2011 - A Year in Review

I’ve been neglectful in updating the progress of my bucket list over the last few months.  To wrap up 2011 here’s what happened:

1.     Complete 30 Scrapbook Pages – FAIL.  I ended up getting 14 pages done.  I also made 2 calendars and a bunch of cards.

2.     Try one new Stamping technique – DONE

3.     Go through my scrapbook cabinets and purge – DONE

4.     Go through my scrapbook cabinets and inventory so I don’t buy things twice – DONE

5.     Move my butt three time a week for at least 20 minutes – FAIL.  I failed this one miserably.

6.     Toilet Train my daughter – DONE

7.     Do a Christmas Craft with the kids – DONE

8.     Blog at least 12 new recipes on the Recipe Blog – DONE

9.     Learn to knit – FAIL.  I had 2 lessons from Mom but I can’t honestly say that I learned anything from them.  LOL

10. Knit something recognizable. – FAIL

11. Get a manicure – FAIL.  This one was quite sad because I never did stop chewing my nails beyond that early success back in January.  Maybe this one should go on a life bucket list.

12. Make Valentine Sugar cookies – DONE

13. Go on a scrapbook retreat – DONE (I went to two of them – woot!)

14. Try some recipes from the “Big Cook” or something similar – FAIL

15. Re-Make the nativity scene that molded in the attic – originally made my Mom.  FAIL  I got the pattern from her and then shuddered in fear.

16. Pay down some debt-DONE

17. Read 35 books (combo of e-reader and real) – DONE  I quit counting around Aug /Sept but I think the final count probably sits around 50.

18. Figure out once and for all how to blur backgrounds in photographs-DONE.   I can’t say that I can do it consistently but I am getting faster at figuring it out.

19. Attend one play – FAIL….unless you count my son’s Christmas concert then DONE

20. Host a murder dinner – FAIL

21. Continue my journal from last year – DONE

22. Make at least 24 blog posts – DONE

23. Make it to 2005 in my scrapbooks – DONE

24. Keep the kids scrapbooks current – FAIL.  I am 6 months behind!

25. Take the kids to the library – DONE

26. Camp 3 times – DONE

27. Dance in the rain – DONE

28. Reconnect with at least one friend – DONE

29. Go to the farmer’s market – DONE

30. Visit the antique marketplace – DONE

31. Make my first apple pie – FAIL

So….that’s about 20/31?  Not great – but not bad overall.  Most disappointing would be the failure to  bake a pie.  LOL   My favorite was probably reading and dancing in the rain.  I could have tried harder to do this and if I do this again another year ( and I’m sure that I will) I expect that I will do even better. 

In July of 2011 I experienced a HUGE change at work.  I admit it, I am NOT good with change and it really threw me for a loop.  By December though I had most of my old self back and felt myself becoming more able to focus on my personal life & family again without my thoughts constantly shifting to work.

For 2012 I have a new plan…one that I hope to share later today or perhaps tomorrow.  I have already begun and can’t wait to talk about it.  :)

Books and Books...

A few more books read lately...can't stop!!

My Amazon links aren't working as I write this so you will have to survive without the visual picture.

Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons - Lorna Landvik
- I liked it.  It was in my bag of books to pass on to others but I decided to keep this one.  It's about a group of friends  who get together to form a book club.  It follows the women in the club over the decades as their lives unfold.  While it wasn't the most amazing book I've ever read, I did thoroughly enjoy it and it will be going on my bookshelf to read again someday.

An Echo in the Bone - Diana Galbadon   I blame my work mate entirely for turning me onto this series.  While she does sometimes go on a little I can't stop reading this series.  This books ends in a bit of cliffhanger and its going to drive me batty to wait until 2012 to find out what happens!!

The Year of Fog - Michelle Richmond.  I downloaded this to our Kindle and finished it in a couple of days.  I could NOT put this one down.  What happens in the year when you look away from your daughter for 1 minute and turn back to find her gone?

Books!

I have read a pile of books lately but since it's been so long since I have blogged I won't be posting reviews on most of these. 

The Choice - Nicholas Sparks
Charley's Web - Joy Fielding
The Lucky One - Nicholas Sparks
Summer of Two Wishes - Julia London
The Beauty of Different  - Karen Walrond
Rodale's Vegetable Garden Problem Solver - Fern Bradley
The First 6 books in the Sookie Stackhouse Series - (True Blood HBO Series) - enjoying these but taking a break after 6.  :)

Bucket List...

Woot!

* Read one more book!
* Blogged another recipe on my cooking blog!
* Cleaned off my scrapbook desk but didn't actually start yet
* Thought about camping....

Oh Anne...

Another book under my belt.  I was cleaning out my closet last week and came across a bag with this inside.  I had forgotten that my mom had bought me this book during their cross Canada tour. 

I admit it here for all to see...I adore the movie Anne of Green Gables.  It is at the top of my movie lists most of the time.  I think I have seen the movie at least 20 times if not more.   I did enjoy the book Anne of Green Gables as well of course but I ADORED Megan Follow's portrayal of Anne.  When grouped with Colleen Dewhurst, Richard Farnsworth and Patricia Hamiliton it makes for the best movie ever.  Mrs Smith in my office would beg to differ.  Hailing from Nova Scotia she hates everything green gables and the mere mention of it sends her into the 'depths of despair.' 

I see you rolling your eyes out there.  You don't have to like Anne.  I do.  Did I mention that my daughter's middle name is Anne which may or may not be related to Anne Shirley.

I assumed that this book would be 'the most tragical thing that ever happened to me' but I was pleasantly surprised.  Yes - you have to suspend a little bit of reality but I am totally ok with that.  I finished this book in less than 48 hours and rather than add to my giveaway pile it's going to stay on my bookshelf.  This book isn't for everyone.  Die hard fans of the original book will likely find it a 'perfect graveyard of buried hopes' as it isn't dark enough but it's a fun story and an enjoyable read.  Easily a 9/10 for me.  Hee Hee.  

I enjoyed it so much that I am going to have to watch the movie again. Soon.  I know that this review did go on and on so thank you for bearing with me as I ranted and raved.  'If you only knew how many things that I want to say and don't you'd give me some credit.'

Currently reading "Charley's Web" by Joy Fielding and "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson.  Reviews coming eventually....

Bucket List Update

Let's catch up!

* My Mom taught me how to knit one evening at her house.  I have not picked it up since but I had better try soon or my dream of knitting something recognizable will fail.
* My friend Heather and I met during my lunch hour and we went to the Antique marketplace.  I didn't buy a thing and wasn't even tempted to buy anything.  Am I losing my touch?
* I signed up and attended a scrapbook retreat in Calgary
* I don't actually remember what I got done - if anything.  LOL  I will have to go back through the projects I brought and see if I can tick any more off the bucket list based on that.
* I did purge quite a few supplies from my scrapbook room.  More work is needed.  :)   Or maybe just more scrap time is needed.
* I do not move my butt 3 times a week.  Some weeks I do well with that and other weeks I fail completely.  The last 2 times I moved my exercise bike into my scrap room and watched PVR'd episodes of Days of Our lives.  I kept the remotes in the cup holder for convenience.  Hee Hee  That was fun.  I could do more of that.  I think I still am behind about 21 episodes.  I got addicted in University and now it's my guilty pleasure and stress outlet.  How can you watch that and NOT laugh your ass off?  I think I have perfected my own John Black eyebrow raise now and maybe even Friends Joey's "smell the fart" acting.  Almost ready to go pro with this and use it on real people...
* I thought about baking a pie.  Instead I played more Frontierville on Facebook.

Another 2 books bite the dust...

I just finished this one a few nights ago. It's actually the second time that I've read it but this time I downloaded it to the Kindle instead.  I had the trade size paperback and it was beastly  to carry around and try to read. 

I like this series.  It does tend to get drone-y from time to time but I love the characters and I found that this particular one in the series got really great  in some parts.  I haven't yet downloaded the sequel.  My co-worker has warned me that it has a terrible cliffhanger and that the next one isn't due out until 2012 so I think I will take my time. 






The second book I read was the sequel to my other secret book listed below.  It was completely predictable in every way but at the same time - happened the way that it should so it was ok.  I liked it, but not enough to ever buy it.  I returned it to the library.

Updates to the bucket list...

Let's see...what have I done lately...

* chewed off 9 fingernails.  With only one nail left - item 11 seems like a pipe dream.  LOL
* read 3 more books. Will blog about them next.
* have a date with my Mom this weekend to learn how to knit

I think next year I'll include something about naps.  Those should definitely be planned for....

A few more books off the list...

I liked this book.  It was small like a pocket book and had tons of great colorful pictures.  I don't think we ever grow out of wanting pictures in our books!  I liked this book because I found myself nodding my head to about 1/3 of the book saying "I already DO that!" which is a great feeling.   The only problem that I had with the book is that it told me that I am organized.  I'm just lazy and need to clean up more.  I don't like that.  LOL.  I prefer to think that I'm just disorganized.  Maybe there a group for me...

I say 4/5 for this book.






I did not like this book at all.  I'm sure she meant well and it wasn't all bad.  I think I managed to glean 2-3 tips from it.  The problem I had with her approach is that she seemed to think that her readers were made of money and were able to run out and buy a ton of organizational products to make everything look perfect.  She did say that she has organized for the stars and since they make a hell of a lot more money than me - they can read this book instead.  I gave it 2/5 stars.










This book was ok. Learning to live more simply is something that I believe we all need to do.  I did find some good lessons in this book but I also found myself wanting more.  I think this book could be summed up as a "Living Simply 101" with a level 2 to come?  I say 3/5.










Just finished this one today.  I found that I couldn't put this one down.  I won't say that some parts weren't predictable because they were but it was still an easy and enjoyable read.  The vague storyline is that a boy and his Mom live alone. The Mom is somewhat reclusive.  Then something happens one weekend that changes everything.  I give it 4/5.  










My son reminded me that we finished this book last week.  I read to him some nights before bed.  Our copy is an old old copy that must have been dropped in ink at one time rendering the bottom corner of each page completely illegible.  It's a book that I read as a kid and my son chose it from a stack of books that I had brought out.

My son rates this one a 5/5 while I give it a 4/5.  Fun and very short chapters which is great for bedtime reading with a 6 year old.

Bucket List Progress

Hey hey!  I've added 3 more read to my bucket list and another couple blog posts.  I've also posted on my recipe blog 7 times this year already - seems that I set the bar too low on that one! 
http://familysquabbles.blogspot.com/

My daughter is almost completely toilet trained.  She rarely has accidents during the day anymore and this weekend we are going to start transitioning sleeping starting with afternoon naps.  Woot!! I have not changed a diaper in weeks!

I made Valentine Sugar Cookies last week.  You can see the picture evidence on the recipe blog.  They were tasty and fun because DH helped too.  He is a very good dough roller.  :)

As for the scrapbook retreat which I posted about below...that's in progress.  Registration is Tuesday - Yay!

A Reading Machine

Ok...I'm getting a great head start to the reading part of my bucket list.  With the snow that's been coming down, we had no reason to leave the house this weekend and I was able to finish my current book.

Here is what I've read so far in 2011:

I grabbed this one off the shelf at the Public Library. I don't know why the book has the rating that it does.  I didn't like it.  I would give it a 2/5.  It started out ok. It had a quirky idea and had the potential to go somewhere.  Somewhere part way through though it seemed to lose itself and become more disjointed.  Then the end came - and I hated it.  It made me wish I hadn't started the book in the first place.










Whenever I see my Aunt from out of province, she gives me a bag of books for my Mom and I to read before sending them to Goodwill.  This book was one of them. It was a quick, light beachy kind of read.  I'd rate it a 3/5.











This is the one that I finished this weekend.  I had actually seen the movie one night during random channel surfing.  It was the Hallmark movie of the week which is one of my guilty pleasures.  When I see a movie based on a book, I get the urge to read the book too.  I liked this book.  It is a slow moving, simple book that takes the reader back into WW2 times.  I give this one a 3.5 or 4 / 5.

The Bucket List

This is not an original idea of course but I liked it so I am stealing it.

I made myself a bucket list for 2011.  Not like a life bucket list which feels to me like it should be UBER and not a New Year's resolution list which is doomed to fail from the start....but a list of things that I'd like to do this year.  I've posted it here in hopes that this will prod me to accomplish some of these things.