this and that

::  My wake up call came at 4:58AM.  In the form of a little girl having a party in the pack-n-play.  I decided I wasn't going in there until 6 unless she was completely freaking out.  Occasionally she was stand up and say 'mommy?  mommy!', but she was never incredibly upset or anything.  And finally around 5:45 laid down and went back to sleep.  I of course couldn't go back to sleep.  So around 6:30 I decided was going for a run.  When I got back my mom told me she woke up with a NASTY diaper, which I assume was why she woke up at 5.  Sort of mommy fail.  But she did go back to sleep, and we are all in a much better mood because of it.

::  I took a glance at my 101 in 1001 list, thinking that I had made a pretty good dent in it.  And then realized I have only completed 17 items.  Granted I still have until May 28th, 2013 to finish it up, but I really did feel like I had done more than that.  Oh well.  There are two items on the list that I completely failed at.  Going on a date night with Chris once a month, and posting on my business blog once a month.  I've gone on date nights with Chris, just every month, and really we like going out and doing things with friends and family.  It is hard to schedule time for just the two of us.  As far as the business blog... I have plenty of things I could be posting about.  As in, like four or more weddings from last year.  I just don't have the motivation to work on that blog.  Should I add two more things to my list since I know these won't be checked off?

::  Speaking of that list, one of the items on my list is 'send 10 homemade cards via snail mail.'  I am seriously considering signing up for Elevated Envelopes via Ephemera, which I found through Oh So Beautiful Paper.  How much fun would it be to receive beauties like the one below in the mail?  To tell you the truth though, I'm a little intimated.  I'm not sure anything I could come up with would be cool enough!

via

::  I'm getting antsy to run another 5K.  This morning when I ran, I did week six day one of C25K.  It was a breeze.  I completed 3.2 miles during the 34 minute workout, which included 16 minutes of walking.  Which in my head, means I should be able to crush my time from the mother's day run (33:31).  Anyone know of upcoming 5k's in the Kansas City area?  Or in Lawrence or Topeka for that matter?

::  I feel like the blog is in need of a make-over.  But I have no idea what I'm wanting the end product to resemble.  I'm loving the new look Visual Vocabulary just got.  I'm also loving the look over at I Still Love You.  And when you pop over there, make sure you check out her recent outfit refashion for her daughter, Penelope.  I am definitely LOVING that.  Have any blogs in mind that you think are incredibly well designed?  Leave a link.  I love looking at blogs.  Especially really pretty blogs.

::  Either last year, or the year before, Christopher got me the ice cream maker attachment for my Kitchen Aid.  I have yet to use it.  I just might have to bust it out and attempt this delicious looking homemade peanut butter cup ice cream.  Seriously, doesn't it sound good?

::  Have a fun and safe holiday weekend!

101 in 1001 - an update

Woot!  I can actually say I crossed things off the list this past month!!

#71:  make the bed everyday for four weeks
I have yet to actually manage the everyday part.  My bed has been made every weekday since September 27th.  I'd say that is a pretty big accomplishment.  But hopefully I will actually manage to make it on the weekends at some point!  We have been out of town the last couple, so if I make it on Friday I luck out :o).

#77:  go on a date night with Chris once a month

Thankfully my parents helped us accomplish this one this month.  Friday night after we put Ryann to bed at Grammy and Grandpa's, we headed out to eat at Red Lobster.  Chris and I actually went on our first real date at Red Lobster when I was 15.  :o)  How can you pass up cheddar bay biscuits?

#85:  post on my business blog once a month
Uh oh.  I didn't post in October.  I don't know why, it shouldn't be that hard!  I've created plenty of invitations, programs and save the dates in the last couple months so I don't know why I can't seem to display at least one piece on the blog.  Oy.  I'll try to post twice in November to make up for it.

#87:  replace the bathroom fixtures
Well this one is almost done.  While getting the pipes replaced we had new fixtures installed.  The only thing that didn't get changed out yet was the hall bath sink faucet.  We plan to replace the counter, so it seemed silly to install a new fixture on the old counter, only to have to take it off later.

#88:  have all the pipes in the house replaced.
Check!  We had galvanized pipes throughout most of the house, and rusty water and minimal water pressure.  I'm so happy to have this done, even though that is a bill that doesn't do much for the appearance of our home (which I like to pay for much more!).

#89:  get a new vanity for the master bath
Check!  When we were having the pipes replaced the vanity had to be pulled out anyway, so it was the best time to get it done.  We found a great little vanity at Lowes that has a shallower footprint, so the itty bitty bathroom seems a little bit bigger now!  When I find the time, I'll take a picture.  It is tough to get a good one though, the bathroom is SO small.

#91:  finish trim in master bedroom
I guess I wasn't specific when I made this goal.  We had the trim finished, as in, it is up, but it isn't painted.  The baseshoe had to be removed when our floors were refinished (well over a year ago) and we finally got some new to replace it and had it installed.

#92:  finish trim in kitchen
Like the master trim, all of the trim isn't painted, but it is primed, so its white :o).  We destroyed the kitchen trim when we redid the kitchen and put down tile.  Now there is some back up!

It feels great to actually have some of the things crossed off my list.  This month I hope to complete one of the crafty items.

I was also wanting to make this my month that I post everyday, but go me, I missed November 1st.  Does it count if I just post in to December?  I never stated that it specifically had to be a calendar month...

101 in 1001 - an update

Well I haven't checked anything off my list completely, but I've made a teeny bit of progress!

#20:  read ten new novels

This past month I read Second Glance by Jodi Picoult.  I love Picoult's books.  You can just enjoy them for the story, or you can try to read deeper into them.  Generally I feel like they all follow the same format, but I keep reading them because I get sucked in.  This particular book was actually a bit different than the rest of her novels I've read.

#71:  make the bed everyday for four weeks
Well, I thought I was going to start this one last week.  I did great making the bed Monday-Friday (actually Chris made it one of the days, I was impressed!) but it um, didn't get made Saturday and Sunday.  I have kind of inserted it into my morning routine, so if I can keep it made on weekdays I'll be proud of myself.  But I'll do my best to keep it up on the weekends as well.  It was nice to take an afternoon nap on Saturday all snuggled in my sheets though...

#77:  go on a date night with Chris once a month

We almost didn't squeeze it in, but last weekend Chris's mom watched Ryann while we spent a couple of hours out of the house.  Just for the record, I wore heels!  I was proud of myself.  We had dinner at Bonefish Grill, and then made a pit stop to check out suits for Chris's residency interviews before heading home.  It is always nice to get out of the house just the two of us (even though I miss Ryann most of the time I'm gone).  Even if only for a couple hours.  I know that Anita would be willing to watch Ryann for longer, but I'm not very good at being gone that long!

#85:  post on my business blog once a month
I uh, squeezed that one in on the 30th of September.  Nothing like waiting until the last minute!

Hopefully this month I will actually check something completely off the list...

101 in 1001

I'm a perpetual list-maker. I know I'm not the only one. For some reason writing down a to-do list thrills me. When I came across the idea of 101 in 1001 a couple years ago I thought it was awesome. Like a long term to-do list. But I never really started or tackled the project. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, just google 101 in 1001, the first couple of sites will give you a pretty good idea as to what the deal is.

Lately I feel like I haven't been making very good use of my time. When Ry finally goes down for her little cat naps, I usually either grab something to eat, or zone out in front of my computer or the TV. During all that computer time I usually browse blogs, thinking man I want to make that, or I should do that, I wish I knew how to do that, etc... Or I see projects that other people are completing on their houses, and I wish that I was better at tackling ours. So...

I am going to do it. I am committing myself to a 101 in 1001 list. Mine might not be quite as challenging or ambitious as some I've seem, but hopefully it will encourage me to learn something new, finish tasks that have been left undone, take better care of myself and have a little fun.

My start date is tomorrow, September 1st, 2010, and the finish date is May 28th, 2013. Wish me luck on this task! And now for my list...

1. bake a pie
2. bake and decorate a cake
3. make homemade ice cream
4. find a great recipe for sweet salsa, and make jars for my friends
5. host and cook a family meal
6. buy produce at the farmers market
7. make Ryann animal shaped pancakes for breakfast
8. run a 5k
9. do a pull-up
10. take an exercise class
11. lose 15 pounds
12. go to the beach
13. go skiing
14. ride a roller coaster
15. visit a national monument
16. see the Grand Canyon
17. visit a state I've never been to
18. ride a motorcycle (going to help me out dad?)
19. organize recipes into a cookbook
20. read ten new novels (9/10) - Second Glance, The Help, The Violets of March, Winter Garden, The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay, Redeeming Love, True Colors
    
21. learn to sew
22. make a quilt (not to include the item below)
23. turn dance t-shirts into a quilt
24. make Ryann a headband
25. sew a dress for Ryann
26. spruce up a t-shirt for myself
27. put together our wedding scrapbook
28. paint a canvas for Ry's room
29. go a whole day without tv or internet
30. go a whole day without my iPhone (this seems impossible)
    
31. spruce up an old piece of furniture  painted Ryann's bookshelf
32. go a whole summer without killing the potted plants
33. plant a tree
34. make a wreath for the front door made an ornament wreath
    
35. finish my kitchen chalkboard
36. make a decorative pillow
37. send ten homemade cards via snail mail (1/10) - participated in Elevated envelope
    
38. send someone flowers
39. throw a surprise party
40. enjoy a cold beverage and some Wheel pizza
41. take a friend to get a pedicure
42. visit a friend in another state
43. get a return address stamp
44. go to the zoo
45. visit a museum
46. go to a KU football game
47. go to a KU basketball game
48. go to a Chiefs football game
49. fly a kite
50. build a snowman
51. carve a pumpkin
52. learn to play a song on the piano
53. take a dance class  Well I didn't take a class, but I did learn a dance and perform on stage.  Good enough for me!
    
54. go to a wine tasting
55. 'finish' Ryann's room and submit pictures to various design blogs
56. meet one or more of my favorite bloggers in real life
57. blog everyday for a month (and not just pictures of Ryann!) completed November 2011
    
58. host a giveaway on the blog headband giveaway!
59. program my computer to back up everything regularly Time Machine is up and running
60. learn to take pictures in complete manual mode I don't know if I learned it, but I did it!
61. organize my printed photos into albums
62. make photo books from photos living on my computer
63. take the cats to the vet
64. weed through my junk in the basement
65. organize the kitchen junk drawer
66. make a spice rack in the kitchen
67. go through EVERYTHING in my closet and dresser
68. clean out all my junk at my parent's house (hi mom!)
69. create a cleaning schedule
70. stick to above cleaning schedule for an entire month
71. make the bed everyday for four weeks I did it for about five, and have made the bed maybe twice since.  So much for making it a habit.
72. do something to support a local charity participated in runs that donate to charity
73. do something to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation
74. volunteer for Habitat for Humanity
75. do something nice for one of my neighbors
76. try five new restaurants (1/5) - Eddoku
    
77. go on a date night with Chris once a month - MASSIVE FAIL
    
78. go on vacation with just Chris - we stayed at a wedding overnight without Ryann, I might just have to count it
79. find a church to attend
80. see a movie of Chris's choice in the theater
81. watch a movie that Chris wants me to see, no complaining... (that will be tough!)
82. go on a picnic
83. go to a drive in movie
84. update and revamp my business website
85. post on my business blog once a month - MASSIVE FAIL
86. have wood floor transitions in the kitchen completed
87. replace the bathroom fixtures
88. have all of the pipes in the house replaced
89. get a new vanity for the master bath
90. get a new counter for the hall bath
91. finish trim in master bedroom
92. finish trim in kitchen
93. redo back patio
94. fix the cracked window in Ry's room
95. build a desk and shelves in the family room closet
96. put up a backsplash in the kitchen
97. get the fireplace cleaned and inspected
98. repaint the hall bathroom
99. paint all of the trim in our house
100. paint the exterior of our house (at least the unpainted part!)
101. get a new front (storm?) door

So there you have it. If anyone wants to join me in any of these tasks, or thinks they can help me out, let me know! And wish me luck :o). I can't say I'm the greatest at completing projects I start.