35

35 Things to do Before 35 – How Did I Do?

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Last year, on my birthday, I made a list of 35 things that I wanted to do before I turned 35.  Tomorrow I turn 35, and I wanted to look back at my 35th year and the things I accomplished.

  1. Read a book a month.  I didn’t really keep track, but I’m sure I read more than twelve books.
  2. Sign up for life insurance.  Didn’t do this, but we do get life insurance through Jesse’s job.  I’m not sure if we should pay for supplemental insurance.
  3. Try a Barre3 class.  I didn’t do this, but I took some yoga classes, and started going to the Rec Center on campus.
  4. Get a monthly massage.  Sadly, I didn’t even get one massage.
  5. Try acupuncture.  I still want to try this.
  6. Get a haircut.  I’ve gotten a couple, and even cut my own bangs recently.  Now I’m wanting a long, choppy bob to go with the new bangs.
  7. Try 5 recipes from my new cookbook!  I’ve made lots of things from this book.
  8. Spend a weekend at the beach.  I just missed this one – I’m going to the beach for the weekend next month.
  9. Spend a weekend in the mountains.  I did this a few times – camping and in Sunriver and Bend.
  10. Can something.  Peaces, barbeque sauce, sweet and sour sauce, spettighetti sauce, Uncle Chet’s dill pickles.
  11. Get our garden going again.  Still getting there…
  12. Focus on getting my Etsy shop going.  Note:  It has a new name and address – CaroMade!  Still getting there…
  13. Post one new listing on CaroMade every month.  Not quite…
  14. Do a creative retreat – either an organized one, or organize my own!  We almost have this scheduled.  It will probably have to wait until late spring or summer since we’re planning it in the mountains and none of the people going like to drive in the snow.
  15. Get more chickens.  We now have 9, and some are even laying again!
  16. Get back on my daily chore schedule!  Still in process…
  17. Go to Disneyland.  We took Alma last spring and it was magic.
  18. Go to a Broadway musical.  We saw Book of Mormon and it was incredible.
  19. Hike 35 miles.  Nope.
  20. Get the trailer set up and go on bike rides with the girls.  We did this a few times.
  21. Rent a limo.  Nope.
  22. Make and sew a huge cushion for our hearth.  I didn’t do this, but I did paint the fireplace white and I love it.
  23. Get chairs recovered.  They seriously need this, but we haven’t done it yet.
  24. Get estimates to get our house painted.  This summer.
  25. Set up some good seasonal capsule wardrobes.  I ended up Kon-Mari-ing everything and don’t really have enough for this.  I want to try it again, though.
  26. 5 Days of Christmas crafts on the blog.  So much fun.  I loved it.
  27. Get going on a creative, relaxing morning routine.  I’m not sure this is for me.  Maybe I’ll try again this summer when the sun rises earlier.
  28. More author interviews on the blog.  I want to get back to this.
  29. Plant a tree.  A pear tree.
  30. Take a class.  I’ve done things to renew my license, but I haven’t taken a creative class.
  31. Sew some clothing for me.  A couple Beatrix shirts.
  32. Make art for Alma’s and Harriet’s rooms.  Harriet’s name in felt.
  33. Go to the Country Fair.  So much fun.
  34. Go camping.  We went up the McKenzie and it was lovely.
  35. Build a sandcastle or a snowman.  Both.  Sand in Coronado, snow in Sunriver.

21/35 isn’t bad!  Here’s to next year… More on my plans for 36 coming tomorrow!

Summer To Do List, 2015

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And then they summer to do list Alma beachJune is here.  School’s almost over.  Summer’s coming.  I’m not the biggest fan of summer, I admit.  I thinking having a list of things to do this summer might make me enjoy it more.  A lot of these are also on my 35 Until 35 list, so that’s good.

  1. Pick a summer theme song. Right now I’m thinking of something by Jenny Lewis or Rilo Kiley.  We just saw Jenny last week, so I’m on a Jenny/Rilo kick.  Or I might throw back to some of my favorite summers, and go with a Dave Matthews song.  DMB songs always make me think of summer.
    I decided on Budapest because it’s fun, it’s on the radio a lot, and Peter just did a cool version.
  2. Take, and post to Instagram, a photo every day, starting June 21st and ending September 22nd – the first and last days of summer.  Recently I’ve gotten into sharing my day to day stuff on Snapchat, and haven’t been posting as much on Instagram.  I think I’ll look back and wish I’d taken more permanent documentation of these days.  This summer, I will post (at least) one photo a day and I’ll use the hashtag #93summerdays if you want to play along!
  3. Run through the sprinklers.  I tend to be an observer in this activity.  I vow to participate this summer.
  4. Play outside everyday.  This is a long-term goal to get my kids to play outside everyday, rain or shine or snow or fog or whatever.  I think they’re getting to be old enough, and creative enough that I can start this.  Best to start in the summer, I figure!
  5. Have a dinner of corn on the cob.  When corn is in season, there’s nothing better.
  6. Go to a concert.
  7. Stargaze with Alma. Ideally, I want to take her out into the country or wilderness where stars are brighter.  I think it would be fun to let her stay up late (or get her up) and take her out, just the two of us.
  8. KonMari Method everything. This will likely be an entire blog post, but I have read The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up and am in the process of getting rid of things that don’t spark joy.  It’s already been incredible, I can’t wait to continue.
  9. Go on a day date with Jesse. And then they summer to do list alma forrest
  10. Hike.
  11. Camp.
  12. Ride bikes.
  13. Make lemonade from scratch.
  14. Watch fireworks.  Big ones this year, I think.
  15. Build a sandcastle.
  16. Make ice cream from scratch.
    We made a cherry dark chocolate ice cream.  I liked it, Alma didn’t, Jesse was indifferent, Harriet likes anything.
  17. Redecorate the living room – specifically the mantel. It still is covered in Easter decorations.  Come on.  Jesus has already ascended into Heaven and we’re fully in a new church season.  Seriously, Carolyn.
  18. Go to the beach.  This should be easy.  We have another vacation to Coronado planned.
  19. Go to the mountains.
  20. Bake a crisp, or other summery dessert.   Blueberry cobbler ftw.And then they summer to do list harriet swinging
  21. Swim in nature – ocean, river, lake, stream.
  22. Eat wild berries.
  23. Make s’mores.
  24. Take each Harriet and Alma on an adventure, just us. 
  25. Plan our tenth anniversary celebration.  Ten years!  What?
  26. Learn how to shop at thrift stores.  They totally overwhelm me and I never buy anything.  I love to idea of not wearing new clothes – better for earth, better for the workers who make clothes, cheaper – I just don’t know how to do it.
  27. Go to the Country Fair. Photos here!And then they summer to do list alma doorway
  28. Go to new parks.  Maybe try for all the parks in Eugene?  Is that crazy?  Anyone want to attempt this with us?
  29. Shop at the farmer’s market as often as possible.  Maybe make it a weekly activity.
  30. Have a water balloon fight.
  31. Buy some treats from the ice cream truck.
  32. Go to the library.  Another weekly activity?
  33. Swim in a pool.
  34. Tie dye something.
  35. Go berry picking. And then they summer to do list harriet crawlingAnyone want to play along?  What’s on your list this summer?