New Year's Resolutions

I am not a big fan or follower of making New Year's Resolutions, but I hope in this next year a lot of things begin to fall into place. We are working on my home improvements and hopefully we will get through all of them, but especially the guest bathroom remodel, the back office renovations and finish hanging all the trim. I came home to a surprise last night. Husby decided he was going to make these half moon to help divide the living room and the hallway and also between the kitchen and the back room. It looks good, except it is currently Styrofoam, but it'll look good at the end. We already got rid of the "window" that was between the kitchen and backroom and I decided we will probably paint that wall in the backroom a lighter blue to give the room some more calming feel (especially since that will become my office once we start a family). Things around the house are coming together well. I wish we could get the kitchen fully remodeled this year, but I am not sure it will be possible, but still it is my goal.

I also hope to get back into my working out groove and drop some pounds. We already started eating healthier...more salads, less McDonald's, and I think I may start pushing myself to go back to jogging as early as this weekend, but it all depends on the shoulder. With healthier eating, I have been religiously taking all my prenatal vitamins and hoping with the C. we will also start our family this year. Lastly, I am goaled to finish my Master's this year as well...hopefully in the Fall, but maybe a bit sooner depending on my schedule.

We have a lot of goals and dreams this year. Hopefully 2010 is better than 2009!

Update on 101 in 1001 Post

I have been successful with some of my tasks and felt it was time to revisit this list and check off the ones I have completed and maybe redefine some of my others. So far it seems like I am making some progress. Hopefully I can keep up the trend. Unfortunately, now that I am teaching late on Wednesdays & Thursdays, it's going to be hard to do some of the week long challenges.
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101 in 1001 Starting Date: Monday,December 1st, 2008
Ending Date: Monday, August 29th, 2011

:::Those in bold and violet are completed:::
Marriage
1. Cook dinner every weeknight for Michael.
2. Be more romantic with Michael.
3. Work on communicating my feelings more with Michael.
4. Plan 1 night a week for an entire month as a date night.
5. Kiss Michael every morning and every night for an entire month.
6. Compliment Michael every day for an entire month.
7. Do 101 special things for Michael. 45/101
8. Fight more fairly in a disagreement.

Religion
9. Find a local church Michael and I can start going to.
10. Post 20 Bible verses that touch my heart.
11. Resolve my "lost faith" and forgive him for my childhood loss.
12. Write about 100 things I am grateful for.
13. Read The 5 People you Meet in Heaven.

Motherhood
14. Continue to follow doctor's regime in terms of the medicine for TTC.
15. Start a family.
16. Remove the clutter and refocus our lives around our family.
17. Don't raise my voice for an entire month.
18. Begin a holiday tradition.
19. Make a nursery in the house.
20. Create a scrapbook for each child/ pregnancy.

Homemaking
21. Add curb appeal to the house.
22. Establish a weekly cleaning routine.
23. Follow that cleaning routine for an entire month.
24. Paint the house with Michael.
25. Clean out and organize the freezer and fridge.
26. Organize my office.
27. Take the donation clothes to Goodwill.
28. Fill the remaining photo frames around the house.
29. Reorganize the kitchen to accommodate everything.
30. Fill my recipe box with the recipe cards (rewrite all the scraps onto cards)

Cooking
31. Cook dinner along with Michael at night.
32. Make breakfast for Michael.
33. Make banana bread from scratch.
34. Make Italian Antipasto Salad for Michael.
35. Cook Christmas Eve. and Christmas Day meals with Michael.
36. Make salsa from scratch.
37. Learn a new Italian dish.
38. Learn a new Chicken dish.
39. Learn to make a soup from scratch.
40. Learn a new Asian dish.
41. Learn a new breakfast dish.
42. Learn a new dessert.

Financial
43. Eat dinner out only twice a week for a month.
44. Eat lunch out only once a week for a month.
45. Save $20 at the grocery store (via coupons or value buys).
46. Establish a budget for our household.
47. Stick to my entire budget for two straight months.
48. Cut our grocery bill to $50 for a two week shopping period.
49. Pay extra on our school loans.
50. Build up our savings to $10,000.
51. Payoff all my store cards to have no balance for an entire 2 month cycle.

Health
52. Take the dogs for a walk everyday for an entire week.
53. Exercise four days out of a week for 1 week.
54. Workout (run or swim) twice a week for a month.
55. Give up soda for an entire month.
56. Eat a green salad five times in a week as a meal.
57. Eat 3 servings of fruit every day for an entire week.
58. Drink only fruit juice or water for one week.
59. Make target weight of 120lbs.
60. Don't eat after 9pm for an entire month.

Kindness
61. Volunteer for Habitat for Humanity.
62. Bring in a "treat" for my co-workers one week.
63. Do a favor for someone else.
64. Host the chapter at my house for dinner 1 night.
65. Host a "family night" at my house for 1 night.
66. Cook someone else dinner.
67. Offer Megan a vacation down to us and follow through.
68. Make a birthday cake for someone at work.
69. Offer a ride to one of the younger girls at work.

Pets
70. Make each of the boys a toy.
71. Find Reese a new coat.
72. Find Snow a new coat.
73. Find Lucky a new coat.
74. Pamper each of the dogs.

Randomness
75. Read Tuesdays with Morrie.
76. Post a picture everyday for an entire month.
77. Complete 2 old yearly albums on POGO.
78. Try a new berry.
79. Get a new hairstyle.
80. Read 50 books on my All-time list.
81. Catch up on the scrapbooking.
82. Make a wedding book for each of the moms.
83. Visit Michael grandparents.
84. Recycle (even if the city does not want to bring their bins)
85. Visit Michael's aunt and uncle in Michigan.
86. Take better care of the Civic.
87. Try something new at a local eatery.
88. Do not splurge shop for an entire month.
89. Make a scrapbook for someone else.
90. Take Meghan for a girl's weekend.
91. Take a honeymoon with Michael.
92. Plan a bonding weekend with my female cousins.
93. Learn to surf.
94. Scuba dive in the Keys.
95. Go on a vacation with Michael.
96. Slim down my stomach and get my belly button re-pierced.
97. Start my education classes.
98. Bowl a 200.
99. Beat PCOS.
100. Blog about the items I cross off.
101. Write a new 101 in 1001 list.

101 Things in 1001

101 in 1001

Starting Date: Monday,December 1st, 2008

Ending Date: Monday, August 29th, 2011

Marriage

1. Cook dinner every weeknight for Michael.

2. Be more romantic with Michael.

3. Work on communicating my feelings more with Michael.

4. Plan 1 night a week for an entire month as a date night.

5. Kiss Michael every morning and every night for an entire month.

6. Compliment Michael every day for an entire month.

7. Do 101 special things for Michael.

8. Fight more fairly in a disagreement.

Religion

9. Find a local church Michael and I can start going to.

10. Post 20 Bible verses that touch my heart.

11. Resolve my "lost faith" and forgive him for my childhood loss.

12. Write about 100 things I am grateful for.

13. Read The 5 People you Meet in Heaven.

Motherhood

14. Continue to follow doctor's regime in terms of the medicine for TTC.

15. Start a family.

16. Remove the clutter and refocus our lives around our family.

17. Don't raise my voice for an entire month.

18. Begin a holiday tradition.

19. Make a nursery in the house.

20. Create a scrapbook for each.

Homemaking

21. Add curb appeal to the house.

22. Establish a weekly cleaning routine.

23. Follow that cleaning routine for an entire month.

24. Paint the house with Michael.

25. Clean out and organize the freezer and fridge.

26. Organize my office.

27. Take the donation clothes to Goodwill.

28. Fill the remaining photo frames around the house.

29. Reorganize the kitchen to accommodate everything.

30. Fill my recipe box with the recipe cards (rewrite all the scraps onto cards)

Cooking

31. Cook dinner along with Michael at night.

32. Make breakfast for Michael.

33. Make banana bread from scratch.

34. Make Italian Antipasto Salad for Michael.

35. Cook Christmas Eve. and Christmas Day meals with Michael.

36. Make salsa from scratch.

37. Learn a new Italian dish.

38. Learn a new Chicken dish.

39. Learn to make a soup from scratch.

40. Learn a new Asian dish.

41. Learn a new breakfast dish.

42. Learn a new dessert.

Financial

43. Eat dinner out on twice a week for a month.

44. Eat lunch out only once a week for a month.

45. Save $20 at the grocery store (via coupons or value buys).

46. Establish a budget for our household.

47. Stick to my entire budget for two straight months.

48. Cut our grocery bill to $30 for a two week shopping period.

49. Pay extra on our school loans.

50. Build up our savings to $10,000.

51. Payoff all my store cards to have no balance for an entire 2 month cycle.

Health

52. Take the dogs for a walk everyday for an entire week.

53. Exercise four days out of a week for 1 week.

54. Workout (run or swim) twice a week for a month.

55. Give up soda for an entire month.

56. Eat a green salad five times in a week as a meal.

57. Eat 3 servings of fruit every day for an entire week.

58. Drink only fruit juice or water for one week.

59. Make target weight of 120lbs.

60. Don't eat after 9pm for an entire month.

Kindness

61. Volunteer for Habitat for Humanity.

62. Bring in a "treat" for my co-workers one week.

63. Do a favor for the older lady down the street.

64. Host the chapter at my house for dinner 1 night.

65. Host a "family night" at my house for 1 night.

66. Cook someone else dinner.

67. Offer Megan a vacation down to us and follow through.

68. Make a birthday cake for someone at work.

69. Offer a ride to one of the younger girls at work.

Pets

70. Make each of the boys a toy.

71. Find Reese a new coat.

72. Find Snow a new coat.

73. Find Lucky a new coat.

74. Pamper each of the dogs.

Randomness

75. Read Tuesdays with Morrie.

76. Post a picture everyday for an entire month.

77. Complete 2 old yearly albums on POGO.

78. Try a new berry.

79. Get a new hairstyle.

80. Read 50 books on my All-time list.

81. Catch up on the scrapbooking.

82. Make a wreath for each of the moms.

83. Visit Michael grandparents.

84. Recycle (even if the city does not want to bring their bins)

85. Visit Michael's aunt and uncle in Michigan.

86. Take better care of the Civic.

87. Try something new at a local eatery.

88. Do not splurge shop for an entire month.

89. Make a scrapbook for someone else.

90. Take Meghan for a girl's weekend.

91. Take a honeymoon with Michael.

92. Plan a bonding weekend with my female cousins.

93. Learn to surf.

94. Scuba dive in the Keys.

95. Go on a cruise with Michael.

96. Slim down my stomach and get my belly button re-pierced.

97. Start my education classes.

98. Bowl a 200.

99. Beat PCOS.

100. Blog about the items I cross off.

101. Write a new 101 in 1001 list.