March 2011 update

Another month gone but progress HAS been made! It is all a matter of being intentional... Below is my progress: For the FOOD LOVER #39 - New recipes: butternut squash soup Mar 18th; cabbage soup Mar 23rd. It's amazing how two little beets can affect the entire soup - it was so pink (but quite yummy!)

For OUR WORLD/ENVIRONMENT #59 - we picked up litter while at the park and on the way home – Mar 18th; 29th

Simcoe County Museum Mar 15th

For OUR HOUSE #79 - Decluttered assorted goods Mar 18th, assorted goods Mar 19th

For the TRAVELLER in me #100 - Vermont (new state) Mar 13th (crossing by ferry from Vermont to NewYork)

I am feeling good about the rejuvenated attempt although I see that I need to go back through my photos and organize a few things - I know that I have done more than I have documented in some areas. I definitely need to tally up a few areas so I can follow the progress from month to month.

See you in April!

Feb 2011 Update

I'm back! Let's see if I can actually start documenting my (limited) progress on a monthly basis... This project is never far from my mind but the practicality of it (or lack thereof) takes over... For our family... #73 - New parks - Carter Park Feb 5, The kids saw them and asked to stop.

After Carter Park we stopped at Cudia Park where Marlee quickly noted that it has the same set up as another park that we visit frequently. I fell over getting out and had a good laugh at myself (so did the kids I might add).

It was fun to just stop and do something spontaneously - even though we weren't really prepared. For our HOUSE #79 - I decluttered a few magnetic photo albums that had my cabbage patch certificates and childhood photos in them.

For the EXPERIENCE... #93 - I crossed the lake! Feb 21. This was a really cool experience. No one else wanted to come with me so I did the trek by myself. It took me about 45 minutes to go from the area closest to our place and to cross to water park area. I just kept the condos in sight. It was a bit freaky to see the cracks in the ice but you could definitely tell that it was really thick. There were lots of ice huts on the lake and I passed 2 snow mobilers and a few people walking. All in all, I am glad to have done it!

The view starting out...

Getting a little closer...

And finally reaching shore...

#95 - Feb 19 I went with Cindy to see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.

It was SOOOO good. I loved every second of it - it took me right back to the other times I have seen it. I can't believe it was Cindy's first time. I sang along the whole time.

See you next month!

Progress!

Hey - believe it or not but I have been making progress! We've made it to a number of new parks, we've purged, I've scrapbooked. And of course it's on my to do list to get back here to update soon!

Ridiculous!

Okay so I've been a little MIA lately when it comes to this blog and this list.

As I read it over I'm thinking to myself - what was I thinking? I have set myself some ridiculously high goals for the next while! Of course I didn't know that I would become pregnant but still... it looks like a charity of my choice might come into some nice cash. But hey - I do still have 650 someodd days to work on this. You never know.

This is just a wake-up call to myself - getta move on!

Alison's Momentos

Today I got into my "Alison's Momentos" box. I actually mangaged to clear most of it out other then my School Days Treasury book. It's amazing what I was collecting though - and I'm not sure why I thought they were to be saved. Anyway, I am clearning away the following:

• a few decorated boxes
• 7 mini glass jars
• a metal welcome sign
• Beatrix Potter/ Peter Rabbit tin, cards, and book
• my Europe country badges

I will be saving my

• "Dreams" piggy bank - if one of the kids will use it.
• My old green jewelery box - only if Marlee wants it (my old teeth were still in there!)
• My china dolls- until Marlee can decide if she wants them
• My girl guides badges and pins - I need to find a way to incorporate them into a scrpabook page somehow - they aren't very memorable in a plastic bag
• a pottery momento box my mom made
• my old music box with the girl on it - unfortunately it isn't working so I will have to look into it
• my best girl award from elementary school - hoping to take of the award apart and give away the trophy - what do you do with those?
• my patroller of the year award and safety belt - photograph and then discard
• My Peter Rabbit baby cup and bowl - going to the china cupboard

I'm also getting rid of a box of baby items I know I won't use:

• 2 hooded towels
• a suction cup bowl
• bottle warmer
• old bottles and bags for them
• baby bood containers

Little by little...

I managed to get through 2 boxes of Craft supplies for church yesterday too = sorted through the woodsies and all of the wooden sticks and other misc items. I love that kind of completion. It resulted in another box for Goddwill along with some other things I added (Scrapbook papers, kids discarded toys, blue tiered box that came with snacks). It feels good!

A new mini goal - purging!

Purging! My goal this week is to spend 15 minutes a day purging and see where it gets me. Knowing my character though, I like to "know" what I've purged. So here's today's loot:

• cleared out chip, film, plastic etc containers stored in cold room (saved for 'projects")
• 2 brown baskets (taller with leather handle for hanging) - size med and large

craft materials bin which contained:

• bees wax materials for candles
• wooden shapes for painting
• wooden puzzles for painting
• rub-on transfers
• kit for making double wine bottle basket
• kit for making single wine bottle basket
• reed colouring (for wine baskets)
• plastic lacing materials
• dried apples???, Cinnamon sticks and oranges for ????
• cherub head with wings???
• bag of silica gel
• 5 country craft tiles with animals painted on them
• Christmas craft ideas
• 1 Cor 13 cross stitch

In addition I found my old Ziggy crossword I worked on - I'm going to scan it and give it away.

I also found a number of patches of materials with pictures I painted with that gel paint that was all the rage - again I will scan and discard.

Some wooden spoons which will go into my wedding shower bag.

I started this as I was looking for my old corking spool which I thought I had so that Matt could use it. No luck though.

People are right though - now that I have started I really do want to keep going. But lunch is calling...

The end of a decade, the beginning of change?

Yikes! Has it really been 4 months? Wow! Well I may not have posted nut there are a few things that I have actually been working on or should I say I have accomplished. Not nearly as much as I should have but seeing how it is a time for renewing of goals, making intentions, making resolutions. Now is as good a time as any to reflect and then go forward.



So, in reflection:

How did I do with my actual 2009 intentions? (blue was accomplished)



To Learn:
- Learn Photoshop elements 6 – I’m satisfied with my progress on this one.
- Set up blog - done
- To make de-cluttering a habit (minimum of 15 minutes a week – I’ve de-cluttered but certainly not 15 minutes each week
- How to do a digital scrapbooking page (minimum of 5 for the year) – I have done 8

To Do:
- Scan at least 100 of mom and dad's slides – I asked several times but have not yet received slides to scan
- Marlee Owwie album - oops!
- At least 52 scrapbook pages (one for each week) – yes, thanks to the LOAD challenges
- FACE finances and CUT DOWN!!! – my finances are still good, I have no debt but then I have also gained more work
-


To Read:
- Blogger book
- Photoshop elements book
- The Priest
- The Scribe
- Something Borrowed

To Eat:
- Tara (with Drew)
- The North
- Fishbowl
- Horseshoe restaurant near gas station
- Indian Restaurant on Dunlop

To Complete:
- Shimelle Christmas Journal – generally as much as I want to do
- 27 days album (I'm just about done)
- Pieces of our home album (Just about)
- Album about Paula's ornaments (jsut about)
- Cottage album



To live well:
- Pray, journal - prayer good, journaling not so good
- Initiate - okay
- Bed before 12? - ha - well more then I used to!
- Run 3x/week - I think I generally exercised at least 3x and I was happy with my running up until pregnancy. Unfortunately for me the 2 don't go together.



So all in all I'm quite satisfied with how I did. I don't think I need to be so specific about some things - I'd like to be open to trying new things but not limiting them to certain places for instance. I'd like to complete unfinished projects (which I did - just not those listed) but again, maybe not be so specific. So I have learned. And as I consider my intentions for the upcoming year, I am also striving to keep in mind the goal to SIMPLIFY! (See here for more details).