Hold on tight cause here we goooooo………….

Hold on tight cause here we goooooo………….

I have obviously watched too much Little Einsteins because anytime we go somewhere or start something that phrase goes through my head….

It is super annoying so I won’t subject you all to the annoying cartoon voices that say it.  I did my weigh in before my official start of the “list year”.  No loss – No gain.  I know I was not at the top of my game this past week so I am okay with that.  Hopefully whatever I did right last week will add up to a nice loss this week to start me off.

Warren and I went to a new restaurant for date night.   Union Fish House, the Boston Globe had done an article on it a few months ago. 

The wait wasn’t too bad especially considering how small the restaurant is and it was raining so no one could be sat outside.  The foo d was good – I had the scallops in the review above – we will probably go back – but it wasn’t spectacular.  It is hard to get excited about Union Fish House when Alma Nove is just steps away with some truly AWESOME food. 

Warren wasn’t feeling well on Sunday after traveling all week so I decided to take Fiona to the Boston Children’s Museum.  I have simultaneously anticipated and dreaded this day since Fiona was  a baby.  While kids love it and it is wonderfully interactive it is also the 9^th circle of hell when it comes to crowds, strollers,  and other people’s children.  Don’t get me wrong – I like other people’s children … in theory.  I love my niece, cousins, and friends’ kids, but strangers’ children are generally ick.  Fiona had a great time and loved the museum.  She is already talking about going back!  There was really only 2 instances of parental mismanagement that had me mildly seething.  One was when a child who was about 3 nearly beaned me with a golf ball – despite my sloth-like reflexes I managed to dodge the throw.  No parents to be seen in that instance.  The other was the unsharing/bossy kids in the farm stand on the third floor, dad was texting in the corner – totally oblivious.  (Side Note:  Third floor was virtually deserted, but unfortunately did not hold Fiona’s attention) 

1 thing accomplished - 38 to go!

Sunday afternoon I leaned of the bureau in our room, so officially I am on day 2 of keeping the bureau clear.  Hopefully it continues!!   I know I want my good habit to be a logical morning/evening routine.  Right now what usually happens is I get up take a shower – putz around doing miscellaneous things – lose track of time – scream through the house trying to get everything ready and roar out of the house a few minutes late … dragging an uncooperative, cranky kid. 

I have pictures from the museum that I will try to put up later ….

I love lamp .... Wait no, lists - I love lists!

I have to say, I love lists and research.  There is something about researching for vacations and things like that - it makes me so happy!   Execution I am so/so on but I am hoping I can turn it around with this project.  So I think I have done most of the research I need for the project.  I do need to plan a few things out – which I will do over the next week or so.  Originally I wanted to wait until my birthday to start the list – but I have a couple of opportunities to do some things next week – so why wait.  My official start date is going to be 7/27/13.  Why start on a Saturday you may be thinking… well I weigh myself on Saturday and I need a starting weight for goal #9!

So here is my research so far for my list

#3)  Complete the Couch to 5K program - Start on August 1

#4)  Run an official 5K - Tentatively planning for the 10/20 Quincy Animal Shelter 5K

#5)  Buy a bike and ride confidently - I have found the bike I want to buy.  http://tinyurl.com/ka77fg5  it is a one speed cruiser.  Which is great – since I never really got the hang of changing gears on my ten speed in Jr. High. 

#6) Get a tattoo - I have picked a design for my tattoo!  I have wanted a tattoo forever, and I knew I wanted to honor my family but the motherhood tattoos I saw always felt very limiting.  I came across some celtic family tree designs and I loved the idea.  But none of them spoke to me until I found this one:

It is so wonderful!  I am going to do it in browns and gold and have the leaves in the colors of my family’s birthstones.

#7) Take Fiona for a horse/pony ride - Davis Farm in Sterling does pony rides.  Probably do this in the fall so we can pick apples and get a pumpkin.   

#8) Go to the dentist - Found a dentist I want to use – will make an appointment at some point. 

#11) Finish needlepoint for Mom - I have a wonderful project for mom, I set up everything I needed to get started.  I am hoping to have it done and framed as a Christmas gift. 

#14) Take Fiona to Boston Common, Frog Pond & carousel – Fiona and I have a Mommy/Daughter day scheduled on 7/28 – we might do this stuff then. 

#17) Take Fiona to the circus – Circus is coming in October!  I remember going to the circus with school when I was younger and I can’t wait to see her face.  I hope to buy the tickets here in the next week or so.

And Finally ... The FULL List!

So I am done!   Completely done with making my list, I should probably categorize the list  to make it easy to research and execute - - but not today.  Today I am just so happy to have the completely done!  So here is the list - in random order:

1. Go vegetarian for one week
2. Get rid of all personal credit card debt
3. Complete the Couch to 5K program
4. Run an official 5K
5. Buy a bike and ride confidently
6. Get a tattoo
7. Take Fiona for a horse/pony ride
8. Go to the dentist
9. Lose 50 pounds
10. Finish Christmas stockings
11. Finish needlepoint for Mom
12. Finish Christmas project for Kenna
13. Take Fiona to the Children's Museum
14. Take Fiona to Boston Common, Frog Pond & carousel
15. Make something wearable
16. Go through clothes and purses in the attic to sell/donated what is not longer needed
17. Take Fiona to the circus
18. Keep Bureau clear for 1 month
19. Form a good habit
20. Keep work desk clear for 1 month
21. Climb Blue Hills
22. Ride an inverse roller coaster
23. Participate in NANOWRIMO
24. Ride a ferris wheel
25. Purposefully exercise while on vacation
26. See Waterfire
27. Explore 10 new restaurants
28. Have a mamogram
29. Plan 10 interactive date nights
30. Go to one of Massachusetts' annual fairs that I have never been to (Topsfield/Marshfield/Big E)
31. Find an exercise class that fits in with Warren's travel schedule - attend at least once a week.
32. Get a professional makeup application
33. Send 12 care packages
34. Get back to my natural nails
35. Buy 1 complete outfit at a non-plus size store.
36. Take mom to a show - Broadway in Boston
37. Get to know someone I don't like
38. Submit one writing piece to publisher or agent
39. So a photoshoot with the family

Now on to research.

Looks like I really want to lose 100 pounds.....

So some of you may have noticed in the last post that I had lose 50 pounds twice on my list from the weekend.  While I would love to lose 100 pounds over the next 400+ days I really don't think that is a realistic goal.  (especially since I gained 3 pounds on vacation!)  So I have made a little bit of progress on my list and fixed that mistake:

1.     Go vegetarian for 1 week

2.     Get rid of all personal credit card debt
3.     Run an official 5k
4.     Buy a bike and ride confidently
5.     Get a tattoo
6.     Complete couch to 5k training program.
7.     Take Fiona on a horse/pony ride
8.     Go to dentist
9.     Lose 50 pounds
10.   Finish Christmas stockings
11.   Finish a needlepoint for mom
12.   Complete Christmas project for Kenna
13.   Take Fiona to children's museum
14.   Take Fiona to Boston common frog pond and carousel
15.   Sew something wearable
16.   Go through clothes and purses sell/donate what is no longer needed
17.   Take Fiona to the circus
18.   Keep bureau clear for one month
19.   Form a good habit
20.   Keep work desk clean for one month
21.   Climb Blue Hills
22.   Ride an inverse roller coaster
23.   Participate in nanowrimo
24.   Ride a Ferris Wheel

15 more things to add to the list!  And WORLDS of research to do.

What is 39 before 40?

While on vacation this past week I started turning over in my head things I wanted to do before I turn 40. We got home and I started to jot down some of these thoughts I realized I was 39 Days away my 39th birthday. Therefore my 39 things to do before I hit 40 was born - even I can't ignore signs from the universe that are neon and blinking. 

Since I only have a year to get the all these things done this won't be the pie-in-the-sky bucket list a la Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.  

Although I would love to see the seven wonders of the world this year, I have neither the money nor the vacation time to travel the world. I want to focus on things that I have always wanted to do but I was always too .... Something.  Whether it was too lazy, too busy, to afraid or too fat - I am not waiting anymore. I want to step into what I hope is the next 40 years without all these excuses that I have been using for so long. Already this year I have started changing things that have dragged me down for so long - I have lost over 30 pounds and have less than 100 to go. 

This last week of vacation has shown me though that my old habits are still right under the surface waiting until I let my guard down.  The next 39 days I am going to be planning and creating my list of 39 things to do and accomplish this year. 

So far:

1.    Go vegetarian for 1 week

2.    Get rid of all personal credit card debt

3.    Run an official 5k

4.    Buy a bike and ride confidently

5.    Get a tattoo

6.    Lose 50 pounds

7.    Take Fiona on a horse/pony ride

8.    Got to dentist

9.    Lose 50 pounds. 

10.  Finish Christmas stockings

11.  Finish a needlepoint for mom

12.  Complete Christmas project for Kenna

I have some work to do to finish out my list, but there is my start.