A Year End MeMe

I saw this meme on a blog that I enjoy very much called Playgroups Are No Place for Children and thought I would take a stab at it. As if I haven't already spouted enough about my thoughts on this year and next. Let's go!

1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?
I went to a chiropractor (against my better judgment) and, not surprisingly, had a horrible experience. I'll stick with M.D.'s from now on.

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions and will you make more for next year?
I successfully marked some things off the "to do" list for the year, but am not making a concrete list for 2011 aside from my 101 Goals list that is ongoing.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My younger brother & his wife had a baby boy in November and I am so excited about meeting him next month! They live 10 hours away, which is a major bummer.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.

5. What countries did you visit?
I didn't leave the good ole USA this year.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
More financial stability and dedication.

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
June 29 because that's when we closed on our new home that I plan to retire in!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Buying & moving into our new home.

9. What was your biggest failure?
A lapse in judgment in my personal life that was nearly catastrophic.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I ended up with a bulging disc in my lower back that caused serious pain for almost 8 weeks. I am SO glad that's better!

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Our new house.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Both of my daughters teachers who never cease to amaze me in their dedication to making the learning environment as comfortable and warm as I could ever hope for them.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
A parent in one of my daughters classes who used private information to try and advance his personal agenda with the school system. That was the first time in a LONG time that I had to exercise extreme amounts of self-control to avoid going postal on someone.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Bills, bills, bills and eating out way too much.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going to see the Kings of Leon in concert for the 2nd time in a year and going celebrity stalking with my girlfriends when Robert Pattinson was in town shooting "Water for Elephants".

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
"Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a)happier or sadder; b)thinner or fatter; c)richer or poorer?
I am happier, fatter and poorer.

18. What do you wish you had done more of?
Exercise, by far.

19. What do you wish you had done less of?
Fussing at my kids.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
I was at home with hubby & the kids enjoying our new home and the first White Christmas in 40+ years in my town!

21. Did you fall in love in 2010?
If you can count falling in love with a house as something, then yes, 100%.

22. What was your favorite tv program?
I love GLEE and Grey's Anatomy equally.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
There are people I strongly dislike, but I don't hate anyone. And nobody new for sure.

24. What was the best book you read?
"My Fair Lazy" by Jen Lancaster.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Florence & the Machine. She's absolutely fabulous!

26. What did you want and get?
Our new house.

27. What did you want and not get?
A minivan.

28. What was your favorite film of 2010?
I really enjoyed the 3rd Twilight film, Eclipse. I know...HUGE surprise.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Nothing very memorable for turning 35. I've officially given up hope of ever having another bday party besides the one when I turned 8.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Being able to sell our house and use the money for new home improvements. But on the other hand I'm seriously thankful that we found a great renter for our old house.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept of 2010?
Frumpy. Comfy but frumpy.

32. What kept you sane?
Music. Thank heavens for my iPod.

33. What political issue stirred you the most?
I keep my political ire pretty close to the vest, but this year, the debate over universal health care really got under my skin. And I'm not going to say which side I'm on.

34. Who did you miss?
I really missed my friend Jess who moved away a couple of years ago. Thank god for Facebook.

35. Who was the best new person you met?
I can't narrow it down to 1 because I was excited to meet all of my new Kindermusik students. I feel so lucky to have them and their parents in my life!

36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.
Most of the time, it's better to leave the past in the past and just look towards the future. The past is in the rear view for a reason.

37. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"Happiness hit her like a train on a track" - "Dog Days Are Over" by Florence and the Machine

Happy New Year everyone!!

2011: Looking at the year ahead

I've been giving a lot of thought to making a new "to do" list for 2011. As much as I would love to do this, I think 2011 needs to have a different focus. As I mentioned in my 2010 wrap up, I think that my focus for the new year is going to be U.F.O.'s.

Otherwise known as "Un-Finished Objects".

I've reserved this term in the past to refer to craft projects that have been started with a bang and then left to languish in Rubbermaid containers and closet shelves until I come across them on a whim, 3 years later. And while I have several of those that I want to give attention to, I also have UFO's in my personal life that need to be dealt with. My weight loss journey and our family financial planning being the major ones.

So, without naming specific goals, I'm going to focus my energy in 2011 in cleaning up the UFO's in my life and trying not to create new ones. As I work on these tasks, I have a feeling that several items on my 101 Goals List will be marked off.

What are your hopes for the new year? Do you make resolutions?

101 Goals in 1,001 Days: Update #4

Back in April, I came up with a list of 101 things that I want to accomplish in 1,001 days. It sounded like a pretty attainable goal back then, so I want to take a look and see how much progress I made on the list this year. This is more for me than anyone else because I've already done a couple of update posts this year, but I need to be able to see it all in 1 place. It's my OCD.

Home Improvement Goals
1. Decorate my house
2. Clean desk
3. Keep desk organized for 3 months
4. Finish remodeling the kids bathroom
5. Change the living room paint colors and window treatments - Completed in June 2010 at old house
6. Get a window treatment for the kitchen window
7. Create a manageable house cleaning schedule
8. Have fresh flowers on the kitchen table every week for a month - Completed December 2010 and plan to keep this up because I loved having flowers on the table
9. Decorate inside & out for Christmas - Completed December 2010 and loved every minute of it

Hobby Goals
10. Enter a photography contest
11. Make a quilt
12. Read 100 books - Since last update, read "One Day", "I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell" and a Dave Barry compilation of his Year in Review lists (Read 8 books in 2010)
13. Go to a book signing
14. Read all of the Harry Potter books
15. Join a book club
16. Learn to knit or crochet
17. Knit or crochet a blanket
18. Craft with friends at least once a month - Got together with friends on several occasions to craft but not with consistency each month
19. Finish my Wreck This Journal
20. Learn how to use my sewing machine
21. Sew a dress for each of my children
22. Learn a new language
23. Finish the cross stitch piece I started for my wedding
24. Enroll in a pottery class
25. Print my blog in book form
26. Enroll in a cake decorating class
27. Take a photography class & learn how to use my camera
28. Blog twice a week
29. Cross stitch the Rainbow Bridge poem
30. Finish a heritage scrapbook for my mom
31. Finish a heritage scrapbook for my dad

Health & Exercise Goals
32. Get a massage - Completed August 2010
33. Stop biting my fingernails - Completed August 2010
34. Take a cooking class
35. Start a skincare routine - Completed August 2010 (but need to do a better job of keeping up with it regularly)
36. Exercise 5 days a week for a month
37. Run a 5k
38. Treat myself to a massage after losing 30lbs total
39. Treat myself to a massage after losing 60lbs total
40. Enjoy a new wardrobe after meeting my weight loss goal
41. Donate all of my old clothes after meeting my weight loss goal
42. Get down to 120lbs
43. Maintain my goal weight of 120lbs for at least 3 months
44. Go on a horseback ride that involves galloping
45. Take my dog to the dog park once a week
46. Take my dog on a walk twice a week
47. Play in a disc golf tournament
48. Go 7 days without eating junk food snacks - Completed September 2010
49. Eat 5 things that I've never tried before

Outdoors Goals
50. Go camping
51. Grow an herb garden - Bought an herb garden and managed not to kill it for a month which is progress. Plan to actually plant an herb garden this year at the new house.
52. Start a compost pile in the backyard
53. Landscape my front yard - Completed in June 2010 at old house
54. Build a flower box & plant flowers in it

Personal Goals
55. Get a tattoo
56. Get a professional bra fitting
57. Get my passport
58. Volunteer at an animal shelter
59. Become a published author
60. Throw a dinner party - Completed November 2010 when we hosted Thanksgiving here for some wonderful friends who are like family
61. Watch Gone with the Wind
62. See Josh Groban in concert
63. Start a review blog - Completed in April 2010
64. Take singing lessons
65. Move to a bigger house - Completed in July 2010
66. Finish my will
67. Inspire someone else to make their own list - Completed in April 2010
68. Learn to drive a stick shift
69. Go whale watching
70. Ride in a limo
71. Go to see 2 concerts - Went to see Kings of Leon (again) with my BFF Shannon in November 2010
72. Volunteer in my community
73. Stay organized for 3 months
74. Watch a movie at a drive-in theater
75. Buy a pair of boots
76. Learn to wear/walk in heels
77. But a watch & actually wear it
78. Go to Disney World with my hubby & kids
79. Get the interview with my grandparents converted to DVD
80. Book a trip to London
81. Assist in growing our Kindermusik program by 100%
82. Apply to be on the Amazing Race
83. Play my own lottery numbers - Completed in May 2010
84. But a ticket for a dream home giveaway
85. Sing karaoke at a bar/club
86. Use my bread maker
87. Send my grandma a card once a week
88. Be debt free (except for the house)
89. Apply for membership with the DAR
90. Own a minivan
91. Dye a blue streak in my hair
92. Go 3 days without getting online - Completed in July 2010
93. Go an entire day without watching tv - Completed in July 2010
94. Have a professional photo shoot done of just me
95. Buy myself a Dooney & Bourke purse
96. Go on a horse drawn carriage ride with my family
97. Play miniature golf - Completed in November 2010 when hubby & I played the new "Glow Golf" course in town and had a blast
98. Take dinner to a friend - Completed in May 2010
99. Give a compliment to a complete stranger
100. Save all of my coin change for 3 months & deposit it into my kids savings accounts
101. Write a new list of 101 things in 1,001 days at the end of this project

So, I've completed 17 of 101 tasks in 8 months and made progress on another 4 tasks. I need to kick it into high gear in 2011 and make some serious progress, which I know I can do! My biggest triumph though is moving into our new house this year which is a HUGE accomplishment and something that I didn't expect to achieve until the end of this project. Yay!!

The 2010 Year in Review

Wow, I can't believe we almost have another year in the books! I was stunned to realize that it's been almost 3 months since I've posted anything. Yikes. That's pretty much a testament to how busy life has been this year. There have some really big highs and some really big lows, but no matter what, I've pressed ahead and tried to get some things accomplished.

As I've mentioned (ad nauseum), I'm an obsessive list maker. It's a gene that was passed down from both my parents families, so my girls are doomed to follow in my footsteps. This year I published a couple of lists that I'm trying to make some progress on. I'll talk about the first one in this post and the other list in a post later today. So, let's recap the progress from my "to do" list of 2010.

Family Finances
1. Construct a budget and post it on the computer cabinet monthly - I had some great moments of triumph with this one. Consistency will be the key in the new year.
2. Get debt snowball plan created and posted - I created it and posted it and then promptly deviated from it. Perhaps for the new year, I should add "sticking to it" to the list.
3. Get emergency fund completed - We did complete the emergency fund and thanks to the expense of purchasing a new home, it was depleted. Guess what's showing up on the 2011 list?
4. Get plan together for next year's Christmas - I did this and it was immensely helpful. This was the first low stress Christmas that we've had in a LONG time.

Hobbies
1. Finish the Patten Chapel cross stitch - This has almost become a running joke amongst my friends. Our 15th wedding anniversary is next November. Guess who has a new target completion date?!
2. Finish the Bambi cross stitch - Epic fail on this one. However, I'm optimistic that we'll turn this around in the new year.
3. Finish the 2008 Disney Album - WIN! I did it and am so glad that it's done! Now we have to go back so I can put another album on the "to do" list.
4. Keep family album up to date - This wasn't a good year for this. I took far fewer pics this year than I have in years past which curtailed my desire to scrapbook. I made up for this in the last month which means I need to put the next 3 weeks off from work to some good use.
5. Try to read a book each month - While I didn't read a book a month, I did read a lot more this year than in years past. And by the looks of the HUGE pile of books on my "to be read" shelf, I would say that the new year is going to be great for reading.

Blogging
1. Get my review blog up & running - I did this and had a lot of fun with it until I got completely side-tracked with the new home purchase. I'm hoping to get back on track in the new year.
2. Save up to redo my primary blog - I had a change of heart on this because I want to get back into blogging full time before I redo the layout.
3. Post at least 4 times per week - Yeah, maybe this should've been 4 times per quarter.
4. Be a better commenter on others blogs - I've fallen down on this one too. I'm narrowing down my google reader list and trying to focus on blogs that I can consistently and meaningfully comment on.

Personal Goals
1. Get in 3 workouts per week - Nope. And my health issues this year reflected it.
2. Do weekly meal planning - I didn't do this consistently but will vastly improve on this in the new year.
3. Shoot for a size 6 jeans by December 1st - Not even close. Bummer.
4. Spend more time outdoors with the kids - While I did improve on this, I definitely want to spend even more time with the kids outdoors in the new year.

So there were some definite triumphs that I'm proud of and I can see all kinds of room for improvement in 2011. The new year is definitely going to have a theme to it. And that theme is U.F.O.

More on that later...

Book Review: I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell

**Warning: This post contains a lot of bad language. If you're easily offended, skip this entry.

I can't think of any time in my reading history that I've ever been completely embarrassed to be seen in public with a specific book. Apparently there's a first time for everything.

"I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell" is Tucker Max's memoir of drinking to excess, amusing one-liners, and lots of one-night stands. I really can't even say why I picked this book up, but honestly, I'm not sorry that I did.

Tucker is a self-admitted asshole and after reading this book, I have to completely agree with him. I've never been so aghast at the behavior of one person and yet so completely in awe of him. Tucker is the kind of guy who will not only insult you mercilessly, but he will do it so articulately that all you can do is stand there and stutter. It's infuriating.

Tucker is not a stupid guy. He's well educated and a great writer, which is very evident in his storytelling. It's the content of those stories that will be a major turn off to people. Guys are predictably his main audience, but there is a small portion of women (like me) who actually find his stories to be hilarious.

My favorite quote from the book is this: “Ladies, let me give you some advice. You can throw all your stupid fucking chick-lit, self-help, why-doesn’t-he-love-me books out, because this is all you need to know: Men will treat you the way you let them. There is no such thing as “deserving” respect; you get what you demand from people. Let a guy fuck you in the ass, come on your back, drink all your beer and then leave, and he’ll do it. But if you demand respect, he will either respect you or he won’t associate with you. It really is that simple.”

This would be the "tough love" version of "He's Just Not That into You".

To sum things up, I loved this book. I thought it was funny, well-written and frankly, I'm looking forward to reading his new book that just came out yesterday. However, there are a few things I should note.

- If you are easily offended, you will not like this book.
- If you are not easily offended, you still might not like this book.
- If you are a female, you probably won't like this book.

And if you want to be added to my waiting list of friends who have already asked to borrow my copy, let me know. I promise I won't tell a soul.

8 is Great

Shannon has tagged me for a meme and since I love these types of lists, let's do this! Here are the questions that I'm supposed to answer.

1. What was the 1st car you drove? My first car was a Dodge Colt Station Wagon. Behold the coolness. Not. I ended up totaling that car 10 months into my driving career when I made a stupid left hand turn right in front of an enormous Cadillac. I'm really lucky that my brother & I weren't killed in that accident because it was pretty rough.
   
2. Who is your favorite author? Jen Lancaster, without hesitation. The woman is brilliant, snarky, bitchy and incredibly articulate. I worship the ground she walks on.
   
3. Do you collect anything? If so, what? Oh geez, where to begin. I have what I would describe as a "hoarding personality", but thankfully I keep a pretty tight rein on it. Things that I collect include books, scrapbooking supplies, music, Disney figurines and flip flops.
   
4. What is your favorite vacation destination? If we're talking the United States, it's a dead tie between Coastal Maine and Disney World. I love each equally and firmly believe that if I ever win the lottery, I will have a vacation home in each place. Outside the U.S., it would have to be England.
   
5. What season is your favorite? What is it about that season that you like best? Fall is my absolute favorite season! One of the advantages of living where I do is that we have 4 distinct seasons. Fall bring the colors changing, all sorts of great festivals and my 3 favorite holidays: Halloween, Thanksgiving & Christmas!
   
6. What song can you listen to over and over and never get tired of hearing? Here lately, it's "Revelry" by Kings of Leon. Actually, that's been at the top of list for months now. I just love that band.
   
7. At what age did you receive your 1st kiss? Wow, I really had to think hard about this one and pull from the archives of my brain. If I remember correctly, I had my first kiss at age 11, while at a class party at our local roller skating rink. Sadly, the skating rink is now a self-storage facility. No clue what happened to the guy. Couldn't care less. I do miss the skating rink though!
   
8. What fast food restaurant is your favorite? I would have to say Panera Bread even though I don't really consider them to be fast food. Their Asiago Cheese Bagels are "to die for"!

So, I'm supposed to tag 8 people and give them 8 questions to answer, but I'm awful at tagging and since I've probably lost most of my readers over the last year, let me throw this out there. If you want to do this meme, leave me a comment and I'll send you 8 questions to answer. Or you can answer these same questions.

Table Topics Tuesday: Work of Art

This week, Shannon asks...

what is your favorite work of art?

This is a tough one for me because honestly, I'm not an art connoisseur. However, I do have a favorite artist and his name is Claude Monet. I'm sure you've heard of him, ha ha.

Monet has several famous works of art, but my favorite piece is one called "Houses of Parliament". Yeah, big surprise, I know.

This particular piece is of a very famous landmark in London, which isn't the only reason that I love it. The colors are very appealing to me. I think it really captures the London that I picture in my mind. It's dark and overcast, but there are glimmers of light that open many avenues of possibility and excitement.

Do you have a favorite artist or work of art?

Table Topics Tuesday: I'm sick!

This week, Shannon asks:

what makes you feel better when you're sick?

Well, I can tell you what it used to be. Remember the bed that I talked about here? Well, every time I was sick, I would curl up under our down comforter and let the pillowtop mattress swallow every ache and pain that I had until I felt better. And it worked a lot of the time.

Thankfully, I haven't gotten sick since we've moved, so I'm not sure what I'm going to turn to now. However, that super comfy overstuffed chair in the living room looks like it has a lot of potential!

Wanna play along this week? Head over to Shannon's!

Monday Morning Eye Candy

Because it's Monday.

Because I haven't done one of these posts in a long time.

Because I am very excited about today.

Today, my bff & I are heading to Birmingham to party down (for the second time in 11 months) with a little band called Kings of Leon.

We adore them. We love their music. And frankly, there are a couple of boys in this band that are pretty easy on the eyes. Let's review.

First, we have the delicious Caleb Followill. The lead singer. The bad boy. Wow, can this boy sing. I could seriously listen to him croon for hours on end.

And my personal favorite is Jared Followill. The bassist. The youngest brother. He is just so adorably cute. Oh, and he plays the piano. Oh my swoon!

Happy Monday everyone!

Book Review: One Day by David Nicholls

I just finished reading "One Day" by David Nicholls and I literally had to catch my breath. Mostly because I typically don't like these types of story endings, but for some reason, this one I was ok with. No spoilers here!

The story is set in Britain, where we meet Emma Morley & Dexter Mayhew as they have just graduated from university. After, what appears to be a one night stand on July 15th, 1988, these 2 individuals manage to stay in touch. Each chapter in the book is a snapshot at what is going on in these characters lives on July 15, every year after their original rendezvous. We see their relationship evolve through job changes, life changes, ups and downs.

Personally, I really liked this book. It took me about 3 chapters to become sincerely invested in the characters, but once I was, I hated to put this book down. I yearned to know what would happen next to Em & Dex. Sometimes I found myself rooting for them to get together and other times, I couldn't imagine them spending another moment in life together.

I didn't find this to be a predictable story and I found it very engaging. I'm excited that it's movie adaptation is being filmed right now and I'm so glad they're keeping the story in Britain!

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

I Love to Laugh

Dry wit & sarcasm are brands of humor that I appreciate tremendously.

Many years ago, I worked with a guy who had what many would call an air of pessimism about him. He rarely smiled and usually had a snarky remark about whatever the conversation at hand was about. I was one of the few people who really appreciated his wit and got to know what a great person he really was once you pulled back the layers of the onion exterior.

One of the funniest websites that he introduced me to was Despair.com. This site specializes in "de-motivational" posters; the opposite of those inspirational posters that you often see in offices everywhere. And I cry with laughter every time I check out this website. Here are a few of my favorites.



TRADITION: Just because you've always done it that way doesn't mean it's not incredibly stupid.



REGRET: It hurts to admit when you make mistakes - but when they're big enough, the pain only lasts a second.



PROCRASTINATION: Hard work often pays off after time, but laziness always pays off now.



PRIORITIES: Hundreds of years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove... But the world may be different because I did something so baffingly crazy that my ruins become a tourist attraction.



POSSIBILITIES: With focus, dedication, and steroids, men can achieve impossible dreams, like breaking a world record, or growing their own breasts.



WISHES: When you wish upon a star, your dreams can come true. Unless it's really a meteor hurtling to the earth which will destroy all life. Then you're pretty much hosed no matter what you wish for. Unless it's death by meteorite.

You are my obsession

I've mentioned here numerous times about how music is such an integral part of my life. I breathe it. I love to hear about new artists. I love to find new favorite songs. I love to connect deeply with a tune and blare it through my car speakers. Here are a few of my current loves.

Florence + The Machine: Dog Days are Over

This video is way out there but this is my FAVORITE song right now. I love, love, LOVE her voice.



_________________________

Katy Perry - Teenage Dream

This song inspired me to write a great scene in a book I've been working on for a while. It's actually inspired me to finally finish this manuscript!

_________________________

Glee Cast: To Sir With Love

This one brings me to tears almost every time. And not just because I'm a Gleek. The meaning behind the lyrics is really touching, especially if you've had a teacher in your life that made a serious impact on you.



What's your favorite song right now? What are you listening to on your iPod?

Table Topics Tuesday: My Reality

This week, Shannon's question is this:

what reality TV game show would you most like to be a contestant on?

This one is a cinch for me.

The Amazing Race.

It combines my love of travel, my highly competitive spirit, and my obsession with reality tv.

And here's a couple of reasons that I just can't get enough of this show.

This is the funniest episode I have ever seen. Who knew that cheese rolling could be so hilarious?



And this is just one of the reasons that I can't wait for the new season to start. (And she's ok, by the way.)



Is it wrong that I am reduced to major tears of laughter every time I watch this clip?

Yeah, I thought so.

Table Topics Tuesday: My Top 5 Hotties

Shannon is hosting our weekly roundtable discussion, where this week's question is...

Who is in your top 5?

Oh, the humanity of having to pore over the hundreds of picture of cute guys to determine which 5 are my favorites! After a lot of thought and drooling, I present you with my top 5.

#5 Daniel Craig: This guy looks so smokin' hot in a tux. And I really love him as James Bond. I'm really hoping they movie studios can get their act together and put him back in the 007 driver's seat.









#4 David Beckham: I have a thing for really talented soccer players. Who are blonde. (ahem...hi hubby!) David is beautiful to look at but when he talks, it's over with. Not even the wonderful British accent can save his silly voice. Thankfully my hubby has a lovely voice. Now if I could just get him to work on his British accent.













#3 Johnny Depp: Oh my, I have been lusting after this guy since my teenage years. A very long time, in other words. And a guy who is musically inclined...OY! Love a guy that can play the guitar.















#2 James McAvoy: The dark horse in this race. I totally fell for him in "Atonement" and went completely gaga with his stint in "Wanted". He's mysterious and a bit of a recluse, which makes him that much more appealing. Swoon.









#1 Robert Pattinson: Are we really surprised?


















So, who is in YOUR top 5?

101 Goals in 1,001 Days: Update #3

It's been a busy summer, but I've made a little bit of progress on my list!

#12: Read 100 books - Since my last update, I've read "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen and "Love the One You're With" by Emily Giffin. This brings my total to 5 books since I started this list in May. Making headway!

#18: Craft with Friends Once a Month - I had a blast hanging out with my best girlfriends last weekend and managed to complete 2 baby blankets for showers coming up. Yay!!

#32: Get a Massage - Thanks to a wonderful gift from hubby for my bday last month, I went to my favorite day spa and got a Hot Stone Massage which was FABULOUS!

#33: Stop Biting My Fingernails - I have finally conquered this bad habit! This was a hard one for me to kick, but I'm so glad I finally have.

#35: Start a Skincare Routine - Thanks to a reconnection with an old friend, I'm finally on a skincare regime that is going so well and it's so easy to do! I need simple in my life and I've been able to stick with this one for several weeks now.

#48: Go 7 Days without eating junk food snacks - Thanks to the ultimatum that my doctor gave me last month, I quit junk food cold turkey and went almost 3 weeks without any junk food. And now I don't crave it anymore, which is a miracle. I still have a sweet tooth, but I've learned to substitute things and I'm hoping to eventually wean myself so that I only enjoy sweets on occasion.

How is your list going? Have you achieved a goal recently that you're proud of?

The Classics

I am a self-proclaimed movie addict. It started at an early age with viewings of Star Wars, The Wizard of Oz and my all time favorite, The Sound of Music. However, hubby & I were just discussing our favorite movies growing up and it got me thinking about classics that I have never seen before. Let's take a look at a few majors on the list.

The Graduate - I think Dustin Hoffman is great and Anne Bancroft is just fabulous! I'm more than a little surprised that I haven't managed to see this one yet.
















Psycho - I was recently berated by some good friends over not having seen this one. I don't do horror movies and have always associated Hitchcock with classic horror films. Apparently I have been wrong this whole time. This one is on the list of films I need to see now.














The Philadelphia Story - I had never heard of this movie until I saw a clip of it in an episode of Gilmore Girls and just had to know what it was. The premise seems like classic romantic comedy/drama, which is right up my alley. I just need to get over my fear of black & white films.














Gone With the Wind - Alright, I heard the collective sigh from here. I know. How can I even call myself a southern girl?

















Casablanca - I know, another shocker. I think my aversion to this film is that I dated a guy who was obsessed with the movie, which I just didn't get. So, I successfully avoided it all of this time. Perhaps I need to give it another shot.









Breakfast at Tiffany's - Of all the Audrey Hepburn films, I think either this one or "My Fair Lady" would probably be most appealing to me. Yeah, I haven't seen that one either. I know. How can I call myself a movie addict?












Now that I've unloaded this embarrassing secret (ha, ha), I'm a woman on a mission. I'm taking on AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies list. I love lists and AFI is an organization that I highly respect when it comes to cinema. So, I'll be updating you guys every month or so as to what new films I've checked off their list. Wish me luck!

What movie classics are among your favorites? What ones have you not seen so that I don't feel so alone here under this rock?

The King and I

I've never considered myself a person who becomes emotionally attached to furniture or home furnishings of any kind, really. I don't get misty-eyed when a couch moves on to a new home or a lamp just doesn't fit the space anymore. However, things changed drastically when we moved into our new home this summer.

Meet my old bed. It no longer resides in the master bedroom. It is now awaiting our first overnight guests in this new house, in our first guest bedroom. And I'm broken-hearted.

You see, this old bed that has served us well for over 7 years is too big for the new master bedroom. (How we managed to end up with the smallest bedroom in the house is still a mystery to me. We have 6 bedrooms for crying out loud?!) This classic sleigh bed is King sized and has one of the most comfy mattresses that I've ever slept on. But, it just won't fit. So, we had to downsize. To a full size bed. Which sucks. Royally.

Making the transition from the huge bed to the matchbox has been tough, but we're finally used to it. But for me, it's more than just the transition from roomy, to not-so-roomy. It's trading in a whole lot of memories for our future. That bed provided comfort in really tough times, a great place to snuggle in the mornings with the kids and a fabulous place to enjoy a lazy Sunday morning.

I'm excited about our new house and all of the memories that we will make here and I'm trying hard to give this new bed a chance. That's only fair, right?

Is it just me? Do you have a piece of furniture that you would hate to lose?

I am GLEE-ful

Ok, I feel like I've been doing nothing more than complaining a whole lot around here, so let's talk about something that makes me very happy.

GLEE. I big red puffy heart that show and cannot wait for the new season to start.

In the meantime, I've been watching the opener from the Emmy's this past weekend. Jimmy Fallon...I big red puffy heart you too now because of your inspired show opener. Y'all enjoy!

Expectations

Today was one of those days when I felt like I needed to put my "parenting fail" t-shirt on and parade around town. It had started out so wonderfully. I had a fun morning of sharing music with other families and then scored a great deal on a couple of gorgeous dresses for my girls. After a leisurely lunch at home, I arrived at school to pick up my younger daughter first.

Her teacher took me aside and told me that Little A was completely withdrawn today, which is very unusual. Neither she nor her assistant could get anything out of Little A as to what the problem was, so it was now left to me to get to the bottom of the issue. No amount of gentle prodding was getting me any answers, so I let it go. We picked up Big A and headed to a local toy store for Big A's music lesson.

On our way home, Little A started crying and told me that she was very upset with me because during sharing time at school today, all of her classmates had photos of their bedrooms to share with the class, except for her. And then my heart broke. I had taken the photos and not had a chance to develop them yet and totally forgot about it.

I put a lot of pressure on myself to live up to a certain standard as a full-time mom. There are so many things that I try to make happen and at the top of that list is to make sure that my kids never feel left out of a situation, especially in the classroom. I really let her down this time and it's so painful.

I know that she's probably already over it and I've got her pictures ready for class tomorrow, but it'll be a long time before I forget the look on her face and that little voice cracking as she expressed her disappointment in me. These are the moments of parenting that I'm glad are few and far between.

Thank goodness tomorrow is a new day with a clean slate and the opportunity to live up to my own expectations.

Water for Elephants - Book Review

In an effort to get back into blogging full time (because I miss it terribly) I am participating in NaBloPoMo this month. This is a site that gives you writing prompts and message board support from other bloggers. The theme for this month is ART, which I plan to use in many instances.

I just finished reading "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen. I had read several glowing reviews about this book, but after reading the jacket cover a few times, I was convinced that I would not like this book. The story just didn't grab me. That is until I discovered that my favorite guy would be starring in the movie version of the book. And so I decided to give the book a chance, at least. I much prefer reading a book before I see the movie version anyway. I am SO GLAD I gave this book a chance!

This is a depression-era story that revolves around Jacob Jankowski, who is a young man on the verge of collapse due to tremendous personal tragedy. He finds temporary solace in a traveling circus, full of rich personalities and animals in need.

I quickly became caught up in the drama that unfolds throughout the book and loved the back & forth between Jacob as a young man and Jacob as an elderly man.

This is great storytelling and keeps you invested from beginning to end. And for the record, I cannot wait for the movie to come out! And it's not just because Jacob will be played by my guy. I'm really intrigued to see these characters come to life on the big screen!

What are you reading? Do you have a book recommendation?

A Spoonful of Perspective Helps the Medicine Go Down

It's been a very exciting week around my neck of the woods. And before you ask the question that has been plaguing me for almost a week now, let me just get that out of the way. NO. I didn't meet him. I'm not going to meet him. I've stopped trying to meet him. Now, let's back up a step shall we.

For those of you who know me "in real life" or have been following this blog for more than a year, you are well aware of my intense admiration of a one Robert Pattinson. He's talented. He's tall. He's brooding. He's British. Oh my, swoon!

Suffice it to say that when I discovered that his latest movie, Water for Elephants, was going to be shooting scenes about 15 minutes from my house, well, my heart stopped for a moment. Could it be? Was I actually going to have the opportunity to see my crush in person? NO WAY!!

And then I started to hatch my plan. It involved guilting a couple of wonderful girlfriends into stalking the poor guy with me on 2 separate evenings. And they were such good sports. And I really appreciate them indulging my teenage fantasy, despite the fact that we came up empty handed with no Rob in sight.

When we got to day 3 of the "search for Rob", I even enlisted my husband into the quest for an autograph. And he reluctantly went on his mission, probably more so I would shut the hell up about this guy already. Mission failed. No autograph obtained.

As day 4 arrived, I really started to think about this whole quest and how silly I was beginning to feel. I was unwilling to go look for Rob by myself and I had to ask myself "why". I started to have flashbacks about the time that I met another object of my affection. I had lusted after the actor, River Phoenix, for most of my tween/teen years when he arrived in town for a benefit concert. And he wasn't leaving town without my meeting him and getting an autograph, which I did. And he was a jerk. And it completely burst my bubble. Did I really want the same outcome with my latest crush?

The final straw came when a friend of a friend actually did meet Rob while he was here. And she was so disappointed. And I breathed a huge sigh of relief that my bubble was still intact. The dream is still alive. And I can still admire the pictures, enjoy the movies and imagine him just like this.

Yeah, I can live with that. And I'm sure Rob would like it that way too.

Sugar, oh how I'll miss you

Yesterday was not a great day for me. I had my annual check up with my favorite doctor and she decided to give me a whole lot of tough love. I absolutely adore my doc, but yesterday, I really wasn't feeling it.

I actually went to her and asked her to put me on mood stabilizer meds. Yep, the girl who gets in a tizzy about even taking a Tylenol for a headache actually begged for some hardcore medication. My head just hasn't been in a good place for a really long time. I think it all started with untreated postpartum depression (from both deliveries) and has just gotten worse from there.

She told me something that another friend of mine has been emphasizing for a long time. All of this weight that I'm carrying is causing way more harm than I even realize. And I think deep down that I do realize it, but just don't know how to deal with it anymore.

My weight has been a major issue for me as far back as I can remember. In high school, I worked out a lot and played volleyball and still hated my body. I would compare myself to my girlfriends who I always thought were so gorgeous and thin, not even realizing that I was not fat. I look back at pictures from myself at that age and am horrified that I thought I was overweight.

Now, I have the opposite problem. I've been overweight for so long now that I've found a level of comfort with my size. And that really bothers me. When I look in the mirror, I see that small girl from high school with the cute face. It's not until I see pictures of myself at this size that I am aghast at the person looking back at me. The one thing that hasn't changed is that I'm still incredibly self-conscious in public. I do NOT like people looking at me.

So, my doctor refused to give me meds. While she agreed that I definitely have some mental things that need to be addressed, she really feels like if I face my food addiction first and get it under control, then other things might start to work themselves out.

Since sweets are my worst vice, she told me to eliminate sugar from my diet for 3 months. And then I cried. Ok, not really, but I sure wanted to. Chocolate, ice cream, cookies and all those wonderful bits of junk food goodness are what I turn to when I can't deal with what's going on around me. And now I have to let it go. And frankly it scares me. I have to find another coping outlet to deal with my emotions, so I'm really trying to focus on writing again and hitting the gym. At least then, I might have a lot of great things to show for the 3 months of hell that I'm about to go through.

So, I would expect to see a lot more blog entries from me for the next few months. And I've started writing again. This time it's a whole different story. A story that's more autobiographical. A story that is heading into uncharted territory. A story whose ending has yet to be written, but one that I'm really looking forward to seeing.

101 Goals in 1,001 Days: Update #2

It's been a productive couple of months for the goal list!

#5 - Change the living room paint colors & window treatments: This was 1 of those things that I ended up having to do to get our house ready to sell. It was sad to see the old colors go, but liberating to paint an entire room (and ceiling) almost all by myself! My new living room has a great paint color already and a window treatment that I can live with for now.

#53 - Landscape my front yard: Another thing that we had to do in order to get our house ready to sell. This is something that we had been putting off for a really long time. Hubby worked really hard and I'm so proud of what he accomplished! Our new place needs very little work in the front yard, but we do have a list.

#65 - Move to a bigger house: We moved in on July 1st and it's awesome!!

#92 - Go 3 days without getting online: Well, it wasn't pretty and I was forced into it thanks to my local provider who couldn't get our service moved timely, but yes, I actually went 3 days without getting online. And it sucked.

#93 - Go an entire day without watching tv: Again, thanks to the local provider who couldn't move our service timely. However, as much as I didn't enjoy it, I didn't miss it nearly as much as I thought I would.

For those of you out there who are working on your own lists, how are things going?

Absence makes the heart grow fonder

Have you missed me? I am stunned that it's been 2 months since I've written anything. At least I have a pretty good excuse. What's that song lyric about "life is what happens while you're busy making other plans?"

As I posted here, I started the project of 101 things in 1,001 days earlier this year. One of the big things on my list was to move my family into a bigger home. It's actually #65 on my list. Well, as of June 29th, I marked that one as complete!

It was CRAZY how quickly the home buying experience went. I mean, we went from not actively looking AT ALL, to stumbling upon this house, making an offer 4 days later and closing on it within the month. Talk about a whirlwind. And then there's this little issue with our old house not selling yet, but let's not go there in this post.

We are beyond excited about our new home. It's more than double the size of our old place. My girls have plenty of room to run & play. I now have a home that I can entertain in and be thrilled to invite friends over to. I'm already envisioning holiday memories and decorations that I've always dreamed of creating. And although we are not quite 3 weeks into our new place and still swimming in packed boxes, this place already feels more like home to me than my old place ever did.

I promise to have pics up this week and to get back on the blogging train. I've missed it. And I've missed you.

Emotional Overload

GAH, I need to vent. Sometimes I really despise my propensity for getting overly emotional about a situation. I think it stems from years and years of bottling emotions as a child because now, it takes virtually nothing to get my tears flowing and then I can't shut them off.

Today was the last day of teaching for my Spring semester of Kindermusik and it's sad because I get so attached to the infants & toddlers (and parents) in my classes. It breaks my heart that in some instances, this might be the last time I see them because they either move on to a different teacher or they leave the program totally. It's the 1 aspect of teaching that I will never be happy about. So, I'm already emotional about that fact this week.

And then, last night I received a call from the woman who will be Little A's Pre-K teacher in the Fall at her new school. And it broke my heart. It wasn't the teacher that I requested and to say that I'm upset about this turn of events would be the understatement of the year. It's not that I have anything against this new teacher, but her classroom decor leaves a LOT to be desired, especially compared to the classroom that Big A has been in this year. And Little A was so excited about having Big A's teacher as her own.

After the crappy year that Little A has had at her old preschool, I feel like she is yet again getting the short end of the stick and it makes me so angry. And the worst part about it is that I'm pretty sure there's not a damn thing I can do about getting her teacher changed. Man, I hate all of the drama surrounding school issues. I don't know how my parents survived it.

Table Topics Tuesday: Honesty is the best policy?

This week's topic is:

is it harder for you to speak kindly
or honestly?

I really had to think about this question because I strive to be both kind AND honest when speaking to others. However, I guess when it boils down to it, it's probably harder for me to speak honestly. I would imagine it has something to do with how I was raised.

It might sound like a cliche, but I think that people in the South are inherently taught to sweeten everything that we say (good and bad). Many times, I have been known to not say a word to someone who just annoys the hell out of me because my grandma always said "if you can't say something nice, then just don't say anything at all."

Honesty might be the best policy, but sometimes I would rather keep my true feelings to myself rather than intentionally hurt someone with some unkind words.

So, which is harder for you?

101 Goals in 1,001 Days: Update #1

So, it's been nearly a month since I started this project and as with most new projects in my life, I've started off with a bang! Let's check in on what I can cross off my list so far.

#12 Read 100 Books (I have read 3 books so far. Lost & Found, A Three Dog Life, The Fey)

#18 Craft with friends at least once a month (We got together in April to scrapbook. I finished our Disney Family Trip album from 2008. Yay!)

#51 Grow an herb garden (Ok, so technically it was already started in the pot that I purchased, but I have to get credit for not killing it yet. Right now I've got basil, thyme, rosemary, & oregano)

#63 Start a review blog (And you can check it out here)

#67 Inspire someone else to make their own list (And you can check out my buddy Shannon's list here)

#83 Play my own lottery numbers (This was fun! I try not to put a whole lot of thought into stuff like this, so I just chose some numbers that had significant meaning to me and played them. I didn't win a thing.)

#98 Take dinner to a friend (My friend, Diana, had a baby boy last week and she requested my homemade lasagna. It was so thrilling getting to see her new baby!)

I'm off to a great start, I think and I'm excited to see what kind of progress I make in the next few weeks!

Have you started a list? How is it going?

24 Hour Giveaway Announcement

Please go check out my 24 hour giveaway on my review blog. There's opportunity to enter 123 different giveaways that range from jewelry to books to giftcards. Great stuff!!

It's time to come clean

I read a LOT of blogs out there, but among my favorites is one written by Happy Hour Sue. This week, Sue talked about her affinity for Facebook (a site that I waste entirely too much time on) and the fact that she's the member of a group called "Things I'm Embarrassed to Admit I Like." Which got me thinking.

And so I present you with Things I'm Embarrassed to Admit I Like.

Hoarders on A&E

16 and Pregnant

My incredibly ugly black Crocs

Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood

Robert Pattinson (in any role)

Pajama Jeans (however, I haven't ordered any yet)

ABBA

Dog the Bounty Hunter

Smitty from Imagination Movers (for all the wrong reasons)

Judge Judy

Reruns of Beverly Hills 90210, Gilmore Girls, & worst of all The Golden Girls

Farmville on Facebook

The Millionaire Matchmaker

The Real Housewives of New York, the OC & New Jersey

Rap Music

The Girls Next Door

Perez Hilton

Ok, I feel better now. What are you embarrassed to admit liking?

I promise, no judgement here.

Meet the Queen

I am so happy to announce that a project I've been working hard to realize has finally become a reality! Today, I'm pleased to announce the launch of Queen of the Castle Reviews.

This new site is going to be my forum for honest product & service reviews and will also have a money saver/couponing component to it eventually.

I'm kicking things off with a giveaway over at my new site. If you are interested in a $25 Amazon.com shopping spree, head over to Queen of the Castle Reviews to find out how to enter. And thanks for helping me launch this new site!

Table Topics Tuesday: Shop til You Drop

This week's topic is:

if you could win unlimited shopping from one store,
which one would it be?

Well, if we consider online merchants as well, then it would be Amazon, hands down! I mean, what can't you buy on there?! And speaking of Amazon, I have very exciting news about a giveaway that is coming up within a week. The giftcard is already in my hands, I'm just waiting on the last few details to materialize. Yay!!

Back to our question. If we're talking about actual store fronts, then it would be Target, hands down! Again, you can get just about anything there and I big puffy heart that place.

So, where would you do your shopping spree? Click over to Shannon's to link up your entry!

Table Topics Tuesday: A Meal Fit for a Queen

This week, my best bud Shannon has a very appropriate topic for me:

if you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life,
what would it be?

I didn't have to think about this one too hard, which is a bit surprising because I have several favorites on my list. However, I also am a creature of habit and find myself eating the same things over and over again. So, here's my answer.

My beverage for the meal would be a steaming pot of PG Tips Black Tea. Lots of sugar, no cream. (anyone care to guess where this tea hails from? anyone? Bueller?)

The appetizer would be a lovely bowl of Baked Potato Soup from Panera Bread. I've had this kind of soup in many restaurants and no one else does it better, in my opinion.

The main course would be Baked Breaded Chicken, Au Gratin Potatoes, Cottage Cheese & Yeast Rolls.

The dessert would be Angel Food Cake with Mayfield Chocolate Marshmellow Ice Cream on the side.

Thud.

Sorry, carb overload.

So, what would you meal consist of? If you would like to play along, head over to Shannon's to link up your entry!

Caffeine is the devil

When I was a younger chick, I used to worry about the lasting effects of alcohol consumption on my mind & body functions.

My, how times have changed.

Now, apparently I need to worry considerably about how much iced tea I drink with dinner.

3 glasses of tea = Wired until 4am

Good news: I came up with a brilliant idea for the theme of my review blog and worked out 90% of the details for the designer.

Bad news: Spirit Airlines would charge me for the baggage I'm carrying under my eyes this morning.

Hope you day is full of far fewer yawns than mine!

Table Topics Tuesday: Dumb da-dum dumb

My best bud, Shannon, hosts this every week. The topic for today is "What's the dumbest argument that you've ever had?"

I had a really hard time with this one. Not because I think that all of my arguments have been merit worthy, but I guess because I've managed to let go of the really dumb ones. (either that or I've simply blocked them out due to sheer embarrassment) So let's see if I can come up with at least one. Oh yes, here we go.

The dumbest argument that I've ever had is one that I have no idea what it was about. However, it's my most memorable one because of what it cost me. It ruined a friendship that I had with someone whom I love dearly and ended up fracturing several other friendships as collateral damage.

While I'm sad that I missed out on many years of friendship and major life events with this friend, I'm so thankful that we've found each other again and it's as if we picked up right where we left off.

Maybe time does heal all wounds. One thing that I know for sure is that a true friend is someone who knows everything about you (good AND bad) and loves you anyway. While we certainly can't make up for lost time, we are definitely not missing out on any more time!

So, what's your dumbest argument? Head over to Shannon's to link up your story!

Happy Birthday, My Baby

My sweet baby girl.

Four years ago today, you fluttered into my life with the grace of a butterfly.

During your first year, your spunky personality began to show itself.

As your second year came to a close, your love of polka dots became apparent.

At the end of your third year, your cautious independence was very real.

And now as you have reached your 4th birthday, you have become a little girl almost overnight.

I am so lucky and proud to be your Mommy and count each day as a blessing that I get to watch you grow up into this amazing little person.

Happy Birthday to my baby! No matter how old you are, you will always be my baby.

Love,
Mommy

101 Goals in 1,001 Days

I am a "list" girl. I make lists for everything. From organizational lists for the house, budgeting lists, grocery lists, holiday lists and anything in between. If there is a list to be made, I'm your woman.

My blogging friend, Julia, recently posted a list based on a website called Day Zero. The idea of list making and goal setting isn't new, but I like the premise of this particular site. The object here is to come up with 101 goals that you plan to complete over the next 1,001 days. That's about 2.75 years, which for some of us, still isn't enough time to complete tasks, but we'll give it our best effort. I really feel like this is going to be plenty of time to tackle my list!

And because I want to chronicle this journey, you all will get to see my list and maybe even be inspired to create a list of your own! (And if you do, please let me know so I can mark #67 off my list. Thanks!)

I'm working on a blog redesign which will eventually incorporate this project into my front page, but until then, I'll be doing periodic posts to update my progress. Thanks for joining me on this journey!

Home Improvement Goals

1.Decorate my house

2.Clean desk

3. Keep desk organized for 3 months

4. Finish remodeling the kids bathroom

5. Change the living room paint colors & window treatments

6. Get a window treatment for the kitchen window

7. Create a manageable house cleaning schedule

8. Have fresh flowers on the kitchen table every week for a month

9. Decorate inside & out for Christmas

Hobby Goals

10.Enter a photography contest

11.Make a quilt

12.Read 100 books

13.Go to a book signing

14.Read all of the Harry Potter books

15.Join a book club

16. Learn to knit or crochet

17. Knit or crochet a blanket

18. Craft with friends at least once a month

19. Finish my Wreck This Journal

20. Learn how to use my sewing machine

21. Sew a dress for each of my children

22. Learn a new language

23.Finish the cross stitch piece I started for my wedding

24.Enroll in a pottery class

25.Print my blog in book form

26.Enroll in a cake decorating class

27.Take a photography class & learn to use my camera

28.Blog twice a week

29.Cross stitch the Rainbow Bridge poem

30.Finish a heritage scrapbook for my mom

31.Finish a heritage scrapbook for my dad

Health & Exercise Goals

32.Get a massage

33.Stop biting my fingernails

34.Take a cooking class

35.Start a skincare routine

36.Exercise 5 days a week for a month

37.Run a 5k

38.Treat myself to a massage after losing 30 lbs total

39.Treat myself to a massage after losing 60 lbs total

40.Enjoy a new wardrobe after meeting my weight loss goal

41.Donate all of my old clothes after meeting my weight loss goal

42.Get down to 120 lbs

43.Maintain my goal weight of 120 lbs for at least 3 months

44.Go on a horseback ride that involves galloping

45. Take my dog to the dog park once a week

46. Take my dog on a walk twice a week

47. Play in a disc golf tournament

48. Go 7 days without eating junk food snacks

49. Eat 5 things that I’ve never tried before

Outdoors Goals

50. Go camping

51. Grow an herb garden

52. Start a compost pile in the backyard

53. Landscape my front yard

54. Build a flower box & plants flowers in it

Personal Goals

55.Get a tattoo

56.Get a professional bra fitting

57.Get my passport

58. Volunteer at an animal shelter

59. Become a published author

60. Throw a dinner party

61. Watch Gone with the Wind

62. See Josh Groban in concert

63. Start a review blog

64. Take singing lessons

65. Move to a bigger house

66. Finish my will

67. Inspire someone else to make their own list

68. Learn to drive a stick shift

69.Go whale watching

70.Ride in a limo

71. Go to see 2 concerts

72. Volunteer in my community

73. Stay organized for 3 months

74. Watch a movie at a drive-in theater

75. Buy a pair of boots

76. Learn to wear/walk in heels

77. Buy a watch and actually wear it

78. Go to Disney World with my hubby & kids

79. Get the interview with my grandparents converted to DVD

80. Book a trip to London

81. Assist in growing our Kindermusik program by 100%

82. Apply to be on the Amazing Race

83.Play my own lottery numbers

84.Buy a ticket for a dream home giveaway

85.Sing karoke at a bar/club

86. Use my bread maker

87. Send my grandma a card once a week

88. Be debt free (except for the house)

89. Apply for membership with the D.A.R. (Daughters of the American Revolution)

90. Own a minivan

91. Dye a blue streak in my hair

92. Go 3 days without getting online

93. Go an entire day without watching tv

94. Have a professional photo shoot done of just me

95. Buy myself a Dooney & Bourke purse

96. Go on a horse drawn carriage ride with my family

97.Play miniature golf

98.Take dinner to a friend

99.Give a compliment to a complete stranger

100.Save all of my coin change for 3 months & deposit it into my girls' savings accounts

101.Write a new list of 101 things in 1001 days at the end of this project