Project 31...My year in review

Today I am 32! Last year on my birthday I created a list of 31 things I wanted to do before I turned 32 and called it Project 31. I have loved working on this list and am excited to post 32 things I want to do before I turn 33 but that will have to wait until tomorrow...Here is my Project 31 report.

1. Figure out how to light a fire in my fireplace. I am sure this doesn't sound highly complex but you should know that it does require going to a fireplace store and buying one of those things that will turn the knob in the floor that makes the gas go on and then teaching/threatening my boys to stay away from the fireplace and finally convincing my Paul that it isn't dangerous and I am just not sure it is worth such effort.

2. Reduce our number of costume boxes by half. Check. When you have 15 boxes full of bizarre dress ups, hats, wigs, glasses, and many unidentifiables it is actually quite easy to reduce the number by half.

3. Spend two straight weeks in Driggs with my boys. We spent about 10 days in Driggs this summer, it was wonderful, and I am counting it.

4. Get back on a pair of snow ski's. I keep waiting to get back in shape before I put on a pair of ski's but my diet dr. pepper, protein bar, and candy diet just isn't doing the trick so no ski's yet.

5. Get to church on time with my entire family. Check.

6. Go on vacation with my husband. Cinevegas.

7. Plant something. Surprisingly rewarding.

8. Bake my own bread. I bought some yeast.

9. Start wearing an apron when I cook. I had intentions of also making the apron that I would wear while I cooked but unfortunately it is still sitting half finished in a box in my craft room. I am however able to check this one off due to the efforts of a dear friend who made and mailed me an awesome apron.

10. Get current on my scrapbook projects. Not even close. But I have a plan and will be carrying this one over.

11. Learn a new TBD craft skill. Yep.

12. Sit on top of a mountain and think. I really regret not being able to check this one off. It is simple and I had a lot of opportunities. I mean I live near mountains, I vacation in the mountains and depending on how you define mountain I could be sitting on top of one if I only hiked a few minutes from my front door. But I didn't take the time. I don't get much "alone" time and hardly any during daylight hours, so I am not punishing myself, I am just a little sad that I didn't find a way to make it happen.

13. Read a photography book. I did my research an bought two highly recommended books for the camera that I have. They are still sitting on my nightstand...unread.

14. Take George tubing behind the boat at Hebgen Lake. I loved our Hebgen Lake vacation this year and actually ended up taking both George and Charlie tubbing with me.

15. Learn to use PhotoShop. Not yet, but it is part of the plan for this year.

16. Decorate my bedroom. Yep.

17. Ride a roller coaster. I am counting the kiddie coaster at Bear World. Not what I originally had in mind but a roller coaster all the same.

18. Go down a water slide. My boys love water slides and we have a great and really inexpensive place just ten minutes from our house.

19. Get rid of stuff I don't need or use. Major progress here.

20. Potty train George. Yes. However, a couple of weeks ago he took off his pants and underwear and pooed on the carpet, then told me he was sorry he didn't know he was going to poo. Really?

21. Go on a hike. Travis took us on a crazy hike to a rope swing. How we made it there and back with so much stuff and so many kids who needed to be carried I don't know.

22. Snowshoe. I have only snowshoed twice but I really like it and if I only spent more time in Driggs in the winter I would be able to check this one off the list.

23. Read 30 books. I went a little crazy on this one. Read a lot of brain candy and a little bit of trash.

24. Develop a signature soup recipe. Check. If you haven't tried it you should.

25. Put up outside Christmas lights. Paul actually gets most of the credit for this one but I am still checking it off my list.

26. Make drapes for my family room. I found some awesome drapes at Urban Outfitters that I couldn't pass up so I now have drapes hanging in my family room even though I didn't make them. I did however hang the curtain rod...No small feat.

27. Paint the rooms in my basement that I haven't already painted. My dad gave us a big screen t.v. for our theater room which motivated me to paint it along with the other remaining still-pink-from-the-previous-owners rooms in our basement and I love my basement now. However, it is cold and we can't figure out how to push the heat down there.

28. Go white water rafting. I really wanted to do this but we just couldn't make it work this summer.

29. Go to Arizona. Easter in AZ is the best.

30. Write more thank you notes. I think I wrote fewer thank you notes this year than I have ever written (or not written) before and that is sad because a lot of people did a lot of thank you note deserving things for me this year.

31. Take Charlie on his first 4-wheeler ride. Check. Charlie adores going on rides and I love that he snuggles into my lap and enjoys the scenery.

p.s. Stay tuned for Project 32.