September's to-do list

1.  Count my blessings – daily

2.  Send a letter or card to someone

3.  Drive out to visit D and Eli

4.  Invite guests over for a visit or dinner - I borrowed my friend K's nose.  I guess I can count that as a visit as we sat and chatted for awhile

5.  Attend stitch, make, and chat at the library 

6.  Make a gift - still a work in progress.  Just have the back stitching to complete.

7.  Sew or craft something/finish an ongoing project - I sewed the cape for Eli for Halloween.  No photos of the little guy in it....sometimes he's just not cooperative- 

8.  Go to the $$ or thrift store - I know I bought sandwich bags at the $$ store, but I can't recall if I went to thrift store last month.  

9.  Try a new recipe - tried a recipe for brownies that used chocolate chips instead of cocoa.  Not impressed although it tasted okay.

10. Read a book - in addition to a couple of true crime books that I picked up at the book sale in August, I finished "The First Time" by Joy Fielding.  The story of a woman diagnosed with ALS, and the affects on her life and those who love her.  

11. Watch a movie - I PVR'ed "Girl in the Bunker", "Cast Away" "Keanu", "Suffragette", "The Notebook", and the "Secret Life of Walter Mitty".  Maybe this month I'll get around to watching movies.

12. Take a walk in the park - I'm counting my hike up to the ridge and Hidden Valley with my brother for this one.

13. Repurpose/recycle something

14. Bake something and share it

15. Invest in myself – join a yoga class or Aquasize, or use my weights - this is something I have to challenge myself on.

16. Mow the lawn once, sweep the deck weekly

17. Have coffee on the back deck or front patio

18. List something to sell on Varage sale

19. Volunteer

20. Listen to my Spanish CDs in the car

It was a bit of a mixed bag this month.  I got some things done, but others just fell by the wayside.  It is what it is and I'm certainly not going to worry about it.  The list is good for those days when I can't think of what to do with myself, which are very rare. 

Since I have no photos of my progress this month, I'll share a photo my brother sent me.  He and his buddy Pete went hunting last weekend up near our home town.  Beautiful, isn't it?

August's to do list

I definitely managed to complete more of the list this month.  I did reduce the number for 20 from 30, which made it a bit easier.  A lot were underway from last month too, so that helped!  I do like having the list - I keep it on the side of the fridge and it's a good reminder to do the things I enjoy doing...in addition to all the cleaning for showings that seem to never end. 
1. Count my blessings – daily - always
2. Send a letter or card to someone - J in England was the recipient, and I was totally amazed at how quickly it arrived. 
3. Drive out to visit D and Eli - I made a trip this week overnight on Sunday to drop off some items and get a visit with my adorable grandson.
4. Invite guests over for a visit or dinner - still my Achilles heel...maybe next month
5. Attend stitch, make, and chat at the library 
6. Make a gift - scarf for my SIL for Christmas
7. Sew or craft something/finish an ongoing project - finished another baby blanket and hemmed some jeans for my son
8. Go to the $$ or thrift store 
9. Try a new recipe - sausage and peppers with rigatoni pasta.  It was a hit with my son and I.  A do-over for sure!
10. Read a book - Two in fact, "She wanted it All" by Kathryn Casey - true crime, and "Begonia Brown: A Philadelphia Story" by Julia Press Simmons - novel
11. Watch a movie - The Accountant.  When it first started I wasn't that into it, but by the time it was finished I thought it was quite good.
12. Take a walk in the park
13. Repurpose/recycle something - I did find a pattern to make a cloth bag from an old t-shirt, and the t-shirt is sitting in the sewing room waiting for me get at it.
14. Bake something and and share it 
15. Learn how to make something
16.  Mow the lawn, sweep the deck weekly - I managed this about every 10 days due to rain which means it needs mowing badly right now!
17. Have coffee on the back deck or front patio
18. List something to sell on Varage sale
19. Volunteer - I did finish the weeding on the long weekend of August but I haven't been back.  Again, rain and procrastination.
20. Listen to my Spanish CDs in the car - I finally remembered to do this, but only when I was about halfway to D's house.  I got through the alphabet, though I'm sure I don't remember much of it.  

Time to start a new list for September, and work on those on those items that just seem to never get done.  

July's to-do list

I've been reading blogs where the author has challenged themselves to complete, or at least attempt, a number of tasks.  One of those blogs, Thrifty Mom in Boise published a 30 things in 30 days list in earlier posts and this inspired me to create my own list for July. 

1.         Count my blessings - daily

2.         Bake buns

3.         Send a letter or card to someone

4.         Drive out to visit Destiny and Eli – two trips actually

5.         Invite guests over for a visit or dinner – did not happen.  This was a stretch for me, as I always feel my hosting skills are lacking so unless I count Eli and D, I'll really have to work on this one.

6.         Make a gift – started but Eli helped so I started it again!

7.         Sew or craft something – finished toddler sweater

8.         Make a monthly meal plan for August – A number of the blogs I read have meal plans.  That was a bit daunting for me, so I started a list of possible meals using items in my freezer and pantry.  I started using the list in July but as many are faves I'm sure they'll show up in August as well.

9.         Go to the $$ Store

10.       Try a new recipe – zucchini loaf

11.       Read a book – The Unfinished Child by Theresa Shea

12.       Watch a movie – apparently not memorable as I can’t remember what it was called!

13.       Thoroughly clean the laundry room

14.       Take a walk in the park

15.       Investment cooking - hamburger patties, sloppy Joes, buns, and potato soup.

16.       Repurpose/recycle something

17.       Weed the front flower bed

18.       Detail the inside of my car

19.       Mend my capris

20.       Bake something and share it

21.       Complete an inventory of my freezer

22.       Empty the basement freezer - a work in progress

23.       Learn how to make something

24.       Finish crocheting edging on Eli’s blanket – done!

25.       Finish crocheting sweater – oops I counted this twice

26.       Mow the lawn weekly – almost, it was closer to every 10 days

27.       List something to sell on Varage sale

28.       Volunteer

29.       Listen to my Spanish CDs in the car – I kept forgetting about it these!

30.       Take some time for myself - I'm fortunate as I get to do this everyday!

I probably won't try to fit in as much this month, as I found myself feeling a wee bit stressed that I wasn't getting everything done.  But having the list was great too because it was a great reminder of the things I want to do, enjoy doing, with a couple of stretch possibilities as well.  I'll carry over some of things I didn't accomplish - I really need to go walking, and I've been meaning to send a card to my friend in England, and add a few new projects as well as keep some of the ones that I truly enjoyed from last month.  Oh maybe the list will still be as long!  Check in for an update in September.