my bucket list

So, if you have been reading this for awhile, you will recall last year, when I turned 33, I posted 33 things I had learned in the last year.read it here. So, to change it up a bit, this time I am posting 34 things I want to do in the coming year. Some good, some bad, some deep, some shallow. Some you may like, some you may disagree with..... and in no particular order...

1. play massive amounts of my new favorite game.. Settlers of Catan.. it is so fun. Its a cross between Monopoly, Risk, Pit, and Strageo. It ain't cheap.. (thanks mom for getting it for my bday) Holler back if you have it or want to learn to play, we are finding there is a whole community out there....
2. loose 10 pounds.... I do realize I must stop eating 12x my portion size and start exercising... and it must happen really soon... or I may be wearing chucks summer clothes..
3. comfortably run 5 miles.. this seems like a stretch, since the farthest I have ever run in my life is 3 miles, and that was a year ago.. but I didn't say I would do all these things soon, just in the next year. So, maybe next year for my bday I could run 5 miles.
4. keep my room clean.. do you feel like you just read some small childs chore list?? I realize most of you have mastered this, I haven't. at all. I am so sloppy. When I was a kid, my parents used to say I burrowed on my bed and floor. I would find a place that was free of clothes and sleep there. old habits die hard.
5. redecorate downstairs... on my new budget... which means pretty much for free.. out with the dark stuff.. bring on something new...a change will do you good... are you humming?
6. ride my bike... this could help me to accomplish number 2. Now that Elijah is riding, there is no reason we can't go out and practice together.
7. memorize more scripture. this always sounds like such a good idea. and that is about as far as I take it. Sadly, I am not very intentional about this. Time to start. I want to work on one verse a week, as a family. One friend I have puts chapters or verses on DVD and then listens to them in the car... and that would be a nice break from Shel Silverstein.
8. read 6 books. This is another thing that I go in stages with. I would love to read more this year. Any suggestions... no werewolves or lords and rings or harry potter or romance novels...
9. complain less.. I am sure most of you would appreciate me conquering this too.. it is so easy to forget all my blessings and I want to work on keeping my negative selfish thoughts to myself.. this will be a struggle.. be sure to remind me when you hear me going down that slippery slope
10. eat more veggies... I don't even eat one serving of veggies a day.. and I like them. Why are the salty sugary things so much easier to grab?
11. wash my sheets more often.. I am not a homemaker, and don't pretend to be. I hear of others who wash their families sheets weekly, and I usually have to stop and think of the last time I washed any sheets. So, this will be good for me. I will read this list and remember to do better at this. Maybe if I was more germy it would help, or more concerned about dead skin cells and such.
12. drink more water... again, not my strong suit. I like water, I just like milk better, and most days only drink any beverage with meals.
13. eat less carbs... I have a sister in law who is learning to eat healthier and it is inspiring.. except for maybe the flax seed waffles...
14. go to library... man, I have slacked at this. once Elijah started school and went at school, I dropped this activity from our lives. Maybe its why I haven't been reading either.
15. meet some neighbors. I am not sure why I don't do this, I like to talk.. bet you didn't know that, so I need to go out and do just that. And, maybe even have one over... but that would mean I would have to clean, and that is not on this list you see....
16. start being, not always doing... this one is deep, almost too deep for me. I am always making lists and going here and there and thinking about the next few hours that I miss the time to just be. be present. be relaxed. be quiet. Not sure how to get there, but am working on it.
17. do my focal point book keeping monthly.. right now, I just finished the first 5 months of the year (thanks mom) and it would be so much easier to do it monthly
18. take more photos.. its something I love, but just get busy with other stuff and let it slip by.. we don't even have a recent family photo .. the last one I have is two years ago (besides one in our matching Christmas pj's..which Chuck says should not become public)
19. spend more time with my sister... not sure where this came from.. but felt God putting it on my heart... we don't talk much and only see each other about 4 times a year. So sad. I need to put some time and effort into this relationship.
20. eat less processed food... I know McDonlads is killing me... its just hard to take the time to learn what is good for you.. which seems to be relative and very different depending on who you talk to....
21. floss my teeth.. I do this twice a year, right before my dentist appt. They have caught on to me, so I better work on this
22. think more about Chucks needs than mine.. another hard one... I ask my kids to do it all the time.. think of their sibling first.. but often find myself not doing that with my family.. I don't want to be bothered while on the phone or computer or .....
23. try new seafood.. as a kid, I disliked all seafood. it stunk. period. While pregnant with Elijah, I craved Salmon, but not salmon that smelled like fish. Since then, I have really started to like it. I would enjoy it weekly in our menu.. if it didn't cost so much. I am ready to try the next thing... but I still hate shrimp. they are like segmented fingers. rubbery.
24. teach Elijah to tie his shoes and memorize his address... yes, I know.. he is the only 6.5 year old who doesn't know these things.. that is why its on the list...
25. go outside more... man, I am in a rut of sitting inside. I think it could be all this rain and just coming off winter, but I have gotta get some fresh air... really my brain needs it...
26. encourage family exercise... I see all these cute families walking and biking and playing together... I want this for us... I need to get outside with them...
27. consistent discipline.... for myself and for my daughter. I need to crack down on the no snacks if you don't eat your meal.. and the go to your room the minute you whine... and the stay there until you .....
28. break the whining habit..... its d day... and it will be a long summer in her room... if we can't start acting 4.5. ....that whining voice must stop.
29. learn to do Eden's hair.. ok enough of the rats nest. I need to put in time and energy into learning how to do curly thick hair. I am clueless. and its not fair to her. Anyone want to give me lessons. I tried to learn to part, its not working. Ugh.
30. volunteer at school. Chuck is great at this, so I have let him do it, but I need to get in there too. A new year, right? time for me to make some commitments with volunteering with the kids.
31. cook more... I tend to have Chuck cook all the meals, they just taste better, but then I tend to have him do the dishes too, and that is not really fair. I need to help. I need to get in the kitchen, maybe a cute retro apron would help....
32. visit with Chucks grandparents. they are old, i think like 85ish. which means they don't have a lot of time left. We need to be intentional about visiting with them when they are here from Arizona. They are fun and active and sweet and we never see them. sad.
33. listen. slow down. stop talking as much... oh I am learning so much about myself now that I have officially started seeing a counselor... and its exhausting just keeping up with myself.... oh...
34. get a handle on this computer stuff... since I joined the evil facebook, I haven't blogged much, which I like and want to do. It helps clear my mind. Also have so much editing work to learn and programs to study and classes to take. Again, when will I go outside???

happy birthday to me. another list. just what I wanted.