36 to 36

I don't know if I should be thanking them or not, but Loz and Anna have convinced me to do a mini bucket list.  Seeing as it was just my birthday last week, it was the right time to do it.  Each of them had a lot less to do than me (showing my age difference!) but I'll still attempt it!  Basically, I'm aiming to complete 36 tasks before my 36th birthday.

My hesitation in doing the list is I feel I have enough on my plate to put 36 intentional things on that plate... but the organised (read: OCD) part of my personality is saying "do it, you know you want to... it's a list, that you can TICK off when you've achieved something on the list.  Ticking things off on a list feels good.  Go on, try it!".  Obviously that voice has won!  However, I'm not going to pressure myself too much.  It will be great to get all this stuff ticked off, but I'm not going to beat myself up about it if I get to my birthday next year and haven't done everything.  With that said, here goes!

(whew... I've gotten up to 24 and am stuck!) 

(now up to #30 and struggling even more!)

Yah!  I did it!  I don't know if they are all in the spirit of what the list is about, but it's my list, I made it to 36 (which is 8 and 9 more than my friends, so there!  LOL) and I am happy!  I'll keep you posted how I go!

 

 (Image Credit)

1. Get the cross stitch I did for Little Spring (that I started before she was even born) finally framed.
2. Learn more about my camera and its functions (using the 'homework" that my aunty was assigned before her photography course which gets you familiar with your camera).
3. Finish the aprons I'm making for gifts and for the winner of my "Cooking Like Grandma" Experiment participant. 
4. Get the bridal party photos from our wedding framed... finally (they were only taken 10 years ago!).
5. Enroll Little Spring in 3 year old Kindy for next year.
6. Get into a regular exercise program and stick to it.
7. Lose at least 10kg... and keep it off.
8. Get into a better habit with my devotion life.  Set aside time each day.
9. Finish my scrapbooking for my US travels, significant birthdays, Little Spring's life to date and Big Spring's ordination.
10. Increase my Avon client base (I was going to put a number of how many clients to reach, but I can't control that entirely, so won't put a number.  I'm currently at 46, so will update you on how many I have this time next year!).
11. Send out at least 10 birthday cards during the year.  I've gotten very slack and haven't sent out any for many months.
12. Following on from #11, send out notes to all the dear friends I've missed sending birthday cards out to over the last few months (they were in my thoughts, but I didn't send cards).
13. Reply to 2 friends who have send me a number of hand written letters, but I haven't replied as yet (sorry, Ange and Leah, that's you!).
14. Write a book based on my "Cooking Like Grandma" Experiment with menu plans, shopping lists, recipes and other tid bits (self-published/printed, for myself and can print copies for anyone else who might be interested).
15. Start going to markets and fairs up here, to see if I can find some vintage gems... a teapot for an old fashion morning tea party I'd like to have; tiered serving trays for said party and other trinkets such as those.
16. Get rid of as much 'processed' food as possible from the pantry and fridge.  I've already been trying, but it's a definite goal.  Whether it be giving it away to the charity food bin at church or using it up, I want to get it out of the house!
17. Start making clothes for Little Spring and perhaps for myself... and even Big Spring!
18. Read at least 3 books (not including devotional - see #8).  This seems really pathetic seeing as I love reading and used to be able to read a book in a week or two... but I am a mummy now and have many things on the go and don't have the time like I used to (i.e. when I worked, I'd read on the way there and back and during lunch).  I try reading at night, but I'm usually so tired I can't concentrate enough to actually read and soak in the words... this is more about getting to bed earlier!
19. Organise another Christmas Gift Box for Big Spring.
20. Start writing regularly in my journal again (and utilise many of my blog posts to catch up the years missing in between entries.)
21. Continue to get my household in order - going through each room and purging things.  I've been doing this for a while, but I'm still not satisfied that I've gotten rid of enough.  There still seems to be so much clutter.
22. Go through Little Spring's toys again and get rid of stuff.  She has heaps and a lot of is is not age appropriate anymore.
23. Go through Little Spring's clothes and send some to a dear friend who's just had a little girl.
24. With the rest of Little Spring's clothes, either sell through a pre-loved sale on FB or give to charity.
25. Follow up friends and family who had given me specific prayer points last year, start doing regular praying again and seek out new prayer requests from friends and family. (to coincide with #8).
26. Print off and send more photos of Little Spring to my dad - Poppa.  He doesn't use a computer so doesn't have access to the photos like my mum does.
27. Finish typing up my Nana's (dad's mum's) recipes in a recipe book and send out to her descendants.
28. Hold a foot spa pampering afternoon for my Avon clients (with a test run on my friends first!).
29. Update Little Spring's Family Tree Photo Board with the new editions (and more updated photos of babies!).
30. Give feedback on the "Cooking Like Grandma" Experiment (updating both my blog and Facebook Page).  Obtain feedback from participants, collate and publish.
31. Learn more about 'clean' eating.  I stole this outright from Anna.  She got me curious to know what that actually meant and how closely it related to what I'm doing with my Experiment.  A quick search and I'm keen to learn more!
32. Bake more bread.  Because of the Experiment, I've been baking my own bread and haven't bought any for a few weeks.  But, it means we run out because I don't have a stock in the freezer like we used to.  So, I need to bake a few loaves and put them in the freezer, so we can eat unprocessed bread but still be stocked up in the freezer.
33. Make my own pasta for the first time.  A friend is lending me her pasta maker and I hope to start using it often so I can justify spending the money on my own and make fresh pasta.
34. Make my own sorbet for the first time.
35. Create a weekly planner.  I already have my diary for 'appointments' and know all the regular things I need to do each week, but I want to plan my week better, so I can better manage my time. (i.e. have a set blogging day/time and a strict time of when I work on my Avon business etc.) and hopefully have more quality time with Little Spring during the day, more quality time with Big Spring in the evenings and earlier nights (so I can achieve #8, #18, #20 and #25).
36. Be more intentional with Little Spring's toilet training, without pushing her.  Look into it a lot more (have already Facebook researched it amongst friends) for hints, tips etc.

My list now on the wall, ready to be crossed off!