36 Things Before I Turn 37

Okay, here it is! I didn't go to pie in the sky as I only have half a year left until my birthday. BUT, there are no limits placed on my 37 things before 38.

Sunday Inspiration No. 1

Here are a few things I found around the internet this week that I think are pretty neat.

How to write a note to your sweetheart.

Birthday in a Can - Darien really wanted a survival in a can kit for Christmas but Santa waited to long to order it. His birthday is just around the corner and I will make him one instead.

Overnight Oatmeal - I used to do this but stopped for some reason... I think these will taste even better by using cute jars just like they do.

This quote (click on image to go the owner's Etsy shop):

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I discovered this project about an artist who collaborates with honey bees and I have now added The Jealous Curator to my blog feed.

I'm No Longer Turning 35 BUT...

Shortly after my 34th birthday I made a list of goals to complete before I turned 35. I made the list but didn't revisit it or make plans to accomplish the items on it. Now here I am approaching 37 and I think it is about time to see how I did! I am updating the goals where needed and adding a few more to make my 36 things before I turn 37 list.

1. Run 1/2 Marathon - I injured myself and am getting back into running this year. UPDATED goal: run a 10 KM race before birthday.
2. Open Etsy Shop - Complete! (but I haven't listed anything for sale so not really). UPDATED goal: list 1 item for sale.
3. Be fit and healthy - Does it count if I got there and then through injury and job changes put my health on the backburner? No? Didn't think so. This one stays as is!
4. Visit Anthropologie - I am honestly a little afraid to go to this store; afraid of what it could do to my bank account. UPDATED goal: go to Anthropologie and spend no more than $40
5.  Get Passport - COMPLETE!
6. Family Vacation - COMPLETE! Shuswap Lake
7. Decorate House - Always a work in progress. This wasn't a very specific goal. I will revise to say finish organizing play room.
8. Get FMP - COMPLETE!
9. Go to Wildplay - I think this is going to be my request for a birthday date.
10. DSLR Camera - COMPLETE!
11. Declutter - Another constant. To add a measurable aspect to this goal: I will organize my closet.
12. Go to a concert - COMPLETE! Rogers Waters The Wall
13. Bike up hill to house - COMPLETE! Full disclosure, this wasn't the same hill or house as the one I created the goal around but I still biked up a hill by my house.
14. Run for the Cure with Connor - COMPLETE!
15. Teach Darien to swim and bike - COMPLETE!
16. Dresses for Meg and Jess - Long story but this one will not be completed and will be replaced.
17. Only eat dark chocolate - NOPE!! Another replacement for this silly goal is required.
18. Take more pictures of the boys - COMPLETE! Some may say I should scale back.
19. Photography Course or Challenge - COMPLETE X 2!
20. Design original item to sell - This one is going to be tied in with item number 2.
21. Knit a blanket for home - UPDATED goal: finish scarf I have been knitting since last summer.
22. Blog once a week - A good one to keep on here. That would mean I have to blog 29 times before my birthday.
23. No computer games - I love me a good game of Majong while procrastinating between e-mails. It is a good brain cleanser. READ - goal not met and it is being replaced.
24. Swim Laps - COMPLETE!
25. Nurture Friendships - COMPLETE! I am still an introvert at heart but have made more effort to be social.
26. No magazines for 1 year - COMPLETE!
27. New towels - COMPLETE!
28. New sports bras - COMPLETE!
29. Knit sweater for Jeremy - I am not sure what I was thinking here. He hates sweaters and wouldn't wear it. A replacement goal is required.
30. Send birthday cards to friends - UPDATED goal: call or send a personal e-mail to friends. I think cards are expensive and unnecessary unless they are homemade.
31. Get varicose vein checked out - in addition to this, get that physical out of the way.
32. Host a dinner party - COMPLETE!
33. Own a bathing suit I love - COMPLETE!
34. More family adventures - COMPLETE!

Not too bad when you consider I wasn't actively pursuing these goals. I made a list and hoped for the best. This time I am going to:

• Make goals that excite me and that I really want to do.
• Post my list where I will see it on a daily basis (if not multiple times per day)
• Make a plan on how I will reach each goal.
• Pick 2 goals each month to really focus on (especially if they are based on new habits) so I don't feel overwhelmed.

 My list of 36 things before I turn 37 will be posted soon!

Patience

Well hello there my neglected blog, how are you? I will not indulge in excuses or explanations, this is just to say I am here and will come back as often as I can.

It is a New Year and I have picked a word to guide me through it. One that I will refer back to each day when making decisions or when I need a helping hand to continue in the right direction.

Patience

                         the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering 

                                                without getting angry or upset

I will practice patience:

• with myself, especiallly when I stumble working towards my goals
• with my children
• with my husband
• with my co-workers
• with fellow drivers on my commutes (this might be the most challenging one!)

  I also have 3 goals I want to accomplish by the end of this year:

•  Run a 10 km race in under 1 hour (my best time is 53:42 and that was over 3 years ago, time to get back into it)
• Complete my Project Life album. Changing jobs has created a gap in my pages, I am going to be PATIENT with myself and let the lapse go and continue on as I can.
• Play a new song on the piano - but not just being able to pluck out the notes; it has to be AWESOME.

I Did It

Over a month ago I talked about being Scared, scared of starting a new job.

Today I started that new job and couldn't be happier. It was the right decision.

More to come on this new adventure and how it is going to bring my balance to my life and exciting new challenges for my career. But for now, my brain is drained from new information overload.

I'm Proud of You

Ahh, Mr. Rogers. He was genuine, as a kid you never doubted the fact that the Mr. Rogers you saw on the screen was the same man off the screen, but as sceptical adults you develop those doubts.

 

After the Boston Marathon bombing, I came across this quote for the first time (although it has been around much longer):

 

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”

                                                                                                       ~ Fred Rogers

And then I came across this compilation of "Heartwarming and Beautiful Facts" about him. What a great guy, huh?

Finally, I discovered Alexandra Franzen's blog (I have mentioned her on here before) and she is also a BIG Mr. Rogers fan. She talks about this book, "I'm Proud of You." I just finished it and can honestly say I cried and smiled through every chapter. There are quite a few religious undertones to the book but it doesn't take away from the message (if religion is not your thing).

 

Cute side story: I left the book in the van for my husband to return to the library for me. He started to read it himself. I had to renew it so he could finish it. He was reading it in the van while waiting for the boys to be done at school and shed some tears as well. A couple of days later a couple of the moms approached him to see if everything was okay because they saw him crying!

 

 



Back to School

All 3 of my boys are now going to the same school. I remember when Grayden was born and calculating how old he and his brothers would be when they would all be in school together. It seemed so impossibly far away but last week it actually arrived.

I almost feel a little sorry for all of the teachers having these 3 roaming the halls together. To make myself feel better, I try to believe they save their most rambunctious behaviour for home.

I love that all 3 of their teachers keeps a blog that tells me what they are working on and what is coming up in the class. It helps to ask specific questions about their day if you are looking for an answer other than, "I don't know" or "I can't remember".

This feels like a new chapter in our lives. I am excited; bring it!

From This to That: Cowls, Owls, Journals & Enthusiasm

I have been on a creating spree, turning materials from one thing into another this weekend. It has been fun, it hasn't taken away from my family time AND I still got some laundry on the clothesline. I call that a score, touchdown, nothing but net WIN.

My yarn went From This:

To That:

It is a big, florescent, super chunky cowl. It will definitely keep my neck warm in the colder months and I do believe I will be safer as no car is going to miss those colours on a gray Vancouver day.

I used my arms as knitting needles, super-fun. If you are looking for a quick project, you can check out Simply Maggie's tutorial complete with video. I made 2 of these for girlfriends before I made mine and used regular worsted weight yarn. They turned out very nice and I used the recommended stitch count of 12. They were very loose and airy.

 For mine, I used 12 stitches and suffocated myself when I was checking the length.  I ripped out the stitches to start again just casting on 6 stitches. I only wish I had made it a bit longer but I would have needed a second skein of each colour.

And then my clay went From This:

To That:

Playing with clay makes me feel good. It helps that my kids encourage me by saying I am awesome and can make anything (thanks boys!). I used Sculpey III clay, it stays soft even when I forget to cover it until you bake it. Be warned, the baking instructions are not on the package. You can find it on the website or use this rule: bake 15 minutes for every 1/4" of thickness at 175 degrees. F. For these little critters, I baked them for 30 minutes.

The clay is very hot and stays very hot for a good hour after you take it out of the oven. It may not feel like it is hard enough for you when you first take it out but trust me, it gets harder as it cools down.

My wallpaper scraps went From This:

To That:

A pretty little journal. I had my sewing machine out to fix my oldest son's backpack for back-to-school tomorrow and tackled this mini-project I have been thinking about for awhile.

It really took less than 10 minutes. I folded 10 sheets of letter paper in half, cut out the wallpaper a smidge bigger all around than the paper and sewed them all together along the fold.

I think I have a new book to brainstorm blog post ideas!

And finally, some blank paper and an exercise went From This:

To That:

One page full of the things I love to do that make me hum with happiness; inspire me; recharge my battery.

Michelle Ward is generously offering this sample chapter of her book, The Declaration of You, when you sign up for her newsletter. She is the When I Grow Up Coach and I want to have as much fun as she does, doing what I love when I grow up!

Please visit her and become inspired.

What did you make this weekend?