice) - COMPLETED 3-11 - he built his Lego Mindstorm robot, i assisted.
36. print blog (added this on 3/16/11)
so there it is, my list of promises to myself.
these should keep me engaged in positive things all year.
creating this list was so much more FUN that i thought it would be.
i think it's because it's full of things that i have been wanting to do.
i just needed to think about them, write them down, and share them,
now they are REAL.
i am anxious to get started on my promises...
my journey!
i hope you are too.
