38 before 39

Alrighty, then.  It has inadvertantly been a great, great while since I visited this space.  It is not for lack of thoughts that I'd like to share.  No.  Not because I don't wish to be here on a regular basis. Not that.  I think it is an issue of energy.  Late at night, in the quiet of the darkness, with swollen feet propped and little babe in the womb wriggling about sapping all the remaining wisps of energy I may still have possessed, I find it--rather lazily, perhaps---so much easier to just read other people's blogs, ideas, admire their pictures, handiwork, and turn of the phrase than to come up with anything cohesive, creative or worthwhile of my own.  But, excuses aside, here I am and though there may be an echo in the virtual room, I shall carry on with this little public journaling exercise. 

As I celebrated my thirty-eighth birthday this past Sunday (Easter Sunday!), what better place to start than with a fresh list.  A list that is perhaps tempered to the reality that there shall be a toddler and a new babe in my household during this year of years.  A list that doesn't reflect my biggest, wildest dreams, but those which can perhaps fit snugly into the current season.  A beautifully complicated season that includes an emerging adolescent and a newborn with everyone in between.  A season that includes a devoted, hard-working, busy-so-much-of-the-time husband.  And a season that I want to warm and glowing, fresh and full of sweet adventures for my children to fondly reminisce about when we've moved to a new season someday.  So without further ado, a list of 38 things to do before I turn 39 years old:

1. Commit to practicing my guitar on a regular basis;  I really want to be comfortable with some basic chording.  (#1 from the previous list) 

2.  Host a monthly dinner party or small gathering.  (#18 from the previous list)
      {April:  Easter Pot-luck}
      {May:  Baptism Celebration}

3.  Continue to seriously work on my photography skills and mastering the basics of my fabulous camera. 

4.  Hit the photo booth for a family fun night.

5.  Nightly candlelit rosary and dessert with the family. 

6.  A trip to the beach.

7.  A trip to the west to the Hot Air Balloon festival, Benedictine Monastery in NM and MacDonald Observatory.  (#12, 13, 14 from previous list)

8.  Get a great bike and baby carriage system for regular family bike rides. (#5 from previous list)

9.  Plan some camp-outs close to home with friends.  Reserve well in advance!

10.  Weekly daughter dates.  Must-do.

11.  Develop a signature Urban Ranch beverage.  (# 27 on previous list)

12.  Attend the Salmon Lake Park Bluegrass Festival in September.  Okay, this should be closer to the top of my list. 

13.  Get a better laundry routine so I can peg laundry more regularly...love, love, love hanging the clothes out to dry. 

14.  Work out a better formed and more disciplined family schedule for domestic work so we can all have more free time.

15.  Continue to make the Secret Garden a reality.

16.  Visit the olive garden orchard.  (#16 on previous list)

17.  Get to bed by 11pm  (haha, not tonight though)

18.  Have a handmade Christmas (#20 on previous list) *start this summer*

19.  Get passports for the children and renew mine (#22 on previous list)

20.  Eat locally for two weeks this summer.  (#30 on previous list)

21.  Paint my kitchen orange.

22.  Paint garage door red.

23.  Sew the girls' summer wardrobe.

24.  Stick to a budget.

25.  Keep in touch and keep it personal~~~handwritten letters, phone calls, little surprises

26.  Read twenty books and keep a simple record of them.

27.  Visit Mt. Bonnell.

28.  Plant trees.

29.  Blog regularly, without exception.

30.  Print pictures;  so much loveliness tucked away on the hard drove.  Print 'em!

31.  Ride the new Metrorail.

32.  Become an even more critical consumer.  Buy much less and use what I buy.

33.  Go for frequent (almost daily) walks, alone or with companions, in good weather and in bad.

34.  Keep purging what is not necessary or loved and keep enjoying the rest.

35.  Have the neighbors over for a simple gathering.

36.  Get back on track and continue to keep a daily gratitude journal.

37.  Continue to work on sketching/watercolor painting.  Incorporate in the smallest and simplest ways.

38.  Climb Enchanted Rock.