The 2012 To-Do List

There are so many things I would love to put on this list. Feasible? Maybe. Likely? No. I like to set myself up for success. That motivates me to continue progressing.

My planner has a quote from Thoreau on the cover (I LOVE my planner). Ten 23 Designs sells it as a decal in several different colors. And I fell in love with this quote all over again. We will be getting this. It is perfect and I even have a spot for it. Anyway, this quote guides me.

1. Live my life. God keeps sending me reminders that life is happening now. It’s great to plan for the future and it is certainly important to do that. However, I can make that future a reality and why not go at it now instead of later?

2. Improve myself. Talk about vague! There are so many areas that need improving. I want to be realistic though and not get too specific (i.e. I want to have a sparkling clean house every night before I go to bed) or else I might never get to bed. If I can improve just a little bit, be more consistent in the ways I need to be, be more thoughtful and mindful, I will consider myself a success (with more room to grow—hehe).

3. Improve relationships. This one feels huge and daunting to me. I am thinking anywhere from God to Jared to whomever. As much as I’d like to be one of those people who seem to be unaffected by how others act/think/whatever, I’m not. I guess this goes hand-in-hand with improving myself.

4. Say no. Say what? This will be so beneficial once I get the hang of it. I’m sure of it...

5. Be healthy. Maybe the only reason this made it on my list is because I’m battling a cold. I love being healthy. I love going to the gym. I love hearing Kaelyn ask for fruits and vegetables. I just need to be better at it. I have an idea of where I want to be and I want to be there.

6. Be prepared.I was going to stop at five but I feel very strongly about this one. If something were to happen to us in any sort of way, it would be really bad. We are not at all prepared. Zip. Zero. Zilch. That’s gotta change.

2011 To Do List RECAP

It is November 10th and I was thinking about the items that I wanted to get done this year. I have more done than I have said that I’ve done so I wanted to quickly list what I have done and what I haven’t. My comments in italics.

HAVE DONE

1. Blog more. <—I have most definitely done this.
3. Start a garden. <—Yup.
4. Figure out a schedule that works for us and we will maintain with minimal convincing and hair pulling.<—I’m not actually sure what I meant by this but I really like our current schedule so I guess I’ve completed this
5. Get Kaelyn to sleep in her own bed again. <—She is a pro at sleeping in her own bed! And not only that but she is putting herself to sleep now! This is such a big relief. Only very occasionally is she in our bed at all and its usually the times when she gets really scared or doesn’t like something that I have no control over.
6. Get Kaelyn to sleep the whole night without waking up. Update. <—This happens very rarely... but it has happened and I’m just glad that she doesn’t wake up nearly as often or require my attention as much. We’re still moving towards this goal though. She doesn’t get any drink when going to sleep for a nap. The next move for me is to eliminate at night and when I can do that, I’m sure that she will stay asleep.
9. Make huck toweling towels (aka, cloth paper towels). <—Done.
10. Make and hang curtains for Jared's office. <—They helped over the summer too. Jared took them down for the winter (lame) but hey, I made them.
17. Prune our cherry tree. <—Granted I didn’t actually do it but someone did and that’s good enough for me.
21. Fully refund our emergency fund. <—Done.
22. Finish Mom's regency coat. <—And so lovely too!
23. Learn how to make cha siu bow dough. <—And they were so delicious too. Next I need to get a better steamer and they will turn out awesome, I’m sure.
25. Continue running. <—I did continue running. And now my goal is to continue running. My leg is better though so that should be soon.
26. Get rid of the big pile of sticks in my backyard. <—Another “I didn’t do it but someone did”.
30. Build a night stand for our bedroom. <—Okay, I confess. While the goal was to build the nightstand, I bought one instead. It was cheaper than building and although it’s not perfect (aka, still not painted), it is functional.
32. Organize my fabric. <—It’s not ideal storage or organization but it is still done.
33. Make cloth napkins. <—Um. I didn’t realize this was on here twice but we use the huck toweling (#9) as cloth napkins. When we use napkins.
41. Get my tail bone checked out. <—There are times when I miss my chiropractor...
42. Be brave enough to make a fish dish.  <—Not only once but TWICE. And I ate it both times.

18 out of 42. Um. 43% done. And 85% of the year is over.

 

HAVE NOT DONE

2. Start a compost pile. <—This one will still get done this year. We made a garbage can change that forces us to get this done.
7. Get pregnant. <—The year’s not over yet...
8. Make cloth sandwich/snack bags. <—I probably won’t do this one. Maybe in another few years.
11. Make and hang curtains for guest bedroom. <—I have everything I need. I just haven’t done it.
12. Build my desk. <—I got a desk for free but I haven’t painted it yet.
13. Build bed frame for my bed. <—This one won’t get done. Tear.
14. Build bed frame for the guest bed. <—This one won’t get done either but I’m not as sad about it.
15. Reattach the leg to the piano. <—I need to buy a clamp...
16. Finish Kaelyn's felt animal set. <—I‘ve been working on the nativity instead... why didn’t I put that on my yearly list?
18. Obtain shelving for food storage. <—We are severely lacking in this department overall.
19. Move our washer and dryer to nicer location. <—Laundry will be nicer when this gets done.
20. Pay off two debts. <—We’re so close!
24. Organize my recipes better. <—Um. I’m closer.
27. Find a handle for our sliding glass door. <—Notta one.
28. Build a coffee table. <—Not yet.
29. Build a night stand for Kaelyn's room. <—I have a nightstand. It matches the one in the master room. However it is being utilized downstairs. And is unpainted.
31. Build a night stand for guest room. <—I used to have a nightstand for this. I used it for a little table for Kaelyn though.
34. Do a complete rehaul of our 72 hour kit. <—This one should be easy! But we haven’t done it.
35. Frame and hang the big mirror for the living room. <—It’s in the master bedroom right now. I need a full length mirror I can hang on the wall. Then I can hang this mirror in the living room.
36. Hang the big clock in the living room. <—I haven’t done it yet because I haven’t decided whether or not to paint it. Why that stops me from hanging it, I don’t know.
37. Build a mantle for the fireplace. <—I haven’t decided what type of mantle yet.
38. Build a bookcase for my music. <—Nope.
39. Learn about basements and how to care for it. <—I have learned a little bit about basements. Just a little bit though.
40. Acquire more comfortable seating. <—This should read “different” instead of “more”. And no, it’s not done either way.

Considering all the other things I have done that are not on this list, I still feel like I’ve done a good fair bit. And that I know better what to put on my list for next year.

My 2011 To Do List

I don't normally make New Years Resolutions. I tend to make them around my birthday when I make any at all. This year, I'm switching it up. Here goes, everyone. My 2011 To Do List! (I also figure that calling it a to do list makes it much more likely to get done rather than keeping a resolution which can dissolve. A to do list sounds much more like something I just have to do. Although some of these are more hopeful and wishful than maybe more likely to get done. Just some. Not most.) I have no idea how long this list will turn out to be, but you can bet that I'll be keeping you up to date on my progress on it!

I maintain the right to add to this list as I see fit.

1. Blog more.
2. Start a compost pile.
3. Start a garden.
4. Figure out a schedule that works for us and we will maintain with minimal convincing and hair pulling.
5. Get Kaelyn to sleep in her own bed again.
6. Get Kaelyn to sleep the whole night without waking up. Update.
7. Get pregnant.
8. Make cloth sandwich/snack bags.
9. Make huck toweling towels (aka, cloth paper towels).
10. Make and hang curtains for Jared's office.
11. Make and hang curtains for guest bedroom.
12. Build my desk.
13. Build bed frame for my bed.
14. Build bed frame for the guest bed.
15. Reattach the leg to the piano.
16. Finish Kaelyn's felt animal set.
17. Prune our cherry tree.
18. Obtain shelving for food storage.
19. Move our washer and dryer to nicer location.
20. Pay off two debts.
21. Fully refund our emergency fund.
22. Finish Mom's regency coat.
23. Learn how to make cha siu bow dough.
24. Organize my recipes better.
25. Continue running.
26. Get rid of the big pile of sticks in my backyard.
27. Find a handle for our sliding glass door.
28. Build a coffee table.
29. Build a night stand for Kaelyn's room.
30. Build a night stand for our bedroom.
31. Build a night stand for guest room.
32. Organize my fabric.
33. Make cloth napkins.
34. Do a complete rehaul of our 72 hour kit.
35. Frame and hang the big mirror for the living room.
36. Hang the big clock in the living room.
37. Build a mantle for the fireplace.
38. Build a bookcase for my music.
39. Learn about basements and how to care for it.
40. Acquire more comfortable seating.
41. Get my tail bone checked out.
42. Be brave enough to make a fish dish.