2011 Twenty Wishes Challenge

**daylily** · 12-30-2010, 09:25 AM

I looked over my list from 2010 and I pretty much want to do all those things still so I'm keeping the same list. Some of the things, I made progress on and some I didn't.

TWENTY WISHES LIST

1. make a portable bird blind from camo fabric I'm researching this now
2. make a “bird garden” with plants to attract more birds
3. hand tame wild birds at the feeder Winter is the best time to do this so I'm working on this now. I've had chickadees and tufted titmice come to my hand
4. propagate perennials and shrubs to landscape with
5. make my woodland garden pretty again
6. mat and frame Mom's paintings
7. make scrapbooks for paper keepsakes
8. write my family's history I have a list of questions I got online to ask older folks that I'm going through with Mom
9. have a family portrait made
10. get copies of old family photos I've done quite a bit of this but much more to do
11. complete US School of Music piano lessons
12. complete Singorama singing lessons
13. make a CD with DDs and DS (just for us and the grandmas!) We're getting our song list together!
14. find some fellow singers and form a trio or a quartet or a quintet DD2, Sister-in-law and I have sung for church several times. We need to get some other folks involved
15. learn more Spanish
16. write a book
17. study history
18. study the Bible more I'm reading the Bible through and plna to get into some serious study
19. invite neighbors over for a vegetarian meal
20. go to the Creation Museum in Kentucky

**peanut** · 12-30-2010, 12:21 PM

Guess what I found hiding on my bookshelf? A journal called "Reflections from a Mother's Heart". It's a question and answer format journal. They ask the questions, you write the answers. All about your life and how you think, etc. It is geared to be given to your children. I think I know one of the items that will be on my list for the year. Finish this book. There's an entry for every day of the year.

**daylily** · 12-30-2010, 01:11 PM

Peanut, That's the book DD1 gave me and she gave her father A Father's Legacy which is the same thing for dads. I have been working on these for several years and I really, really want to finish them before DD and SIL come in mid-Jan for Christmas. On our long trips to Hunstville when DD2 was in college there, I would ask DH his questions and write his answers on regular paper. Now, I'm transferring them to the book.

I'm having a hard time with some of the philosophical questions like "Recall for me some of the most important lessons you learned in life". I just can't come up with anything and I'm quite sure I learned some important lessons..lol It's at the end of January. Or "What meaningful advice did you receive from an adult? I can't think of a thing.

**peanut** · 12-30-2010, 02:30 PM

I had lots of good things for the last one...meaningful advice adults gave me. My grandmother lived with us and was full of sage advice...such as: "don't drink, don't smoke, and wash your panties every day"!

I think I've come up with my list for the year. I'm working on breaking them down and determining next actions on all the list. I'm also creating a page in my new "Blank Pages" journal for my January 'to do' list.

It looks long. DH thinks I'm being overly ambitious. Oh well. If you don't aim high, you certainly won't hit high!

(another Gram-ism?).

**daylily** · 12-30-2010, 03:31 PM

I like your grandmother's advice

I just need to keep trying to remember I guess...

I'm looking forward to seeing your list. It's always so interesting and inspiring.

**arnie** · 12-30-2010, 08:41 PM

Wow!
I like this one. I will definitely work on my list as well. will be back to share. Good project for New year's eve night.

**EmilyD** · 12-30-2010, 09:57 PM

I have A Mother's Legacy and I think the Reflections from a Mother's Heart as well .. hmm maybe I should add that to my list .. thanks for the idea!

**peanut** · 12-30-2010, 11:21 PM

You're welcome.

I spent part of today working on my 2011 Twenty Wishes list and I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint people. It is pretty plain Jane this year. Too much at home that needs doing. No exciting off-the-wall stuff there.

But an awful lot of stuff none-the-less! I figure I need to read a book a week to fit in all the reading alone! Needless to say, I do not anticipate finishing this list this year either (I didn't expect to finish last year's either).

In the process of doing this list I went back to last year's list. I keep a record in mind map form in Curio on my MAC. It gets into more detail of the steps that need to be done and next actions. I actually managed to do quite a bit. Just not enough to tick off my goal...quite. I suspect this year might be the same. But we'll see. One thing I want to review, like I mentioned, is time management.

One thing I noticed on my mind map version of the list was how one thing led to another that was totally unplanned or unexpected. It gave me a good grasp of how I spent my time and showed me I didn't just sit around and do nothing!

I'll go over this list more tomorrow and see if I can narrow it down to something more doable. Then post it maybe tomorrow evening. We're planning a quiet New Year's after our hectic Christmas.

My focus this year will be on time management and learning.

**peanut** · 12-31-2010, 07:11 PM

Here it is folks! My list for 2011.

1. Knit through the rest of Elizabeth Zimmermann's "Knitter's Almanac".
2. Finish quilts for the house.
3. Do at least one piece of handwork for charity a month.
4. Finish the renovations on the inside of the house (except the kitchen).
5. Finish projects started - 1 per month.
6. Knit socks that fit.
7. Read 2 books a month.
8. Take a course in something new this year.
9. Finish "Reflections from a Mother's Heart".
10. Organize sewing room files.
11. Sew through one drawer unit of fabric.
12. Have wills updated.
13. Visit the Maritimes.
14. Enter entire book collection in Readerware.
15. Have a spiritual retreat once a month.
16. Practice hospitality. Have at least one couple/person in per pay period for a meal and evening fun.
17. Study up on time management and apply it.
18. Explore fibre arts. Try new techniques.
19. Be more consistent in my volunteer efforts at church.
20. Save $15,000 for a new kitchen next year.

Some of these will be familiar to those who followed last year's thread. No off-the-wall stuff this year though. I'm done with all the physical stuff. I've basically done all I'm willing to do. Too bad back, hips, etc. to do much physical anymore. I'll still work on my wishes from previous years, but I won't be busting butt over them. My emphasis will be to just play with what I have this year. I love my home, my stuff (too much!) and want to see what I can do creatively to fill my time. It's playtime for me this year!

**peanut** · 12-31-2010, 10:48 PM

What's your next step in each of your wishes? I've been thinking about mine and have come up with the following...

1. Knit through the rest of Elizabeth Zimmermann's "Knitter's Almanac". - Knit the mitred mitts from some homespun I have kicking around here.
2. Finish quilts for the house. - hand quilt the Trip-Around-The-World quilt.
3. Do at least one piece of handwork for charity a month. - quilt a baby girl quilt for January.
4. Finish the renovations on the inside of the house (except the kitchen). - DH has the next step here. He's phoning a contractor to determine what order things need to be done in.
5. Finish projects started - 1 per month - Finish the man's scarf I'm knitting.
6. Knit socks that fit - frog the socks I've started back to the beginning of the heel, where I seem to have made a mistake.
7. Read 2 books a month - Finish reading "The Tipping Point" and "Dead Sea Scrolls".
8. Take a course in something new this year - I've already signed up for an on-line course on sketchbooks for fibre artists. But I also want to go to Seminar 2011 this year down east.
9. Finish "Reflections from a Mother's Heart". - I don't need to do anything this month. I've done to the end of January.
10. Organize sewing room files. - take my plastic 3-ring sleeves up to slip photos and templates into, and transfer finished project files to binders.
11. Sew through one drawer unit of fabric - Finish sewing organza gift bags. Sew wrapping paper storage bag from denim. Adjust silk skirt I was ripping apart to refit boarder. Finish fitting and adjusting jacket/blazer pattern.
12. Have wills updated. - will do later this year.
13. Visit the Maritimes. - trying to piggyback this with Seminar 2011, which is in N.B. this year. Depends how much money I can save between now and May.
14. Enter entire book collection in Readerware. - Enter at least ten books every day till done. Find my bar code reader to speed things along.
15. Have a spiritual retreat once a month. - list topics, pull together resources in one place.
16. Practice hospitality. Have at least one couple/person in per pay period for a meal and evening fun. - Pull together a list of people to invite in January. Have one in mind already. Just need to invite him.
17. Study up on time management and apply it. - Crack open David Allen's book "Getting Things Done" again for a re-read.
18. Explore fibre arts. Try new techniques. - Go through books and pick out things to try. I think I'll start with the book "Artistic Photo Quilts".
19. Be more consistent in my volunteer efforts at church. - Write up library synopsis for the year. Phone church secretary to find out best time to put library reports in the bulletin.
20. Save $15,000 for a new kitchen next year. - Put aside $625 in savings every payday!!!

How about you? What's the next action on your wishes? What can you do today to move forward on your wishes?

**writtenonmybody** · 01-01-2011, 01:11 AM

I'm in. Making my list in the morning!

**calimomx2** · 01-01-2011, 01:33 AM

Ok, here is my list!

1. Learn to sew, quilt and crochet!
2. Completely give up soda!
3. Be more outgoing (I'm a total wallflower!)
4. Have friends over more often, entertain in our home more.
5. Take a cake decorating class.
6. Learn to can....we have a great garden each year but we waste so much because I don't know how to can things!
7. Paint the master bedroom.
8. Make exercise a priority every single day!
9. Make peace with my sister!
10. Hike to the back lakes at our favorite vacation spot.
11. Plan a date night with hubby atleast once a month.
12. Get my books out of the boxes they are in and set up in the library (dd moved out so guess what I'm doing with her room!)

13. Spend less time on the computer.
14. Completely declutter the house!
15. Get serious about finally losing weight!
16. Learn Italian so when hubby hopefully takes me to Italy I'll not be clueless!
17. Stick to all the challenges I posted to here on FV!!
18. Stop being such a worry wart and stop stressing about everything!
19. Start writing! I've got lots of ideas but need to get them down on paper.
20. Plan better, no more procrastinating!

**writtenonmybody** · 01-01-2011, 10:21 AM

1. Makeover Desk
2. Paint Our Rooms, Kitchen, and Livingroom
3. Race for the Cure
4. Go full time at work (crossing my fingers this works out!)
5. Do three things I've never done before on my Birthday
6. Take a trip to Duluth with my mother and with my family
7. Take 3 crafty classes
8. Do a craft show
9. Use my photography to make cards.
10. Host four crafty get togethers
11. Be mindful of my word for the year "Fearless"
12. Bring my nieces and daughter out for a kindness mission
13. Get my craft room in order.
14. Spend more time with my mother.
15. Spend more time with friends
16. Date nights with husband at least once a month!
17. Lose 10 pounds
18. Volunteer
19. Make christmas gifts early and not last minute like in 2010.
20. Continue expanding myself and learn new things.

**{Jenny}** · 01-01-2011, 10:23 AM

1. Plan a vegetable garden.
2. Organize, and declutter the entire house. Attic down to that basement, and each floor and room inbetween!
3. Handwrite a minimum of one letter to mail to a friend/family member monthly.
4. Plan our weekend trip to NYC.
5. Create, and stick to a realistic workout plan to tone up and loose the last pounds to my personal goal weight.
6. Spend time on the flower gardens.
7. Decorate the spare bedroom.
8. Sign up for a beginners sewing class.
9. Scan in old photos and put onto cd’s.
10. Organize photos on my laptop, deleting, and printing out.
11. Have a family portrait taken of all 6 of us.
12. Organize family tree info and put into a book format for the kids.
13. …Everyday find the time to reflect on my life and remember how truly blessed I am.
14. Begin working on my professional portfolio.
15. Read one book a month.
16. Plan more daytrips, and picnics.
17. Begin financial goals.
18. Learn French.
19. Have house completely renovated by end of the year.
20. Begin attending church, again.

**arnie** · 01-01-2011, 03:41 PM

Take time to reflect everyday on how blessed I am
Help those less fortunate when I can
Continue to work on my Spanish- ( online MIT open courseware is a free resource)
Complete 6 home improvement projects ( painting, etc)
Declutter the entire house
Work on my writing- get the ideas on paper
Get back into exercising at least 4 times a week
Clean up my yard and deck so I can enjoy them when weather is nice
Read more books
Plan and take at least one frugal mini vacation this year
Keep in touch friends and family more often

That's about all for now... may add some later