44 Things. 404 Days.

One month ago today, my sister published a list of 44 goals.  Inspired by the 101 things in 1001 days you may have seen around the blog world, she shortened the ending date to her 2013 birthday (404 days) and the to-do list to a nice manageable number (that went well with 404) ;).  

I like her list so much I want one of my own!  Seeing as how my birthday is a month after hers (400ish days from today), I had a month to come up with 44 things of my own.  And so I wouldn't be a copycat (other than copying the whole idea in the first place!) I intentionally did not go back and read her list until mine was made.  So if we have similar items... what can I say?  We're sisters!  (You should hear us laugh in stereo. :) )

Things I want to do by mid-October 2013:

1. Read through New Testament (before December 31, 2012).

2. Be consistent with (aka "finish") geography / country studies.

3. Have Alan's Caringbridge site printed into a book.

4. Order photo prints and put them into albums.

5. Nurse baby for 1 year - or beyond.

6. Finish Alan's quilt.

7. Make a baseball quilt for Dale.

8. Clean out baby room closet

9. Publish 200 blog posts in 2012

10. Sign another song in church.  That's "sign" as in American Sign Language, not "sing" as in la-la-la.

11. Sew a dress for Brooklyn.

12. Decorate our newly painted bathroom.

13. Name this baby.

14. Teach him baby signs.

15. Prepare a space for him.

16. Use softer, kinder words when angry or frustrated.

17. Practice manners and etiquette with the boys.

18. Memorize more Bible passages with the boys (not just verses).

19. Make pickles again (2013).  Didn't get to make any 2012 pickles, and I miss them already!

20. Write an update letter to Alan's donor family.  It's been a while.

21. Get Brooklyn's outgrown clothes boxed up and into the attic.

22. Teach the boys more Spanish words and phrases.

23. Learn better maintenance skills and habits for keeping things orderly and neat.  Then do them.

24. Obtain a bigger pressure cooker.

25. Buy a double stroller.

26. Finish reading the Old Testament in 2013 (picking up where I left off after starting in 2010!).

27. Read, teach, and write more poetry with the boys.

28. Help Tyler learn most (all?) of the alphabet letter sounds.

29. Break Tyler of the dum-dum habit.  I never thought I'd let pacifier use go this long!

30. Teach Alan to tell time.

31. Teach Alan to tie his shoes.

32. Teach Dale some basic cooking to do independently. 

33. Landscaping / face-lift in front of house.

34. Read more books.

35. Do science experiments / activities with the boys.

36. Hang a bulletin board in our school area.

37. Have boys write thank-you notes for Christmas and birthday gifts.

38. Start (and keep on) participating in Sketch Tuesday.

39. Avoid an induction and spend some time laboring at home.

40. Start Alan on piano.

41. Get rid of more stuff.

42. Potty train Brooklyn.

43. Smile more.

44. Make freezer meals occasionally.  (This is the one exception to my 'not copycatting Kristin' rule.  Totally borrowing from her #18!) :)

In the mid-20s I thought it was going to be hard to come up with 44.  Now I keep thinking of things I might want to add!  Do you keep a goals list?  What's on yours?