Week ??

Okay I definitely got off the habit of posting every week.

All in all though I still try to keep the list in mind when I do things. I finally visited the Adams estate which is 3 historic landmarks. I really loved it. I have always loved Abagail Adams and her relationship with her husband has always fascinated me so it meant so much to see it all first hand.

I have made progress on a couple of other list items - made Fiona a Sock Monkey for Christmas and a few other small goals. I think the majority of my goals are going to be New Years Resolutions.

Week 7

This was a pretty good week. I started the Christmas Stockings, and had my girls' day in NYC. The girls' day was a lot of fun and we saw Wicked which was great. I also continued on my keeping toys off the floor at night. Even when I came home from NYC at 12:30am - I still stopped and picked the toys up off the floor. I was so impressed with myself. I also started a new blog. It is really about my weight struggle and where I hope to go from here. I also started my "other" blog that I want to keep going for at least a month: http://weightofmywholeworld.blogspot.com/

This week I hope to really move forward with my weight issues, mail out pictures to the out of town relatives (Maybe halloween pictures sent out the afternoon of the 31st!) This week I am also planning on touring the Adams estates. We have lived in this town for 6 years (In the area for more than 20 years!) and I have never been to 5 of the 6 historic places in the town. I am hoping to visit at least 4 of them on Wednesday.

Week 6

Slow week. I kept up with keeping the toys off the floor overnight & did 1 romantic thing for Warren. Left a little not about how wonderful he is in the newspaper. I have no idea if he saw it yet! :lol:

Week 6

This was a good week. I wore makeup everyday this week - so that is another item OFF the list. I was also able to start a couple of things - I tried hot & sour soup, one of the things I have hated since I was a kid. I still hate it. I was also able to squeeze in a visit to our local library - which is also a historic site. It is a beautiful building and Fiona and I had a great time walking around it.

Week 5

Well I completed two of my monthly goals this week. I was able to keep my bureau clean for one month – and keep my to do lists in books for one month. WOO HOO! I am so excited! Hopefully I can keep both up because I find them so helpful. The girls’ day in NYC is planned for the end of this month. I am super excited about that too. We are taking the train to the city – seeing a show and having dinner – then taking the train home. It will be a long day but so much fun. I also packed my lunch every day last week – I just have to do that 3 more times. I also started wearing makeup everyday this weekend – hopefully I won’t have to restart that one too!

I have been doing really well with not stressing out about how much Fiona eats which has always been very very difficult for me. She stopped taking her night time bottle last week – and instead of stressing about it I just changed everything up. I switched around her feedings and she is back to the right amount of formula and solids – during less feedings and going to bed earlier. It was so easy – because I didn’t stress about it.

List Change

I had to change the list - I had to take out walking to the train once a week for a full year - because Fiona will soon be starting day care the possibility of walking to the train is out. I substituted it with making something special for Fiona every Christmas which is something I have been thinking about a lot lately.

Week 4

Whirlwind of a week - my in laws were here to visit. We took Fiona to pick apples & see the Beauport mansion - making great progress on the list. We went to Woodman's in Essex so we added a new restaurant to the list. Other than that I kept plugging along on my monthly goals - I barely have the energy to write after the long visit.

Week 3

This week I was able to cross 2 things off my list. I made another type of baby food - Asparagus! Fiona didn't mind it when I mixed it with Rice cereal - otherwise she did not like the consistency at all. So i have made 2 different types of baby food. WOO! I really like doing it! I hope to get a magic bullet for Christmas so I can do more of it, it is really such a pain to pull out the big food processor to do such a little amount! The other thing I was able to cross off this week was to get my charm bracelet up to date. I spent way too much - but it is finally up to date.

Here are the charms I got!

For our trip to Germany

For our trip to France

For our trip to Ireland

For our Trip to St. Thomas (my brother's wedding)

For our recent trip to NYC

Engraved with Fiona's Initials & birthdate:

66 for the # of days Fiona was in the NICU

My In-Laws will be here this week - so hopefully I will be able to keep on track with my monthly goals and work on some of my National Landmark goals as well.

Week 2

Well - it has now been two weeks since I started this. I feel like a really slowed down this week, but I also researched a lot of stuff. I was able to get the desk here at home cleaned out (Including the printer stand - BONUS!) and the desk at work. I do need to research desk accessories this week for my desk at work - that is the only way my top drawer is ever going to remain neat. I also laid out my outfits every day last week. Well - I laid out everything on Sunday for the whole week - so I am not sure if that is cheating. I couldn't believe how much time that saved me in the morning. I didn't have to worry about what was clean - or if I had a clean cami for some of my tops - damn boobies always trying to get out! I even laid out all my clothes already for this week! I also started the "to do" list notebooks. I love the one for work - I am not sure about the one for home. probably because I am all over the place at home - so maybe this will help. Other than that I donated a few more items. Hopefully this week I will be able to cross off a few more items. Next week my ILs are coming so hopefully I can cross off even more while they are here.

First Full Week

I was able to cross 2 more things off my list this week. I finally tracked down one of my best friends from high school. So I wrote her a letter and put it in the mail this week. I am totally afraid she is going to be "OMG! STALKER!" But I hope to rekindle a very special friendship. I found out she got engaged not long after we lost touch and is now married with twins. The other thing I was able to cross off was recycling all the old cell phones & electronics we have. Luckily my job runs a drive to recycle cell phones a few times a year - so as soon as I saw the box go up in the lobby - I brought it all in!

I also started quite a few things this week. I cleared off my bureau so I am working to keep that clear all month. I also wrote letters to my grandmother & Aunt with a picture of Fiona, and an email to my friend Anne.

I also tried my hand at making baby food. I made avocado baby food - she wasn't all that fond of it. I still have some in the freezer - so I will try again in a few days.

First Weekend

I actually got a lot accomplished on my list this weekend. It helped being away on vacation - I even crossed one thing off!

First off - Items now appearing in green are completed and items in red are in progress. I started reading some classics, I started with the Handmaiden's Tale which is a more modern classic - but I remember seeing snippets of the movie when I was younger and the story always intrigued me. I liked the book - I just wish there was a little more resolution.

In NYC we saw three national historic landmarks - Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty and Central Park. I never thought Central Park would be on the list - but when I was looking at sites I found it. http://www.nps.gov/nhl/designations/listsofNHLs.htm I was really excited to walk around Central Park - of all the times I have been to the city - no one wanted to see the park with me. we walked almost the entire length of the park and saw Strawberry Fields. (which was a lot smaller than I thought it would be. Since it was Warren's first time in the city, we ate at all new restuarants. We had dinner the first night in Little Italy at Da Nico's, then Sushi at Yama's & Hill Country BBQ.

Also since were in NYC I didn't check my email at all this weekend. It was really difficult on Sunday when we were home - but I persevered. This morning at work was a little slower since I had a few days of emails to get through - but nothing earth shattering. AND I WAS ABLE TO CROSS SOMETHING OFF MY LIST!

The List

Family & Friends
1. Do a great-grandchild portrait for Nana
2. Get a family portrait taken
3. Have a girl's Day in NYC
4. Potty Train Fiona
5. Send Pictures of Fiona to relatives Once a month (1/33)
6. Take Mommy & Me Swimming with Fiona
7. Take antique furniture to be repaired & restored
8. Throw a wine tasting party
9. Take Fiona Apple Picking
10. Spend a vacation without checking work e-mail once
11. Spend a weekend without checking work e-mail once
12. Memorize 3 lullabies
13. Take Fiona to Sunshine Cottage
14. Do the 26 Thing Project and make a photo book out of it.
15. Visit Gramma's grave and plant flowers
16. Pick 5 ideas from "1001 Ways to be Romantic" and do them
17. Buy rain gear for Fiona & self so we can walk in rainy weather
18. Plan Girl get togethers every other month
19. Take Warren & Fiona to Kellerhaus
20. Take Fiona to the Aquarium
21. Visit my older brother in North Carolina
22. Take Fiona to TX
23. Get our wills written
24. Find High School friend and write her a letter

Fitness
25. Complete the Couch to 5k running plan
26. Drink only water for 2 weeks
27. Eat Vegetarian for an entire week
28. Get over my fear of the dentist and start going regularly
29. Lose 10% of my body weight
30. Run in 5K
31. Take a multi-vitamin everyday for a month
32. Take a Spinning Class
33. Walk to the Train Station once a week for an entire year (0/52)
34. No Diet Coke for 1 week - 10 times (0/10)
35. Lose 50 pounds
36. Lose 75 pounds
37. Climb Blue Hill
38. Walk outside with Fiona twice a week (except in winter)
39. Climb a Rock Wall
40. Try Yoga

Organization
41. Have a Yard Sale
42. Clean out Attic
43. Clean out Home Desk
44. Clean out Work Desk
45. Keep to do NOTEBOOKS for work and home for 1 month - start 9/1/08
46. Pick out clothes the night before - for a week
47. Get all my stuff out of Mom & Dad's House
48. Don't leave toys out at night for 1 month
49. Organize Man cave
50. Organize Exercise Room
51. Keep bureau top clear for 1 month - start 8/30/08
52. Put Shoes away as soon as you take them off every day for one month
53. Recycle all old cell phones and electronic equipment
54. Make the bed every day for a week

Personal
55. Keep a non-List related blog for 1 month
56. Read 10 "Classics" (1/10)
The Handmaiden's Tale
57. Write/Email out of Town friends Once a month (1/33)
58. Find and meet with a therapist specialising in food issues
59. Send a message in a bottle
60. No gossip for a whole week
61. Wear Makeup everyday for 1 week
62. Don't stress about what Fiona eats for a whole week - 4 times
63. Get Charm bracelet up to date
64. Learn how to french braid
65. Get a pair of sunglasses I actually like

Giving
66. Donate 101 items (32/101)
67. Raise $1,000 for March of Dimes
68. Walk in March of Dimes Walk
69. Make 100 hats for NICU
70. Do 20 Ramdom Acts of Kindness (0/20)
71. Contribute 100,000 grains of rice on freerice.com (3,500)
72. Give someone a wrapped present for no good reason

Savings
73. Pack my lunches for work for 1 month (0/30)
74. Save a dollar each day of the challenge (15/1001)
75. Try to make two varieties of baby food
Avocado, Asparagus
76. Get 20 books/things I would normally buy out of the library (4/20)

General
77. Eat 5 things I swear I hate but haven't tried since I was a kid (0/5)
78. Go to church once a month for three months
79. No TV for 72 hours
80. Refinish small nightstand
81. Try 10 new restaurants (3/10)
82. Visit a Nashoba Valley Winery
83. Try one recipe from each of the cookbooks we own (0/15)
84. Go to 10 National Historic Landmarks (3/10)
Statue of Liberty
Ellis Island
Central Park (who knew! http://www.nps.gov/nhl/designations/listsofNHLs.htm)
85. See Jeff Dunham live
86. See a Frank Lloyd Wright House
87. Attend a High Tea
88. See a movie at an Imax Theater
89. See a movie at a luxury Theater

Dreams
90. Finish Children's Book
91. Research getting book published
92. Submit Book to 3 publishers/literary agents

Crafty
93. Finish the 100 layout challenge (0/100)
94. Make a Sock Monkey for Fiona
95. Make Matching Christmas Stockings for the Family
96. Take a cake decorating class
97. Make a quilt
98. Buy a sewing Machine
99. Learn how to use the sewing machine
100. Make a dress for Fiona

101. Spend $5 on me for every completed item - give $10 to charity for every item not completed

101 Goals to Complete in 1001 Days!

Well I love lists – so when I heard about the 101 in 1001 Project I just had to try it out!
http://www.triplux.com/dayzero/default.asp?view=masterlist
Here's what the project is all about:

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 organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Some common goal setting tips:
1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.
2. Stay Focused. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.
3. Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.
4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.
5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.

My start date is August 22, 2008 (my 34th Birthday) and my end date is May 20, 2011. Please follow along and keep me honest and moving in the right direction!