40 Things to Do Before I am 40 - Update 3!

So I have a little less than seven months to tick the remaining things off the To-Do List. And since this is my list...I reserve the rights to make some adjustments and amendments to the original list and that's exactly what I am planning to do. I think the sign of a wise woman is knowing when it is time to regroup and re-evaluate, instead of just giving up. And since this is my own personal journey...I can do whatever I want to do! So here's the amended list. You'll see the old goal in red in parentheses.
40 THINGS TO DO BEFORE I'M 40
Activities
1. Take Jacinda Camping (Still planning for this one)
2. Go away for a Girls weekend with my friends Sherry and Nikki (Update: We were actually supposed to go away this weekend, but time got away from us - we'll try again soon)
3. Take Jacinda on a tour of the Tygart Dam
4. Get some friends together and go Christmas Caroling
5. Have a yard sale (I've really lost the desire for this one, it may be re-evaluated next update...stay tuned)
6. Enter a contest
7. Take a fall driving tour to go leaf peaking
8. Fly a kite - Well I bought a kite, so I think that counts as a step toward the goal of course I couldn't tell you where it was at this moment. LOL!
9. Discover/Experience four new places/events in WV
10. Try Letterboxing

Reading
11. Read the Bible in chronological order (Shameful I know!)
12. Read at least 6 of the parenting/adoption books sitting on my book shelf
13. Read more in front of and to Jacinda (at least two times a week) YES!
14. Read at least 6 books for pleasure – Don’t think I have picked this one up since last month…

Artistically speaking
15. Take an Art class/workshop (I am very excited about this one!)
16. Attend at least 6 live theater performances (3 down and 3 to go!!!!)
17. Attend at least 3 concerts
18. Blog at least 5 (10) times a month

In the Kitchen
19. Try 24 mew recipes (two new recipes a month) - Same number, just takes the pressure off in the summer months.
20. Organize my spices into some kind of usable system
21. Come up with a new storage system for my canned goods. (Done, now I just have to implement it)
22. Come up with a cost-effective, creative solution for a simple/striking counter top/back splash Better Home & Garden
23. Plant some flowers (DONE! And they are even still alive!)
24. Create the playroom (Working on it and very excited about all the new stuff for it!)
25. Fix that pesky leak (Would you believe the leak, fixed itself!)
26. Get bathroom lights, towel rack, etc. up
27. Add more lighting 28. Get the garage organized
29. Replace central air - sometimes you have to make lemonade out of lemons! (Add French doors and a patio, maybe next year)
30. Design my dream bathroom and dressing room for when the time comes

Personal Growth & Development
31. Be a better mom
32. Become a better daughter
33. Nurture my friends more

Health and Fitness
34. Lose 40 pounds – (8 pounds are gone - woo-hoo!)
35. Learn to love some form of exercise (I should just swim all year round)
36. Eat no processed foods for one week (month) - I would rather do this one week than skip it totally!

Ethiopian Experiences
37. Attend the Ethiopian Adoption Group meetings in Pittsburgh a few times
38. Expand my Amharic skills – add 40 new words to my repertoire (I'm about 1/4 of the way there!)
39. Do a fundraiser/drive for the children at Miskaye (Done we raised a little over $500 at Jacinda's Gotcha Day Celebration.)
40. And Last and by no means least…BEGIN PAPERCHASING FOR LITTLE ? - decided to change first name. Not sure why this second adoption is so much harder to begin...

Well until our next update...WISH ME LUCK!

Weekly Reader - 170 books and counting!

Education is a big topic at our home. I will always be thankful to my parents for providing me with educational opportunities they never had. My dad didn't graduate from high school and my mom only made it through one semester of college. But they always encouraged my educational endeavors even when it meant that I had chosen a private and costly liberal arts college.
And because of their support and lack of opportunities, I have always been very appreciative and treasured my own education...because I know first-hand not everyone has had the opportunities I have.
I love education and were it not for a nasty fifth-grade teacher, I probably would BE an educator. That being said, my focus on Jacinda's education has been deliberate and yes, at times intense.
We talk about school a lot. I make it clear that she has a responsibility to think things through and to think for herself and not expect people to coddle her. I openly explain that school for a little while will be harder for her and for the next few years she is going to have to work hard to succeed. I explain that things being hard is not a bad thing or something to be avoided, but it is a challenge she can overcome. I tell her that she is smart, that she has come so far and that I am so proud of her.
Although some days I get frustrated when she seemingly forgets a concept she has been repeating for six months. But those frustrations are coming farther and farther apart.
My dad was worried in the beginning that by pushing Jacinda I was going to make her dislike school. But even from the photos I received during my waiting showed that Jacinda was happiest in her "school-like" setting and that she loved to learn.
She has turned out to be a total sponge and has been reading up a storm this summer. We have been keeping track of her books since school let out in mid-June. I keep a running list for the school's summer reading challenge. Today when I finally caught up on a week of books, I was shocked and thrilled that my little reader is quickly approaching the 200 book mark.
This prompted me to look back about a year ago and see how far Jacinda has come. From knowing 22 sight words in July 2009 to reading nonstop in July 2010. From conquering words like paper towels and salt and pepper a year ago to being the charming princess who loves to chat with people and is quite fluent. All I can say is WOW!
Looks like I better make plans for a 200-book celebration, because my baby deserves it!

World's Worst Blogger

I am a little surprised at what a bad blogger I have been. It really doesn't seem like it has been more than a month since I last posted, but the dates don't lie.

I am behind on updating my 40 Things to Do before I turn 40 series...blogging about our vacation, VBS, the summer in general and all things Jacinda. I am going to try to be better...but in between soaking up every moment of summer and trying to study for the PMP exam, I am not making any promises!

Until then, let me leave you one of my favorite summer photos of Miss Jacinda!

Last Day of School

Today is Jacinda's last day of school. People keep asking her if she is excited, but adamantly tells them no. To be honest, she didn't realize until about two weeks ago that there even was a summer vacation. What can I say? My girl loves school!
This morning as she got ready and we headed out the door. I looked behind me to see her standing in the spot where I took her first day of school picture last August. And it hit me how much she has changed during the last 170-ish days.
Jacinda has grown physically, emotionally and intellectually.
I sent her to school as a child who could barely recognize 15 sight words...she is now reading almost anything she can get her hands on.
I sent her to school as a child who could barely count to 100...she now counts by 2's, 5's 10s. etc. and can do it forward and backwards.
I sent her to school as a quiet, shy girl, who had never stepped foot into a school...she now emanates confidence and poise.
I sent her to school four years behind her peers ...and tonight she will come home less than one year behind in all subjects.
Jacinda has had so many successes this year...ones we couldn't have achieved without her awesome teaching team! She took thank you cards and little gifts to all of them today.
Now we enter a new season and I can't wait to celebrate our summer together!