Third 101 Things Update

I'll skip the "I meant well" introductory part of this post and just admit that I haven't really thought about this project for about, oh, two entire months, not even counting the several months before that when I didn't make any progress but at least thought about it.

For each section, there's a count of the number of items in that section, then a breakdown of what is finished, what is in progress, and what hasn't been started yet.  The numbers of finished items are in bold, those of items in progress are italicized.

Health and Fitness (9:3/3/3)
001. Take a walk every day for a week (of at least a mile)
-----You can laugh with me. It's okay.
002. Floss teeth daily for a month
003. Go to the gym 15 times, working for at least half an hour [0/15]
004. Do daily exercise for 30 days
-----This has gotten changed several times, but is simply: exercise consistently. After a visit to my sister's house, we bought a Wii and one of the "Just Dance" games that she doesn't have (so when she visits, she'll have something new to play), and have done that four times in the past month. The kids really like watching me, which is creepy but flattering at the same time. So there may be progress on this one sooner rather than later.
005. Get a massage (two times) [1/2]
006. Visit an eye doctor and check my prescription/glasses/contacts
-----Hooray! New prescription: new contacts and new glasses, and a friendly new optometrist. Very happy that things are no longer uncomfortable/fuzzy or literally peeling, respectively.
007. Go to the dentist yearly (three times) [1/3]
-----Even though we go every six months, I'll only count the first visit of the year for a "yearly" visit, and that will be this month.
008. Set a bedtime and stick to it for 30 consecutive days
-----See 001.
009. Take a multivitamin for 30 consecutive days

Learning (12:4/2/6)
010. Read the New Testament [27/27]
011. Read the Old Testament [0/49]
-----I think I should start over since I hadn't read any more in Genesis since I last wrote.  *sigh*  Again.  (Repeat these notes, especially the *sigh* )
012. Read a month's worth of Church Fathers [31/31]
-----Although I reached my 101/1001 goal, I kinda want to catch up and continue this project... which is now extremely behind.
013. Learn Romanian Trisagion prayers and Nicene Creed.
014. Learn the countries of each continent (sporcle.com quizzes, first time success in a day) [6/6]
015. Read 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
016. Memorize the first five kathismata (Psalms 1-37) [1/37]
017. Learn apolytikia for all family saints (Peter, Mary Magdalene, Theodore the Studite, Gregory Palamas, Lucia, Catherine, Timothy the Apostle, and Moses the Black) in English [0/8]
-----We've done several of these, but may need to update this goal in July (see Thing 090).
018. Memorize the books of the Bible in order
-----Probably should review this...
019. Learn the 8 resurrectional apolytikia in English [0/8]
-----Still haven't decided on the translation yet.
020. Learn the 12 great festal hymns: apolytikia and kontakia in English [0/24]
-----Haven't gone any further with this either.
021. Learn to make a prayer rope.

Social Ties (7:1/2/4)
022. Have a dinner party
023. Invite others on a ladies' night out
-----We even had another, smaller one with just four of us at a coffee shop playing board games. It was very fun.
024. Invite Matthew to visit our family
025. Make a birthday list and send out birthday cards to at least five friends (namedays also count) [2/5]
-----I am not good at staying in touch, even though I think about people and miss them often...
026. Set up five playdates [0/5]
-----My children are doomed.
027. Send out annual letter (twice) [0/2]
-----Still haven't finished the pictures for the 2011-2012 version.  Yeah, the one that tells about our TWO younger children.  *sigh*  Maybe this will be a decade project rather than an annual one.
028. Host a Lego party

Better World (7:2/0/5)
029. Volunteer at the library
-----Haven't heard back after (I think) turning in my volunteer application.
030. Donate blood
031. Donate to Matt and Tara in Niger
032. Put together and send kits to IOCC; put together some "blessing bags" to keep in the car
033. Volunteer at the soup kitchen with Philoptochos
-----I may change this to volunteering somewhere else, as this soup kitchen gives mixed messages and doesn't get back to me....
034. Visit a nursing home with the children
035. Buy a cow/goat/bees from the Heifer Project

Homestead (20:5/3/12)
036. See about southeast corner landscaping/drainage
-----We've made the basement this year's goal. In order to get someone to look at our water-proofing options, we have to take down what's covering the basement walls, which we've decided to leave until the temperature goes back above freezing.
037. Get gutters cleaned (install gutter guard?)
038. Put up outdoor Christmas decorations (wreath, lights)
039. Get chimney/fireplace inspected and put in working order
040. Replace bathtub drain (main floor)
-----After looking into this, I decided to just go with a new tub-stopper (less than $5) and take out the broken mechanism for the bathtub drain, rather than going into walls and spending lots of money. Also, the kids really like the tub stopper (which we haven't affixed to anything), as it makes a great censer or general toy.
041. Secure the threshold for the walk-in door to the garage
-----The husband went ahead and made the door close properly, so the threshold is even worse, but at least the door closes and the wind doesn't open it any more. Maybe when temps get above freezing...
042. Properly mount the safety reverse on the garage door (eyes)
043. Figure out what all electrical switches go to
044. Replace light in street lamp
045. Add light to upstairs closet
046. Install a programmable thermostat
-----Just $30 with our free home inspection, installed!
047. Fix main floor bathroom sink flow issue (clean aerator?)
-----Replaced with low-flow whatsit by home inspector.
048. Replace shower heads
-----Even the home inspector couldn't get the upstairs one off, so this may be something to think about more.
049. Fix upstairs bath handle leaks
050. Stick with bi-weekly cleaning day (laundry, cleaning bathrooms, dishes) for four instances [0/4]
-----See Thing 001.
051. Plant Lucia's Christmas tree
052. Introduce ourselves to each of the neighbors on our street/block [5/14]
-----Went around the day before our Fall Greek Dinner with koulourakia that I'd baked, so nabbed about five introductions.
053. Get a free energy check-up for the house
-----And, boy, was it worth it! Free light bulbs, low-flow things, advice on insulation and what gets a rebate, and an installed programmable thermostat. We've had attic access put in, insulation, and with the new doors, have been definitely more comfortable this winter (with extremely low temperatures) and saved money doing it. I'm glad we gave the inspector some tickets to our Fall Greek Dinner, but I wish we had his contact information so we could treat him again this spring.
054. Sort through and organize ALL clothes (his, mine, and the children's) for what fits, what needs repair, and by season (store, donate, repair as needed)
-----Recently sorted through children's clothes again, but see Thing 090 for reasons why I won't be going through my clothes just yet.
055. Unpack everything from the move ... and put it away
-----See Thing 001.

Computer (7:1/1/5)
056. Organize desktop icons
057. Organize files
058. Make wedding photos more accessible (i.e., find them)
059. Upload photos from computer to online albums
060. Select and order photos from online albums for physical albums
061. Update physical photo albums
062. Completely clear out gmail inbox
-----Started with 103 important-and-unread, 172 unread, and 3900 total in my inbox. As of the first update, I have 80 important-and-unread, 151 unread, and 1770 total in my inbox. As of the second update, I have 161 important-and-unread, 579 unread, and 1129 total in my inbox. As of this update, I have 165 important-and-unread, 1087 unread, and 2951 total in my inbox. Not quite progress. I need to unsubscribe from things and take care of other things.

Car (3:0/0/3)
063. Clean out car, including vacuuming and car wash [0/3]
-----Again with waiting on the weather.
064. Clean out minivan, including vacuuming and car wash [0/3]
065. Transfer minivan title to Iowa

Crafty (6:1/0/1/4)
066. Finish knitting (Teddy's) toddler pants
-----New goal: 2T pants so that Timmo can wear them. At least I know where everything is, and there might be people at church who knit and so could help me. I think the tricky part (other than doing it) will be figuring out (even approximately) where I left off.
067. Make epitrachelion
068. Make a dollhouse church
069. Write a children's story about a family saint
070. Make (liturgical) seasonal notebooks (New Year to Nativity Fast, Nativity Fast to Triodion, Triodion and Lent, Pascha to Pentecost, Apostles' Fast to end of liturgical year) [0/5]
071. Replace the elastic in all the white diapers (legs) and all diapers (backs) [0/8; 0/24]

Food (5:0/0/5)
072. Make a fasting menu plan for a week
073. Make a non-fasting menu plan for a week
074. Eat salad four times a week for four consecutive weeks
075. Make a meal with the crockpot
076. Work on Auntie Leila's "Happy Home: Food Organization" list every day (even a little bit) for a week

Activities (7:1/1/5)
077. Find an Irish dancing school near Cedar Rapids
-----The closest one is in Dubuque, and they meet on Sunday afternoons every other week. This is not the season for trying that, however, but I found it. (See Thing 090.)
078. Play the flute for half an hour every day for a week
079. Play the fiddle for half an hour every day for a week
080. Find a piano teacher and something to practice on
-----The husband said he'd move a piano into our house if I made space for it (of course, the best space is the place in the office with all the stuff I've been meaning to sort through and work on... forever), and if I found a free one. I think the first part will be harder than the second.
081. Go to see live theater with my husband and no children
082. Go to see live theater with the whole family (children's performance)
083. Attend a retreat or icon workshop (no children)

Travel (6:2/1/3)
084. Visit a monastery with the family
085. Visit three different museums [0/3]
086. Go to the zoo
-----I remember going with the family to the Blank Park Zoo, with farm animals. There was a lot of walking involved, and ducks are still scary.
087. Go to the park with the children 20 times [1/20]
088. Ride a train with the children
-----For Teddy's birthday, we went to see and ride Thomas. Lucia was non-plussed at the train ride, but Teddy had a blast. They set the record for going through the bouncy-house. (Even Timmo and I went through twice.)
089. Go to the St. Emmelia Homeschooling Conference
-----The husband printed out our registration form for this year, and I've started filling it out. We need episcopal permission to be absent, and then we can start making plans on where to start and where to stay for the two-day drive...

Miscellaneous (12:1/3/2/6)
090. Have a baby
-----So I may exceed my expectations on this one. In addition to Timmo, I'm due in July!
091. Make a passwords book
092. Get children a tape player and record three books [0/3]
093. Make a will
-----Have gone to see the lawyer, and made sure our "if we both die, will you take the children?" people are okay with four kids plus their own newborn.
094. Have a written funeral plan (find out about laws for green burial, transport across state lines, burial at monastery)
-----Went to St. Raphael's for one meeting and one book discussion group about Christian burial and options, etc. Found out that Michigan laws are quite strict, so may need to do even more research.
095. Make to-do list for Romanian paperwork for children's citizenship
096. Read (or re-read, to be in order) all the Newbery Medal books (assuming there will be three more as this 1001 days goes; ordered holds on the first three to be picked up at my local library) [13/94]
-----The next book seems to only be available at one local library (the one I don't go to) and it's a reference book, so I'll have to figure out how to arrange that... which still hasn't changed since the second status update.
097. Complete a monthly photo challenge
098. Get new Iowa credit union account(s)
099. Participate in {phfr} on "Like Mother, Like Daughter" for four weeks in a row [4/4]
101. Make/find/buy a homeschooling curriculum
101. Sort through and cull the filing cabinet


So what's the score?
Made obsolete: 2
Completed: 22
In progress: 16
Unstarted: 61

Well, that's not as bad as I had feared, although it seems that most of the progress was due to the home inspection. I'll take it.

A friend from church and I have alternated (once each so far) with going to the other's house and helping for several hours. Organizing, cleaning, replacing light bulbs, tidying, etc. We've each decided it's much more fun at the other person's house, mostly because it's not my mess, so I don't have any guilt about not having cleaned it up before. Also, after she left, the husband made pumpkin pie (which isn't pie-shaped at all, but whatever) and I made banana bread.

Now that I've finished this post, I'll get back to the rest of today's to-do list.

Second 101 Things update

I've had this on my calendar since the first week of June...  I've been having a tough time getting myself to do things.  (I know, story of my life.)

For each section, there's a count of the number of items in that section, then a breakdown of what is finished, what is in progress, and what hasn't been started yet.  The numbers of finished items are in bold, those of items in progress are italicized.

Health and Fitness (9:2/3/4)
001. Take a walk every day for a week (of at least a mile)
002. Floss teeth daily for a month
-----In the "attempting to start a good habit" this has slacked off quite a bit.  May need to put the floss in the way of something else in the medicine cabinet so I notice it.
003. Go to the gym 15 times, working for at least half an hour [0/15]
004. Do midwife-approved strengthening exercises after giving birth
-----I have fallen off the exercise wagon pretty severely, but recently tried a session of yoga and am looking forward to starting an eight-week session next Tuesday.
005. Get a massage (two times) [1/2]
006. Visit an eye doctor and check my prescription/glasses/contacts
007. Go to the dentist yearly (three times) [1/3]
008. Set a bedtime and stick to it for 30 consecutive days
-----I may need to point out to myself that three in the morning is not what I'm aiming for. More like 10 or 11.  *sigh*  But that's when there's quiet.
009. Take a multivitamin for 30 consecutive days
-----Although I meant to continue this regularly, it's been a bit hit-or-miss since buying vitamins at Costco, since the new containers are giant and do not fit in the medicine cabinet and have been relegated to the kitchen with the kids' vitamins.  (Theirs are gummy, so I am less likely to forget.  Also I have a free bribe a day built in with those.)

Learning (12:4/2/6)
010. Read the New Testament [27/27]
011. Read the Old Testament [0/49]
-----I think I should start over since I hadn't read any more in Genesis since I last wrote.  *sigh*  Again.
012. Read a month's worth of Church Fathers [31/31]
-----Although I reached my 101/1001 goal, I kinda want to catch up and continue this project.
013. Learn Romanian Trisagion prayers and Nicene Creed.
-----Oh, right.  This was a goal.
014. Learn the countries of each continent (sporcle.com quizzes, first time success in a day) [6/6]
015. Read 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
016. Memorize the first five kathismata (Psalms 1-37) [1/37]
-----I found my old steno pad where I'd been working on memorization.  Then I put it back in a box...
017. Learn apolytikia for all family saints (Peter, Mary Magdalene, Theodore the Studite, Gregory Palamas, Lucia, Catherine, Timothy the Apostle, and Moses the Black) in English [0/8]
-----I have some of these printed out, but I don't know where I put them.  (Must organize office!)
018. Memorize the books of the Bible in order
-----Probably should review this...
019. Learn the 8 resurrectional apolytikia in English [0/8]
-----Still haven't decided on the translation yet.
020. Learn the 12 great festal hymns: apolytikia and kontakia in English [0/24]
-----Haven't gone any further with this either.
021. Learn to make a prayer rope

Social Ties (7:1/2/4)
022. Have a dinner party
023. Invite others on a ladies' night out
-----The week after my birthday, I invited several ladies to A Taste of India and to see the Keira Knightley version of Pride and Prejudice which was offered for free at Theatre Cedar Rapids thanks to Linn Area Reads.  Everyone, myself included, seemed to enjoy the non-meat selection at the restaurant (seriously, "veg" and "non-veg" are their menus), which made it a great Lenten option; the servings were huge as well as tasty.
024. Invite Matthew to visit our family
025. Make a birthday list and send out birthday cards to at least five friends (namedays also count) [2/5]
-----Got two out, to friends with birthdays at the end of January and start of February.
026. Set up five playdates [0/5]
027. Send out annual letter (twice) [0/2]
-----Still haven't finished the pictures for the 2011-2012 version.  Yeah, the one that tells about our TWO younger children.  *sigh*
028. Host a Lego party
-----It doesn't quite count, but we did go with the parish youth group to the Matter Building Lab, and have gone twice to the Lego Club at the Marion Public Library.  (Added bonus: the lady in charge of Lego Club at the library is the homeschool liaison.)

Better World (7:1/1/5)
029. Volunteer at the library
-----I had forgotten this was a goal, but I did ask about it at the children's desk.
030. Donate blood
031. Donate to Matt and Tara in Niger
-----Hooray!  I forgot this was on here, too, but we've done this once so far, and now have even more specific information.
032. Put together and send kits to IOCC; put together some "blessing bags" to keep in the car
-----This 101/1001 project is making me realize how skewed the talk/action ratio is.  Fortunately our parish is awesome and will be putting together school kits relatively soon, so I hope to actually exert myself.
033. Volunteer at the soup kitchen with Philoptochos
034. Visit a nursing home with the children
-----Again, forgot this was on here, but have a tentative date to do this with the children on Friday!
035. Buy a cow/goat/bees from the Heifer Project

Homestead (20:1/2/17)
036. See about southeast corner landscaping/drainage
-----I've gotten some names of general contractors...
037. Get gutters cleaned (install gutter guard?)
-----So the place where I got the Groupon had a full phone mailbox and a non-reachable website, so I got a refund... and then they contacted me.  I'm going to see what I can find out with general contractors.  I might do the garage gutters myself (ha! like I do anything ever), but the ones on the house are gigantically high.  Back to square one.
038. Put up outdoor Christmas decorations (wreath, lights)
039. Get chimney/fireplace inspected and put in working order
040. Replace bathtub drain (main floor)
041. Secure the threshold for the walk-in door to the garage
042. Properly mount the safety reverse on the garage door (eyes)
043. Figure out what all electrical switches go to
044. Replace light in street lamp
-----Have figured out it's not the lightbulb, so this will need someone who knows more than I do.
045. Add light to upstairs closet
046. Install a programmable thermostat
-----May not get a Nest after all.
047. Fix main floor bathroom sink flow issue (clean aerator?)
048. Replace shower heads
049. Fix upstairs bath handle leaks
050. Stick with bi-weekly cleaning day (laundry, cleaning bathrooms, dishes) for four instances [0/4]
-----Augh.  I haven't even done all my paltry little list has aimed for once.
051. Plant Lucia's Christmas tree
-----Well, it's planted in the front yard.  By my husband.  And we think it's dying.  But I'll count it as done.
052. Introduce ourselves to each of the neighbors on our street/block [1/14]
-----Our next-door neighbors moved, but I did meet the man across the street and one house to the left when the power went out.  Combined with other information from my husband, there are a lot of men with names starting with J, including the former owner of our own house.
053. Get a free energy check-up for the house
054. Sort through and organize ALL clothes (his, mine, and the children's) for what fits, what needs repair, and by season (store, donate, repair as needed)
-----I made a brave effort on the children's clothes and then fizzled out.  There are four tubs and a pile as well as the drawers and shelves for the two younger children.  All of our folded clothing is in drawers (or trunks), and I've hung up new clothing from my sister and given away most of the maternity clothes to a friend (huzzah, O blog-stalker!) who is expecting a January birth.  Of course, that sounds like a lot, but I haven't done anything really in over a month.
055. Unpack everything from the move ... and put it away
-----My husband bought wire shelves from a Blockbuster that was going out of business, so all the books are unpacked into little piles, which is much easier to access than in boxes, but I still can't find everything I'm looking for and have that horrible "Did I give it away, lose a box, or am I simply insane?" query running through my head whenever I can't find anything.  (A Guide to the Divine Liturgy by Robert Krantz, where are you?)

Computer (7:1/1/5)
056. Organize desktop icons
057. Organize files
058. Make wedding photos more accessible (i.e., find them)
059. Upload photos from computer to online albums
060. Select and order photos from online albums for physical albums
061. Update physical photo albums
-----Well, the boxes of photos are in the office rather than the basement.
062. Completely clear out gmail inbox
-----Started with 103 important-and-unread, 172 unread, and 3900 total in my inbox.  As of the first update, I have 80 important-and-unread, 151 unread, and 1770 total in my inbox.  As of this update, I have 161 important-and-unread, 579 unread, and 1129 total in my inbox.  Not as bad as it might be, but another proof of laziness and backsliding, etc.

Car (3:0/1/2)
063. Clean out car, including vacuuming and car wash [0/3]
-----Well, I brought in all the stuff from my husband's road trip from Florida to Iowa, but then there was snow and a baby and more snow, so I'm not going out there for extended periods of time, nor planning on vacuuming with snow on the ground.
064. Clean out minivan, including vacuuming and car wash [0/3]
-----Almost got a free car wash in May when I drove up to MN, but the whole weekend was crazy-busy, so, ahem, that was a wash.  Figuratively, of course.
065. Transfer minivan title to Iowa

Crafty (6:1/0/1/4)
066. Finish knitting (Teddy's) toddler pants
-----New goal: 2T pants so that Timmo can wear them.  Ugh.
067. Make epitrachelion
068. Make a dollhouse church
069. Write a children's story about a family saint
070. Make (liturgical) seasonal notebooks (New Year to Nativity Fast, Nativity Fast to Triodion, Triodion and Lent, Pascha to Pentecost, Apostles' Fast to end of liturgical year) [0/5]
071. Replace the elastic in all the white diapers (legs) and all diapers (backs) [0/8; 0/24]
-----We bought new diapers.  Not sure what to do with this item.

Food (5:0/0/5)
072. Make a fasting menu plan for a week
073. Make a non-fasting menu plan for a week
074. Eat salad four times a week for four consecutive weeks
075. Make a meal with the crockpot
076. Work on Auntie Leila's "Happy Home: Food Organization" list every day (even a little bit) for a week

Activities (7:0/0/7)
077. Find an Irish dancing school near Cedar Rapids
078. Play the flute for half an hour every day for a week
079. Play the fiddle for half an hour every day for a week
080. Find a piano teacher and something to practice on
081. Go to see live theater with my husband and no children
082. Go to see live theater with the whole family (children's performance)
083. Attend a retreat or icon workshop (no children)

Travel (6:0/0/6)
084. Visit a monastery with the family
085. Visit three different museums [0/3]
086. Go to the zoo
087. Go to the park with the children 20 times [1/20]
088. Ride a train with the children
089. Go to the St. Emmelia Homeschooling Conference

Miscellaneous (12:3/2/7)
090. Have a baby (this one is definitely already started)
091. Make a passwords book
092. Get children a tape player and record three books on tape [0/3]
-----I'm going to change this to a digital recording so that we can play it back on a kindle.  Since I wrote that my sister has given us a children's tape recorder.
093. Make a will
-----Have gotten the name of a lawyer.
094. Have a written funeral plan (find out about laws for green burial, transport across state lines, burial at monastery)
095. Make to-do list for Romanian paperwork for children's citizenship
096. Read (or re-read, to be in order) all the Newbery Medal books (assuming there will be three more as this 1001 days goes; ordered holds on the first three to be picked up at my local library) [13/94]
-----The next book seems to only be available at one local library (the one I don't go to) and it's a reference book, so I'll have to figure out how to arrange that.
097. Complete a monthly photo challenge
-----I'm going to count this as done since I took one photo of each child for most of Lent and put it in a Facebook album ("For the Godparents").
098. Get new Iowa credit union account(s)
-----Our current credit union has decided to behave decently for now, so this might not be necessary.  Since writing that, they screwed up my debit card (again), so they're back on the status of being looked at warily.
099. Participate in {phfr} on "Like Mother, Like Daughter" for four weeks in a row [4/4]
101. Make/find/buy a homeschooling curriculum
101. Sort through and cull the filing cabinet
-----I have a proper desk now (delivered when I was in MN with the kids), but haven't organized things, so there's in-boxes and to-be-filed piles everywhere. *sigh*

So what's the score?
Made obsolete: 1
Completed: 13
In progress: 15
Unstarted: 72

One of my main problems is not reviewing my overall goals, so I haven't been putting down on my to-do list the smaller goals to help me complete these tasks.  It's also a struggle not to get overly depressed about what I haven't done (still).  But I made brownies today and the baby is working painfully and loudly on getting teeth, so I'll go off and do other things.

I should also consider blogging more between these posts.  There are other things floating around in my head.

***
Update: Regarding the daily routine sorts of things (January 54%, February 48%), I seem to have gotten worse in those:
March 37%
April 47%
May 38%
June 37%
Definitely room for improvement.

Another thing I have been attempting is keeping track of reading minutes for three children as well as books read for myself... for three different reading programs each.  And I made my husband do a reading program, too.  (One of the prizes is a chance at a $50 gift card to HPB.)

First 101 Things update

Finally.  I've been looking forward to the three-month mark, even though my initial sprint has slackened.

For each section, there's a count of the number of items in that section, then a breakdown of what is finished, what is in progress, and what hasn't been started yet.  The numbers of finished items are in bold, those of items in progress are italicized.  Notes are added because I'm chatty like that... so this may get too long.

Health and Fitness (9:1/4/4)
001. Take a walk every day for a week (of at least a mile)
-----It's snowy outside, and I'm not coordinated enough to either figure out a time when my husband can be with the kids while it's still light out but not during school hours (because my planned walk is at the track at the nearby elementary school and I don't want to freak anyone out at some random adult circling the school) or to dig out the double stroller and wrap the baby on and ... yeah, that sounds like something my husband would need to be around for just in case. Maybe I should just invite him on a walk and we'll all go.
002. Floss teeth daily for a month
-----The dentist (#7) gave me a filling for a cavity, so I have new incentive.
003. Go to the gym 15 times, working for at least half an hour [0/15]
-----Not ready yet to figure out the leaving-the-baby in the free childcare at the Y yet.
004. Do midwife-approved strengthening exercises after giving birth
-----This has changed to a more specific item: Do 20 reps of headlifts twice daily for 30 days.  This is a little tricky, because I don't want to lie on the floor, and the only place firm enough is the couch, and I have to move things, etc.  I am trying to repair my diastasis recti before I get into anything more strenuous, so I'm using a post-partum band while I do these exercises, so I have to remember where I put it last, but there is discernible progress.  I've also added 10 daily neck stretches.  I'm using my two minutes of toothbrushing time (the best part of an electric toothbrush, IMHO) for wall sits and calf raises.  The wall sits are not so bad if I'm reading a book at the same time.  I'm not really keeping track of the leg exercises, though.
005. Get a massage (two times) [1/2]
-----I was in town before our official parish assignment started, without my husband, so I thought it would be better to attend another Orthodox church that Sunday.  The parishioners at St. George's were so welcoming.  One sweet lady even gave me her card in case I needed anything... and she happened to be a licensed massage therapist.  Then I lost her card in my desk kerfluffle, and recently found it again and called her before the baby's baptism and out of town guests and my mother coming for a week and a baby shower.  And she came to my house.  I am looking forward to calling her again.
006. Visit an eye doctor and check my prescription/glasses/contacts
-----Going to wait at least six months after giving birth, but I really want to go, as my eyes have started to bother me.  I did ask about LASIK, but, first, it's elective surgery, and second, AUGH! LASERS and MY EYES! So that's slightly off-putting, even though my sister had LASIK and she didn't die or go blind.  I am not very brave where my eyes are concerned.
007. Go to the dentist yearly (three times) [1/3]
-----Asked parishioners for their recommendations, and took the one which didn't have music on their website and found The Best Dentist we've ever been to.  Unfortunately, I had a cavity, but Teddy is already reminding us that we go to the dentist again in August.
008. Set a bedtime and stick to it for 30 consecutive days
-----Yeah, this is going to be hard.  I can do the first part...
009. Take a multivitamin for 30 consecutive days
-----I've managed to make this a habit, and include vitamin D as well.  I guess my sister was right, and I do feel more even-keeled in terms of mood.

Learning (12:4/4/4)
010. Read the New Testament [1/27]
-----It took well into January (the 17th), but I managed to finish it.  I read somewhere that one should read Scripture out loud (in the back of the Orthodox Study Bible?), so that's what I did.  I feel quite relieved and feel like I better understand St. Paul.
011. Read the Old Testament [0/49]
-----I still want to read this out loud, but have so far only read the first nine chapters of Genesis.  Oh, and I'm not sure where I got 51 books; there are 49.
012. Read a month's worth of Church Fathers [31/31]
-----Kinda glad I only had a month's worth of readings to go, because I've fallen off the wagon here, leaving off in Against Heresies, Book 2 (about January 19).  It went pretty slowly because I found out that if you sign up as a member of CCEL, you can proofread the pages for typos.  So, of course, I did.
013. Learn something in Romanian
-----I've decided what I should learn, at least: the Trisagion prayers and Nicene Creed. I haven't gone so far as to get a written copy yet, but I have been trying to follow along with my husband's Lord's prayer when he does that at the Liturgy, since I had started trying to learn that a while ago.
014. Learn the countries of each continent (sporcle.com quizzes, first time success in a day) [6/6]
-----This was surprisingly easy, and I managed this on December 10.  I go back occasionally and get most; the few I miss are usually because it's just one random country I've forgotten whether or not I've named.
015. Read 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
-----Not started, but I'm sure I can get this at the library.  I've started it twice in the past, and hope to take notes while reading.
016. Memorize the first five kathismata (Psalms 1-37) [1/37]
-----I used to have a notebook for copying the verses, but that's still in a box somewhere.  Haven't gotten very far, therefore.  And it should be 37 psalms, not 36.
017. Learn apolytikia for all family saints (Peter, Mary Magdalene, Theodore the Studite, Gregory Palamas, Lucia, Catherine, and two more to be decided in January...) in English [0/8]
-----Two more were decided in December: Timothy the Apostle and Moses the Strong/Black/Ethiopian/of Skete.  I've found all of these at the Divine Liturgies Music Project, and a few more at eMatins, even getting St. Timothy's directly from the redoubtable and beloved Fr. Seraphim.  I've gone over a few of these a few times, but Lucia keeps trying to make off with them, so that's tricky.  I need to come up with a more rigorous plan for this, and get some recordings to listen to in addition to working with the piano.
018. Memorize the books of the Bible in order
-----It took a tiny bit of hunting, but I did find a sporcle quiz to help with this one, too, using the Orthodox canon.  I managed to do this a few days in a row, getting it right a few days in a row, but this will be something to keep brushed up.  It's much easier to look things up in the Bible when you know at least roughly where the books are, especially with all those minor prophets.
019. Learn the 8 resurrectional apolytikia in English [0/8]
-----I haven't even decided on the translation yet.  Our parish uses the Kevin Lawrence books, but I'm definitely in the Fr. Seraphim Dedes camp.  Obviously, something gets practiced/exposure twice a week (vespers and Liturgy).
020. Learn the 12 great festal hymns: apolytikia and kontakia in English [0/24]
-----Again with the too-many-translations problem.  Haven't gone any further with this either.
021. Learn to make a prayer rope
-----Thanks to pinterest, I found a nice tutorial.  No further progress yet.  The next step is to buy material.

Social Ties (7:0/2/5)
022. Have a dinner party
-----We had a Superbowl party, which was also in celebration of having three main areas (kitchen, living room, bathroom) somewhat presentable, but that's not really what I had in mind for "dinner party."
023. Invite others on a ladies' night out
-----Not yet.  Maybe after Lent would be a better time.
024. Invite Matthew to visit our family
025. Make a birthday list and send out birthday cards to at least five friends (namedays also count) [2/5]
-----Got two out, to friends with birthdays at the end of January and start of February.
026. Set up five playdates [0/5]
-----Hoping for more progress with better weather.  Would meet-ups at the library count for this?  I have plans to contact another mother to go to storytime together next week.
027. Send out annual letter (twice) [0/2]
-----This year's (okay, really two years' worth... plus) text was drafted, and I started putting pictures together... but then my husband's father died and lots of things just kept us busy (baptism, etc.), so I haven't gotten back to that.  Maybe we'll aim for a St. Patrick's Day letter.  I remember seeing a little archive of one family's St. Patrick's Day letter in our family photo albums, and that was pretty cute.  If done annually, thought, I'd probably still want to focus on getting it out by Christmas so that it would get out by March.  *sigh*
028. Host a Lego party
-----I was going to do this at home, but then I saw a Facebook post about the Matter Building Lab, so now I want a birthday party there.  (For me, of course.)

Better World (7:0/0/7)
029. Volunteer at the library
030. Donate blood
031. Donate to Matt and Tara in Niger
032. Put together and send kits to IOCC; put together some "blessing bags" to keep in the car
033. Volunteer at the soup kitchen with Philoptochos
034. Visit a nursing home with the children
035. Buy a cow/goat/bees from the Heifer Project
-----I'm going to call "new baby" on this whole category.

Homestead (20:0/2/18)
036. See about southeast corner landscaping/drainage
037. Get gutters cleaned (install gutter guard?)
-----I bought a Groupon to get the gutters cleaned, but I'm not going to call anyone out here to do that with as much snow as we have.
038. Put up outdoor Christmas decorations (wreath, lights)
-----Didn't happen this year.
039. Get chimney/fireplace inspected and put in working order
040. Replace bathtub drain (main floor)
041. Secure the threshold for the walk-in door to the garage
042. Properly mount the safety reverse on the garage door (eyes)
043. Figure out what all electrical switches go to
044. Replace light in street lamp
045. Add light to upstairs closet
046. Install a programmable thermostat
-----I want a Nest, and have decided to get one using the prizes from Swagbucks (please use referral link if you sign up), so I should be able to afford it before the end of the year.  Of course, we haven't yet checked the wires to see whether it would work in our house yet...
047. Fix main floor bathroom sink flow issue (clean aerator?)
048. Replace shower heads
049. Fix upstairs bath handle leaks
050. Stick with bi-weekly cleaning day (laundry, cleaning bathrooms, dishes) for four instances [0/4]
051. Plant Lucia's Christmas tree
052. Introduce ourselves to each of the neighbors on our street/block [0/14]
-----My husband and son met up with next door's husband and son, but all I found out were a couple of names and that they're expecting another child.  Again with the weather.
053. Get a free energy check-up for the house
054. Sort through and organize ALL clothes (his, mine, and the children's) for what fits, what needs repair, and by season (store, donate, repair as needed)
-----The unorganized children's clothing is getting a bit of attention thanks to my mother and her hostess going into the basement and improving on my sister's organization.  I've put away most of the maternity clothes; unfortunately, I'm still in maternity pants because I have a limit to how large a size I'm going to purchase in pants.  Must exercise more!  I did buy new church shoes because the others were falling apart, and have set aside some clothes for donation (which, irritatingly, do not leap up and vacate my house on their own).
055. Unpack everything from the move ... and put it away
-----This is getting slightly better, I hope.  I worry that I'm just rearranging boxes of junk that I will never throw away.  My sister helped me organize the boxes (mostly books) in the basement into categories, so at least I can look at the basement without wanting to retch.  If I don't stay down there too long.  We need to get a dresser and bookcases, though, before this item gets finished.

Computer (7:1/1/5)
056. Organize desktop icons
-----I'd say going from 170 desktop icons to 10 is as finished as it's going to get.
057. Organize files
-----I have most things in folders, but I might have too many subfolders and need to archive long-finished projects.
058. Make wedding photos more accessible (i.e., find them)
-----I found some on flickr, but I should find a previous computer backup and see whether there are any more to keep accessible on this computer and, heck, maybe even get one print from our wedding.
059. Upload photos from computer to online albums
-----I've done this spottily, but not in an organized fashion.  I may need to remove some photos from online albums, because I don't want to pay for lots of storage.
060. Select and order photos from online albums for physical albums
-----Hahaha.  No.  This will wait until the current prints are in physical photo albums, I think.  I have at least two boxes of my childhood photos to organize.
061. Update physical photo albums
062. Completely clear out gmail inbox
-----Started with 103 important-and-unread, 172 unread, and 3900 total in my inbox.  As of this post, I have 80 important-and-unread, 151 unread, and 1770 total in my inbox.  I had gotten into the high 1600s for total in inbox, but it can be hard to keep up with, as I'm finding out.

Car (3:0/1/2)
063. Clean out car, including vacuuming and car wash [0/3]
-----Well, I brought in all the stuff from my husband's road trip from Florida to Iowa, but then there was snow and a baby and more snow, so I'm not going out there for extended periods of time, nor planning on vacuuming with snow on the ground.
064. Clean out minivan, including vacuuming and car wash [0/3]
065. Transfer minivan title to Iowa
-----Not sure that I need to do this, since I still have access to the MN address.  At least I have the title now.

Crafty (6:0/2/4)
066. Finish knitting (Teddy's) toddler pants
-----New goal: 2T pants so that Timmo can wear them.  Ugh.
067. Make epitrachelion
068. Make a dollhouse church
069. Write a children's story about a family saint
070. Make (liturgical) seasonal notebooks (New Year to Nativity Fast, Nativity Fast to Triodion, Triodion and Lent, Pascha to Pentecost, Apostles' Fast to end of liturgical year) [0/5]
-----I started an online outline for the Triodion and Lent notebook and put a few reminders in there about crafts that I want to do and menu planning and shopping and whatnot, so that's at least a first step.
071. Replace the elastic in all the white diapers (legs) and all diapers (backs) [0/8; 0/24]
-----I'm adding leg elastic to the green diapers, too.  Two kids in diapers makes them wear out much, much faster.  I may need to give up on this just because the fabric itself is getting holes in it.  Evidently, according to Mothers on the Internet, you're doing well to get cloth pocket diapers to last through one kid.  Since we're on kids two and three, I guess I'm winning.  Still, I'm glad for the three new diapers my sister sent us.  Those get used at night when we really don't want any leakage, since they are more reliable.  As far as fixing the first iteration of diapers, it's going slowly and I haven't really kept track of which ones are done.  I may need to write numbers on the tags... but, again, everything, including my permanent markers, seems to be in a box in the basement.
----Somehow I thought this category had seven items.

Food (5:0/1/4)
072. Make a fasting menu plan for a week
073. Make a non-fasting menu plan for a week
074. Eat salad four times a week for four consecutive weeks
-----Almost having gestational diabetes gave me enough incentive to work on this one, but I never made enough for the consecutive part.
075. Make a meal with the crockpot
076. Work on Auntie Leila's "Happy Home: Food Organization" list every day (even a little bit) for a week

Activities (7:0/0/7)
077. Find an Irish dancing school near Cedar Rapids
-----The nearest credentialled teacher may be in Dubuque.  March is probably not the best time to reach an Irish dance teacher, though.
078. Play the flute for half an hour every day for a week
079. Play the fiddle for half an hour every day for a week
080. Find a piano teacher and something to practice on
081. Go to see live theater with my husband and no children
082. Go to see live theater with the whole family (children's performance)
083. Attend a retreat or icon workshop (no children)

Travel (6:0/1/5)
084. Visit a monastery with the family
085. Visit three different museums [0/3]
086. Go to the zoo
087. Go to the park with the children 20 times [1/20]
-----We lasted seven minutes in the cold and wet, but we went, by gum.  Lucia was not happy to leave, but Teddy has no body fat and was shivering.
088. Ride a train with the children
089. Go to the St. Emmelia Homeschooling Conference
-----Not going to happen this year, due to other necessary travel plans (vacation days are limited as well as finances).

Miscellaneous (12:1/2/9)
090. Have a baby (this one is definitely already started)
-----Unqualified success!  Timothy Moses was born in the wee hours of Christmas morning.  I like how we've done the past two births: put children to bed, go into labor, call midwife, midwife and assistant come, baby is born, there's a shower and a meal, and we go to bed.
091. Make a passwords book
-----I found a blank journal to use for this purpose and then it got buried on my desk, but now I see it so maybe there will be some progress soon.
092. Get children a tape player and record three books on tape [0/3]
-----I'm going to change this to a digital recording so that we can play it back on a kindle.
093. Make a will
094. Have a written funeral plan (find out about laws for green burial, transport across state lines, burial at monastery)
095. Make to-do list for Romanian paperwork for children's citizenship
096. Read (or re-read, to be in order) all the Newbery Medal books (assuming there will be three more as this 1001 days goes; ordered holds on the first three to be picked up at my local library) [9/94]
-----Now that I've finished the first book, this is one of the easiest items on here.  Which reminds me that I need to order the next round of three from the library. ... Okay, that's done.
097. Complete a monthly photo challenge (already started, and I'm counting doubles and skipping one so far) [0/31]
-----I'm thinking I'll need to write my own photo challenge, and I had the thought that it would be specifically of our children and with an audience of their godparents and grandmother.
098. Get new Iowa credit union account(s)
-----Our current credit union has decided to behave decently for now, so this might not be necessary.
099. Participate in {phfr} on "Like Mother, Like Daughter" for four weeks in a row [0/4]
101. Make/find/buy a homeschooling curriculum
101. Sort through and cull the filing cabinet
-----Still working on filing things into the filing cabinet, so I haven't started this yet.  Currently have six "in-box" piles on and around my desk, and uncounted boxes of things which need to be filed, perhaps at least a box from each move.

So what's the score?
Completed: 7
In progress: 20
Unstarted: 74

I'm a little worried that I tackled just the easy ones first, that I've run out of steam, that I'll abandon this whole thing, that I'll have less time for these goals with three kids, etc.  So part of accomplishing this project is saying no to worry, and just buckling down and finding one thing on the list to work on and doing that.  One thing that has helped is our happy little friend, the spreadsheet.

I've tried lists, handwritten and online, and while those can work well for one-off things, I have things that I need to do with some regularity (some daily, some biweekly), and I don't want to rewrite an entire daily routine or struggle to get some software program to refresh my daily routine tasks as well as keep track of how I've done.  There's something about that crossing-off action, and something about looking back to see how much progress one has made that makes the to-do list a success.

So I'd been keeping track of my progress with this project, with the items in one column, and each date getting a column to the right, adding a column with each day.  It's a bit unwieldy, but it works.  Once I realized it was working, I tried that for my daily routine, and got a bit excited with keeping track of my progress with a binary percentage system. (If I've done it, it gets a one; if not, a zero; then I can do a sum and an average and sort of grade myself.)  Each month gets a new sheet.  It's easier to see what I need to work on, whether I'm being consistent, and how I'm doing overall.  January was a 54%, February 48%, and I'm really bad about making beds (something I am trying to do consistently for the first time in my life).  I'm also pretty good about doing the first things on the list, while the rest of it just gets done as it can throughout the day.  It's also a good reminder to start the baby laundry; with two in diapers, forgetting to do the laundry is not something that would be fun in the morning.

This was long but fun.  Back to the regular mayhem.

101 Things in 1001 Days

Shamelessly borrowing from my friend Reve and her sister, but with possibly less chance of success, I am going to attempt to complete 101 things in 1001 days.  The start date is Friday, December 7, 2012, and the end date is September 4, 2015.

One of the (many) things I love so much about Reve is that she doesn't wait around for other people to do things. She figures out what she wants to do (which can be difficult in and of itself), and makes the attempt, paying attention to what she's doing and how she's doing it, but, most importantly, doing something about it. Sometimes I feel enervated because I wait on other people to do things, so I am hoping that this list will help motivate me to act on my own amelioration. (Also, I have had some success with two recently started projects: a photo challenge and a reading challenge. I am behind, but still working, on another reading challenge.)

Health and Fitness (9)
001. Take a walk every day for a week (of at least a mile)
002. Floss teeth daily for a month
003. Go to the gym 15 times, working for at least half an hour [0/15]
004. Do midwife-approved strengthening exercises after giving birth *
005. Get a massage (two times) [0/2]
006. Visit an eye doctor and check my prescription/glasses/contacts
007. Go to the dentist yearly (three times) [0/3]
008. Set a bedtime and stick to it for 30 consecutive days
009. Take a multivitamin for 30 consecutive days

Learning (12)
010. Read the New Testament [1/27] (New Testament Challenge already started, although I am very behind)
011. Read the Old Testament [0/51]
012. Read a month's worth of Church Fathers (already started) [6/31]
013. Learn something in Romanian *
014. Learn the countries of each continent (sporcle.com quizzes, first time success in a day) [0/6]
015. Read 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
016. Memorize the first five kathismata (Psalms 1-36) [0/36]
017. Learn apolytikia for all family saints (Peter, Mary Magdalene, Theodore the Studite, Gregory Palamas, Lucia, Catherine, and two more to be decided in January...) in English [0/8]
018. Memorize the books of the Bible in order
019. Learn the 8 resurrectional apolytikia in English [0/8]
020. Learn the 12 great festal hymns: apolytikia and kontakia in English [0/24]
021. Learn to make a prayer rope

Social Ties (7)
022. Have a dinner party
023. Invite others on a ladies' night out
024. Invite Matthew to visit our family
025. Make a birthday list and send out birthday cards to at least five friends (namedays also count) [0/5]
026. Set up five playdates [0/5]
027. Send out annual letter (twice) [0/2]
028. Host a Lego party

Better World (7)
029. Volunteer at the library
030. Donate blood
031. Donate to Matt and Tara in Niger
032. Put together and send kits to IOCC; put together some "blessing bags" to keep in the car
033. Volunteer at the soup kitchen with Philoptochos
034. Visit a nursing home with the children
035. Buy a cow/goat/bees from the Heifer Project

Homestead (20)
036. See about southeast corner landscaping/drainage
037. Get gutters cleaned (install gutter guard?)
038. Put up outdoor Christmas decorations (wreath, lights)
039. Get chimney/fireplace inspected and put in working order
040. Replace bathtub drain (main floor)
041. Secure the threshhold for the walk-in door to the garage
042. Properly mount the safety reverse on the garage door (eyes)
043. Figure out what all electrical switches go to
044. Replace light in street lamp
045. Add light to upstairs closet
046. Install a programmable thermostat
047. Fix main floor bathroom sink flow issue (clean aerator?)
048. Replace shower heads
049. Fix upstairs bath handle leaks
050. Stick with bi-weekly cleaning day (laundry, cleaning bathrooms, dishes) for four instances [0/4]
051. Plant Lucia's Christmas tree
052. Introduce ourselves to each of the neighbors on our street/block [0/14]
053. Get a free energy check-up for the house
054. Sort through and organize ALL clothes (his, mine, and the children's) for what fits, what needs repair, and by season (store, donate, repair as needed)
055. Unpack everything from the move ... and put it away

Computer (7)
056. Organize desktop icons
057. Organize files
058. Make wedding photos more accessible (i.e., find them)
059. Upload photos from computer to online albums
060. Select and order photos from online albums for physical albums
061. Update physical photo albums
062. Completely clear out gmail inbox

Car (3)
063. Clean out car, including vacuuming and car wash [0/3]
064. Clean out minivan, including vacuuming and car wash [0/3]
065. Transfer minivan title to Iowa

Crafty (7)
066. Finish knitting (Teddy's) toddler pants
067. Make epitrachelion
068. Make a dollhouse church
069. Write a children's story about a family saint
070. Make (liturgical) seasonal notebooks (New Year to Nativity Fast, Nativity Fast to Triodion, Triodion and Lent, Pascha to Pentecost, Apostles' Fast to end of liturgical year) [0/5]
071. Replace the elastic in all the white diapers (legs) and all diapers (backs) [0/8; 0/24]

Food (5)
072. Make a fasting menu plan for a week
073. Make a non-fasting menu plan for a week
074. Eat salad four times a week for four consecutive weeks
075. Make a meal with the crockpot
076. Work on Auntie Leila's "Happy Home: Food Organization" list every day (even a little bit) for a week

Activities (7)
077. Find an Irish dancing school near Cedar Rapids
078. Play the flute for half an hour every day for a week
079. Play the fiddle for half an hour every day for a week
080. Find a piano teacher and something to practice on
081. Go to see live theater with my husband and no children
082. Go to see live theater with the whole family (children's performance)
083. Attend a retreat or icon workshop (no children)

Travel (6)
084. Visit a monastery with the family
085. Visit three different museums [0/3]
086. Go to the zoo
087. Go to the park with the children 20 times [0/20]
088. Ride a train with the children
089. Go to the St. Emmelia Homeschooling Conference

Miscellaneous (12)
090. Have a baby (this one is definitely already started)
091. Make a passwords book
092. Get children a tape player and record three books on tape [0/3]
093. Make a will
094. Have a written funeral plan (find out about laws for green burial, transport across state lines, burial at monastery)
095. Make to-do list for Romanian paperwork for children's citizenship
096. Read (or re-read, to be in order) all the Newbery Medal books (assuming there will be three more as this 1001 days goes; ordered holds on the first three to be picked up at my local library) [0/94]
097. Complete a monthly photo challenge (already started, and I'm counting doubles and skipping one so far) [6/31]
098. Get new Iowa credit union account(s)
099. Participate in {phfr} on "Like Mother, Like Daughter" for four weeks in a row [0/4]
101. Make/find/buy a homeschooling curriculum
101. Sort through and cull the filing cabinet

*I need to be more specific about this goal (4 and 13).