Life list (a much longer list of goals)

I still plan on maintaining that little list of goals for the current year off to the right, but lets call this the ever popular life list; a long term list that will surely promote many revisions. :)

1. Focus on weight loss and being healthy! Reach my goal weight of 160 in 2010, and then maintain!
2. Continue running. I would like to be able to run 3 miles in 30 minutes, and be able to do so on a regular basis.
3. Build savings. (would love a 6 month cushion!)
4. Save for our retirement future.
5. Travel: Italy, the Florida Keys, New York, Boston, Maine, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Catalina, Caribbean, Olympic National Forest, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Spain, Orcas Island, Montana, Galapagos Islands, Machu Picchu, Camano Island.
6. Visit a hot spring.
7. Take a cooking class in three different countries.
8. Learn to make my own sushi.
9. Take up swimming during my lunch hour.
10. Learn to sail.
11. Find someone to take a crazy class with me. (A living 'out of the box' kind of experience)
12. Soak in a hot tub in the snow.
13. Explore small towns in Alaska; learn more about the state I was raised in and my heritage.
14. Read the Last New Land and A Dena'ina Legacy.
15. Take a Kenaitze class.
16. Work in at least 5 long bike rides a year.
17. Sleep in a beach hut above the ocean.
18. Be able to say I can do an unassisted pull up!
19. Take up hiking and possibly rock climbing.
20. Camp.
21. Sell the condo and buy a house.
21. Get a dog (at least one). :)
22. Take a screen printing class.
23. Take a furniture building or woodworking class.
24. Have an organic garden.
25. Convince my Dad build me a greenhouse. :)
26. Compost (with pet worms!)
27. Learn to make cheese.
28. Learn how to can fruits/jams/veggies.
29. Fly somewhere with David (this is in our lifetime honey, don't freak out!) :)
30. Quit my job in favor of my own business.
31. Illustrate a book.
32. Build and fly my own kite.
33. Ride in a hot air balloon.
34. Go zip lining.
35. Swim with dolphins.
36. Learn to dance (a real dance) :)
37. Pick up the yoga practice again.
38. Try hot yoga.
39. Go on a yoga/spa retreat.
40. Learn to speak conversational Spanish.
50. Learn some German (and use it with David).
51. Stay in an ice hotel.
52. Relearn how to ski (I swear I once knew how!)
53. Spend a month as a vegetarian.
54. Learn to do the splits.
55. Have an art studio.
56. Donate my hair to locks of love.
57. Take a vacation with my Mom.
58. Get married on a beach.
59. Have an art gallery showing.
60. Take a pottery class.
61. Own a wheel and kiln.
62. Take a watercolor class.
63. Buy (and use!) a sewing machine.
64. Make quilts and skirts.
65. Wear skirts more often (skirts + tights = cute!)
66. Make some new friends
67. Host at least one dinner party per year.




... to be continued. :)
What does your list contain?

This weekend...

Had a day of beauty, haircut and free facial, bought some fancy things to take care of my skin and some ginger scented lotion (love).

Set up the fancy new printer/scanner while enjoying some of the tastiest coffee ever.

Walked the beach in the rain, had a romantic lunch date with the man I love.

Made soup and bread for an army (aka: to fill our freezer).

Laughed, snuggled, and was happy. Relaxed.

How about you?

A good day...

Today was one of those good days, nothing extraordinary, nothing out of the ordinary, just a day to be happy in your skin, to be thankful.
Something like this:


I hope the same for you. :)

Ballard Market Shopping!

David and I have developed a new market habit, and have also tackled another one of my goals for the year - shopping at the Ballard Farmer's Market!
We have visited the last two weekends, and as the weather turns warmer I'm sure this market will become a favorite destination. Hosting a little bit of everything (and many more food options than some of the other Seattle area markets), I am finding that I actually want to buy things at the Ballard Farmer's Market. :) It is pretty inexpensive, local, and there is a fantastic tea shop!

Miro tea is awesome, so tasty, and they easily offered recommendations. Now that we have an espresso maker, it is hard to justify going out for coffee, but the fruity tea latte I had at Miro will bring me back for sure! :)

Sorry for the lack of posts!

I'm still here, only smaller. :)
Yesterday I was officially 75 pounds smaller actually. I don't really want to post some of the worst pics, but here are a few that I don't (or didn't at the time) hate:

The first was taken at my heaviest, my best friend's wedding in 2004. The second was taken with my friend Beth in Belize, 2007 (about a week before I met David). My weight has fluctuated a lot since college, but I look at these pictures and feel like that girl was drowning in fat.
Don't get me wrong, I didn't feel that way at the time. The second picture is of a page in my photo album, I climbed to the top of those ruins. I was running and walking with friends several nights a week, I was fairly fit for my size, but just didn't realize what I looked like.
It is weird looking back.
I still have 40 pounds to go to reach my goal, and I weigh about 15 pounds more than I did in high school, but I can run a mile faster than I did in high school, I can run longer, and I wear a smaller size. It is weird to think of yourself as smaller than you were in high school.
It is also weird to find myself not looking for a reward, not feeling like I need to eat something because I have done such a good job, not feeling like I need to buy anything, or do anything special. It is weird not craving the stuff you know is bad for you. I am happy with the changes I have made in my life, but I guess I am just not used to them yet. :) I wonder how long that takes?

Exciting news!

I sold my first cards on Etsy Wednesday night, I was (and still am) pretty excited by the news. I took the cards to the printer yesterday, they should be done today, and off in the mail on Monday - one order from a complete stranger, and the second from my Mom.
It is nice to have your family to support you! :)
Yesterday I spent researching business licenses and taxes, today I am going to try to fill out said applications - keep your fingers crossed for me! :)

10,000 cups of tea

I have started the year with quite the cold (though it is my own fault, I kissed the boyfriend for New Year's, even saying that if I got sick it would be worth it!) lol....

As a result, this has become the year of tea, Mighty Leaf Tropical Green tea to be exact....

Saturday we celebrated our second anniversary in Roslyn Washington, home of one of my favorite TV shows, Norther Exposure:
... And while I have spent most of the weekend in bed and blowing my nose, I did work on a few cards today! Check out my etsy shop!

2010, what are your hopes for the coming year?

Are you a person who makes resolutions? One who believes in them? Tries to stick to them?
I try instead to call them goals, I really try to make them stick.

What will be important to you in 2010?

After reading 3191 miles apart, I am adopting the 'give more love' resolution. I hope to create a card a month, send said cards to a set few along with a tidbit of love, things that might bring others a smile, a bit of joy.
I aim to seek out childlike joy this year, why should you ever stop?
I will meet my weight goals this year, I want to be able to say I can run three miles in 30 minutes. I want to be strong!

I also hope to remember to give myself a break every once and awhile. To take a day off a month, to take a day off from the gym, to sleep in on Saturdays.

I hope to go on vacation with Heather and Carrie, camping and road tripping with David, I would love to take a cooking or art class, and of course accomplish all of those goals on the right. :)
I'm going to be a busy girl this year! :)

I hope you have had a wonderful start to the year, Happy January! :)