40 Things to Do Before I am 40 - Update 1!

One month into it I have made some progress, but there are still several areas I could stand a lot of improvement on. I am not going to focus on the slippages, but instead celebrate the successes and make plans to do better this month!

So here it goes!

40 THINGS TO DO BEFORE I'M 40

Activities
1. Take Jacinda Camping
2. Go away for a Girls weekend with my friends Sherry and Nikki (Update: We are kicking around some dates to get this booked - way excited about it!)
3. Take Jacinda on a tour of the Tygart Dam
4. Get some friends together and go Christmas Caroling
5. Have a yard sale
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.
9. Discover/Experience four new places/events in WV
10. Try Letterboxing

Reading
11. Read the Bible in chronological order - While I am not totally where I would like to be on this reading plan, I have made some progress.
12. Read at least 6 of the parenting/adoption books sitting on my book shelf - I have the first one picked out. :o)
13. Read more in front of and to Jacinda (at least two times a week) - This I have done. In fact one night I was reading and Jacinda asked me what I was doing. When I told her reading, she asked WHY? I don't think she understands the concept of pleasure reading, which is why this goal is so important.
14. Read at least 6 books for pleasure - Part way through this one..it's called Emily Ever After. A Crossings book of the month selection from a million years ago, that I am finally get around to reading!

Artistically speaking
15. Take an Art class/workshop
16. Attend at least 6 live theater performances
17. Attend at least 3 concerts
18. Blog at least 10 times a month (I know a stretch for me!) - DID IT!

In the Kitchen
19. Try two new recipes a month - Tried two great crock pot recipes...Peanut Lime Pork and Balsamic Chicken with Spring Veggies. Both were DELISH!
20. Organize my spices into some kind of usable system
21. Come up with a new storage system for my canned goods
22. Come up with a cost-effective, creative solution for a simple/striking counter top/back splash

Better Home & Garden
23. Plant some flowers
24. Create the playroom
25. Fix that pesky leak
26. Get bathroom lights, towel rack, etc. up
27. Add more lighting
28. Get the garage organized
29. Add French doors and a patio
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 – (should it be more? Of course, but this is a great place to start)
35. Learn to love some form of exercise (This is by far the hardest one on the list)
36. Eat no processed foods for one month out of the year

Ethiopian Experiences
37. Start attending the Ethiopian Adoption Group meetings in Pittsburgh
38. Expand my Amharic skills – add 40 new words to my repertoire (Well I added a few...the words for water, table, coffee, yellow, How are you?...so I am on my way!)
39. Do a fundraiser/drive for the children at Miskaye
40. And Last and by no means least…BEGIN PAPERCHASING FOR LITTLE J!!! (I identified my new adoption agency and my new homestudy agency. People are writing recommendations for me...however I need to be honest the two trip requirement took a little wind out of my sails, but I will carry on...cautiously!)

All in all I am quite pleased with my progress! So until next month...