101 in 1001

Alright, I was searching websites about homeschooling and I came across a lady named Lindsey's blog. As I searched her blog I came across her "101 in 1001" list. I thought it was a good idea and would keep me motivated to do different things. So here is how it works and here is my list.

The Mission: Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria: Tasks must be specific (no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days? Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as new year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities. Need help figuring out your ending date? GO HERE.The

Reward: Personal satisfaction of a job well done...and lots of things accomplished you really needed or wanted to do

Start Date: February 27, 2007

End Date: November 24, 2009

Liza's List 50% Finished as of January 5, 2009

1. Go on 25 dates with Chris. ~We've got 15 in so far.
2. Make a special present for Chris (I know what it is, but I don't want him to know).
3. Finish Chris's cross stitch.
4. Make a "coupon book" for Chris. Finished 3/26/07
5. Find a babysitter we trust so we can go on more dates. Finished 4/11/07

6. Spend 1 hour a day with Libby (pure Libby time) for 1 month-it’s not that I don’t spend time with her…I just don’t do it in long enough stretches of time. Finished 12/12/07
7. Feed Libby the "right" way for one full month. Finished.
8. Take Libby to the apple orchard. Finished 10/20/07
9. Take Libby to the zoo. Finished 6/8/07
10. Get a kitten for Libby.
11. Save $500 in spare change for Libby's education

12. Create a family mailbox. Finished 8/23/07
13. Leave Libby with grandparents for whole week and go on vacation with Chris.
14. Send grandma and grandpa Libby art once a month for 3 months. Finished 3/30/08
15. Send my sisters a card once a month for a year.
16. Visit with mamaw and Bessie. Finished 8/28/07
17. Make it to one family reunion.
18. Visit grandma's grave. Finished 8/28/07
19. Visit great grandma's grave. Finished 8/27/07

20. Go to Shawna's wedding. Finished 8/2/08
21. See Sara within first month of Ruby's birth. Finished 7/4/07
22. Visit Josh and Jenny.
23. Visit with the Ni's. Finished 11/24/07
24. Visit with Chad, Jennifer and Corbin. Finished 10/08
25. Visit with Dale and Amanda. Finished 12/08
26. Meet 2 new online friends who are stay-at-home moms and home school. Finished 3/9/07
27. Have 20 different people over to our house.
28. Compliment 10 random people. Finished 6/8/07

29. Sell our house in Indiana. Finished 8/31/07
30. Build a house here in Iowa. Finished 6/27/08
31. Have a baby. Finished 12/20/07
32. Potty train Libby. Finished 1/31/07
33. Write out my will.
34. Get a pedicure.
35. Go ice skating.
36. Go to one concert. Finished 4/25/08
37. Wear only dresses for one whole week.
38. Vote in 2008 election. Finished 11/08

39. Find a special place to pray. Finished 6/13/07
40. Read all of Psalms. Finished 10/25/07
41. Memorize 5 scripture verses. Finished 3/31/08
42. Read 5 commentaries about the Bible (subject matter may vary).
43. Read a chapter of the Bible for understanding 5 days a week for one month. Finished 1/5/08
44. Begin serving in a ministry that compliments my spiritual gifts. Finished 4/5/07
45. Lead/host a ladies/moms Bible Study group in my home.
46. Find a missionary to support.
47. Go on a week long mission’s trip (with or without family).

48. Get down to 200 pounds.
49. Get down to final 175 pounds.
50. Write meal plans 5 weeks in a row.
51. Follow the meal plans.
52. Compile a list of 100 favorite recipes.
53. Cook ALL meals for two weeks...no eating out.
54. Make a new recipe for every night for a week.
55. Make soup for freezing.
56. Go one week with no desserts.
57. Walk 1500 miles.
58. Use my walking video (5 miles) 3 times a week for 1 month.
59. Buy a pedometer. Finished 3/14/07
60. Participate (whether run or walk) in a 5k race.
61. Make a weight lifting plan for myself. Finished 3/9/07
62. Buy an MP3 player, i-pod, or some music machine for exercising.

63. Make a budget. Finished 12/08
64. Stick to the budget for 3 months.
65. Don't buy ANY new clothes until I reach a size 14. Finished 3/30/07
66. Make a price comparison notebook for Sam's Club trips. Finished 10/28/07
67. Learn to make some Christmas presents instead of buy them all.
68. Donate items to the local Crisis Pregnancy Center. Finished 4/9/08
69. Send a $50 donation to an organization that needs it. Finished 2/9/08
70. Decorate Libby's birthday cake again. Finished 3/27/08

71. Write a children's story.
72. Try to get it published.
73. Read Libby 1000 books.
74. Teach Libby the alphabet. Finished 12/30/07
75. Teach Libby colors. Finished 12/30/07
76. Get prepared for home schooling.
77. Buy books from "Before Five in a Row".
78. Learn sign language.
79. Finish reading my "Christmas" books. Finished 8/26/07.

80. Learn 2 random words from the dictionary each week for a month.
81. Learn what birds look like and their names from Anne and Nancy.

82. Get on a home keeping schedule and STAY ON IT (1 month minimum).
83. Clean closet, get rid of clothes I don't wear. Finished 4/27/07
84. Clean out linens closet. Finished.
85. Have my own organized office space.
86. Iron laundry for one whole month.
87. Decorate master bathroom. Finished.
88. Decorate guest bathroom. Finished.

89. Finish Nancy and Anne's cross stitch.
90. Finish Libby's second scrap book.
91. Work on grandparent’s 50th anniversary scrapbook.
92. Learn basic sewing.
93. Finish wall quilt.
94. Make pumpkin pie from fresh pumpkin. Finished 10/8/07.
95. Bake bread from scratch.

96. Go an entire week with no computer. Finished 7/10/07
97. No television while Chris is at work for 1 week. Finished 11/16/07
98. Back up all digital pictures onto cd (once every 6 months).
99. Figure out how to make my blog look COOL! Finished 4/10/08

100. Organize/categorize this list. Finished 2/28/07
101. Make a new 101 things list when this one is finished.

Hot

Chris put some pop tarts in the toaster after Libby went to bed. As soon as they popped up we heard, "Hot...hot!" from Libby's bedroom. Stinker pot! Can't fool her.

Learning the Alphabet

Libby enjoys playing with the letters at bath time. They stick to her and we have fun. She really is learning at the same time. She knows what the P, D and Q are already. I love it when learning is fun!

Hide and Seek with Kitty

Libby loves playing with her kitty. He is her right hand...well, kitty.

Today Libby found the box that had daddy's drill in it. She thought that if she couldn't fit in it, kitty could.

She's right. She hid kitty in the back of the box and played peekaboo with him.

She thought this was quite a clever way to play with kitty today.

We've Found the Good Stuff

As Libby ate her pancakes today, she found that it's the syrup that's the yummy part. She ate one whole pancake and on the second one, she started sticking her fork in the syrup and eating it. Oh boy!

Letting Go

My baby is getting older. This past week I have relinquished all rights to the silverware. Amazingly, the independence has made Libby more apt to eat. She still isn't eating as much as I would like to see her eat, but she IS starting to eat better for her foods. She still likes her snack foods, but I've been trying to cut her back on those...me too. :) Anyway, I am completely happy with her being a little more willing to eat different foods.

Home Sweet Home...SOMEDAY!!!

Here are some views taken on our 5 acres in the Sherrill, Iowa area...where our future house is going to be built...

YOU CAN DOUBLE CLICK ANY OF THESE PHOTOS FOR A FULL SCREEN VIEW!!! BEAUTIFUL!!! WE LOVE IT!!!

Looking North, with our driveway coming up the hill on the right hand side...Hammerand Road is running parallel with the tree line...


Looking Northwest...

Looking directly West with "The Mound" of Sherrill, Iowa clearly in view...

Looking South toward Dubuque, Iowa...farmland as far as the eye can see...

More updates to come as soon as we get our house sold in Indiana and our new one started!!!

From the interior, the two will look surprisingly similar...only this one will have more great room space...no fireplace, and probably in vinyl...because we can't afford brick out here!!!

Libby's Eating Disorder

We have found that Libby does indeed have an eating disorder. She has been eating these Apple Jack's all day long...and we're beginning to get worried...This is the beginning of the disturbing disorder...she puts the Apple Jacks between her toes.
Here's a nice close up of this disturbing disorder.
And here we go...full blast. Stick that baby in your mouth! MMM...yummy.
This is obviously not normal toddler behavior...she must very sick. We will have to find a very good doctor and probably a psychologist as well to help us cure this problem. Please pray for us... 

February Weight

Ok, I am terrible at taking pictures, but anyway. Here I am at 220 pounds. That's a loss of 11.4 pounds in one month. Here's hoping for an even lower weight next month. 

They Say She Looks Like Her Daddy...

I'd say I have to agree! 

Play Time for Libby

Libby is a thirsty girl! Look at how BIG that cup looks compared to her.

Here she is playing peek-a-boo with our bed covers.
RAMBO...need I say more? 

Motivation...Hopefully

Ok...so, I've joined Weight Watchers again (this time I'm GOING TO meetings). Anyway, I thought if I blogged pictures along the way maybe it will entice me keep on going and not put the weight back on. So, this is a Christmas picture. I was at 231.4 pounds when I started in January. I'll have Chris take a picture of me tonight and post my current picture and weight then. Once a month I'll post a picture and my current weight until I reach my goal, which is 174 pounds. 

Yo Ho...It's a Teacher's Life for Me

I just LOVE how God works! Stacey, a lady I met at MOPS, and I just happened to start talking about home schooling at our last Craft Night. She and a group of ladies at her church just happened to start talking about home schooling while at church. One of the ladies has been home schooling for ten years (and still has some that aren't in school...six kids) and invited them all over to talk a little bit about it and show some of her materials that she likes to use. Stacey thought of me and asked if I'd like to come along. I thought it wasn't going to work out because I help babysit for the other MOPS group, but it just happened that this month is weird and they didn't have MOPS today, so I was able to go to Melissa's house.

All of this "just happened" at a time in my life when I've REALLY been struggling. Ever since "the incident" with Chris's family, I've been a little wobbly on my feet as a mother. Nothing like a wake up call to say, "You THINK you are a good parent, but ARE you really?" For quite awhile I really downed myself and felt like I didn't have the ability to be a "good" mother. I really had to look to God for some support because I felt like a MONSTER! Luckily, God really had a different plan in mind when everything happened. He intended on teaching me to STOP WORRYING ABOUT WHAT OTHERS THINK...not to tell me I needed help with my parenting skills. Although overcoming the atrocious feelings of being an awful mother, I have still been doubting my skills as a human being. I thought that God had intended me to be a teacher...specifically, my own children, but do I have the organization for it? Do I REALLY have the ability to teach my children what they need to know to get through life? I have just been feeling lost and like I didn't have anything to offer...well, anyone! I have been praying for God's guidance and asking him to uplift me and to show me what my purpose here on earth is. I have been crying out that he shows me where my niche is. Everyone has something they love to do and are passionate about and that is what they tend to pursue. I had always thought mine was teaching, but I was going through so much self doubt. THANK GOD! HE HEARS OUR PRAYERS...AND HE CARES!

As you now see the answer and the problem...you see how they clash into another work of God! Today, being around all of those teaching materials and books and school schedules...oh it just ignited my passion for teaching all over! Thank you Lord for caring enough about me that you renew our passions if we will just ask you! How amazing he is! I am a teacher...that is what God gave me a passion for, that is what God called me to in this life. Thank you Lord for giving me a purpose in life!

I am just overwhelmed with emotion right now. I know that this may seem silly to you, but to me, this is my life and this is a renewing of my purpose and dreams. This, for me, is a testament of how much our God cares for us...yes, each and every one of us. Just go to him, no matter how much life hurts. He might not answer you with what you want to hear, but he cares for all of us, more than we can even imagine! Give him a chance! Burn with a passion for God and you will see more and more miracles...BIG AND SMALL!

Thank you God!

MMM...Yummy!

I couldn't believe it! Last night at supper Little Miss Picky Pants ate chicken, celery, water chestnuts, red peppers and EVEN brocolli!!! We had chicken stir fry and Libby just chowed down. Amazing! I think I will be making stir fry a little more often if it means that Libby will not only eat, but eat healthy. Had to share the excitement!

The Future of Mary Kay

This is my Mary Kay secretary. She helps out whenever and however she can. Now, mind you, this is usually when I don't want her to help, but she does none the less. I think she will make a GREAT Mary Kay consultant in about 16 years!