2018 List Recap

I think this year might have been the year I completed the most goals.  And a few of these that I didn’t complete I couldn’t like Blink Cincy and Church campout since they didn’t even happen in 2018 - so I already was out those.  Anyhow seems very accomplished.

36 Completed items:  

1. One Second Everyday video

3. Finish Block of Month 

4. Make spike/Skippy Jon a quilt 

5. Instastories once a week - maybe not weekly but I did at least 50. 

7. Organize the kids toys 

8. Buy a new coat

9. Finish another unfinished quilt 

10. Buy all new underwear 

13. New car or van 

15. Buy a new swimsuit

16. Plant a garden

21. Get Pool passes

22. Jones Ice skating lessons

23. Thea/Jones swim lessons

24. Thea dance lessons

25. Fancy Taco Tuesday

26. JJs 40th trip

27. More intentional prayer

28. women’s March

31. Service project with the kids

33. Repurpose something

34. Art Journal

35. Watch a movie.

36. Cereal party

37. Birthday party for Thea 

38. Birthday party for Jones

39. Play date with Brooks 

42. Organize the coat closet

43. Meet my new nephew

44. Get my Ohio license 

45. Organize my dresser

46. Write down more kid stories 

47.  Take kids to a beach

48. Event with Kathleen and Lynley 

49. Stay caught up in Project Runway

52. New List

6 Started:

2. Temperature Quilt - I don’t think i will finish it I hate it

6. Read 12 Books - I read 10

17. Monthly dates with jones - I think we did 8

18. Monthly dates with Thea - I maybe did 5

20. Sand and seal deck - I have a small patch maybe 6x6 done

41. Finish project Life 2016 - I have one more month

10 Not started:

11. Go to Blink Cincy

12. Make Chia Seed Jam

14. Attempt the Whole 30

19. Tile floor in main bath

29. Make new curtains for moms kitchen

30. Professional family photos

32. Church campout

40. Make naan 

50. New hairstyle/color

51. Makes challah

1 - one second everyday video

This is my video from one second everyday 2018.  Song is coldplay adventure of a lifetime.  I missed several days but I still love this project and it’s so cool to compare it to last year or 2016 and see how much things have changed.  Here’s the link in case above preview doesn’t work.

https://youtu.be/H6QD_gjw3zc

35 - went to the Movies

I took Thea to see her first movie.  In all fairness it was only Jones’s second movie.  But I did discover Saturday morning movies are only $4. We saw it Ralph Breaks the Internet it was fine but not exactly my favorite movie.

I think over the year I watched about 4 other movies so I am cross good old 35 off my list. 

48 - event with Kathleen and Lynley

Jones asked me no fewer than ten times if we could go to the haunted house at the museum again.  So I made plans to go with Lynley (and famil) and Kathleen.  We did the lights on as my kids would find it too scary otherwise. It was still spooky but they just didn’t notice. We are hit up the museumto visit some of the other exhibits. It was fun for the kids to play together.  Both Lynley’s son and Thea were super into the carousel and rode it many times.  

39 - Play date with Brooks

Over the weekend we got together with lots of friends but we also included Brooks (and uncle Joe and Auntie alicia) we hit up the Irvington festival the kids loved the parade of Halloween costumes which is quite impressive.  Thea enjoyed walking with Brooks and holding his hand. She was very helpful as Brooks wanted to do his own thing but was very compliant to her when not to adults.  My kids also enjoyed sharing his goldfish snack as well.  

9 - Unfinished Quilt - Heart for the Ross’s

Over two years ago when my life seemed to be drama city.  I was spending over $400/week for daycare on one income.  And out of the blue my friend Kari says “do you need a sitter for the summer?” - I couldn’t accept her offer fast enough.  I hadn’t even talked to her in several months.  I truly do believe that god provided her for that summer so I could then research and find another daycare that was more affordable.  But also so we could bless each other.

But she was a true blessing for me she came to my house and her then foster (now adopted) kids were roughly a year younger and two years older than mine.

She has taught me that mothering isn’t always perfect and that being a single mother is hard but we gotta lean in and stick together.

Anyhow at least 100x she has asked me if she could buy a quilt from me.  I continually have told her no.  But secretly I have been making her one.  I was hoping to have it finished by the time she adopted her kids.  But I missed that date this past winter, but better late than never right.

This pattern is all 5inch squares made into a heart with low volume trim.  It’s entirely scraps except for the back. 

I quilted in “the Ross family” someplace but I doesn’t really stick out in the free motion quilting of the heart

It has a good crinkle after getting washed.
Can you see where I stitched in “the Ross Family” - it’s hard to see but it’s there. 

25 - Fancy Tacos

So I made fancy tacos last night apparently it was also national taco day.  First i made carnitas meat with this Recipe from Gimme Some Oven https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/crispy-slow-cooker-carnitas/ I did leave out cumin as I couldn’t find it and instead tossed in some Mexican grill rub we had.

They turned out very good I do wish I had crisped up the meat a little more.  Also it was soooo simple to make this meal and now we have left over carnitas meat to make taco bowls.  We added onion, cilantro, cheese and fresh salsa as other toppings and served with rice and beans.  I wish I had made fresh pico too but I didn’t have time.  

Anyhow I will for sure do this again.  

24- Dance Classes for Thea

I enrolled Thea in dance classes that started a few weeks ago.  We are starting with tap dance because you need to be older for ballet/hip hop at this studio and the other one, and she can take gymnastics at the college. But so far she LOVES it.  she been waiting for something that she can do since she’s still too young for soccer, tball and ice skating.  She loves getting there early and watching the girls in ballet or the older kids tap classes.  She runs right into class and reminds the teachers “I am Thea.” In case they forget. Then she follows directions the best she can.  After class she sings me the songs and tells me all the things she loves.  She also likes to watch the big kids that have class after her it’s hip hop dance and she tries to mimic them watching thru the window.  

Sorry about the terrible photos it’s hard to get good ones thru the windows as their are blinds.

34 - Art Journal

For several years I have put this on my goals lists.  I never start it.  Well my mom gave me just a magnet closure notebook for my birthday and I turned it into a art journal.  Aside from white paint pens I didn’t buy anything.  I use my kids craft paints, and paper scraps I had.  I torn a lot of pages out and glued several together to make them thicker.  I save up all these quotes in my phone I don’t even know why but I used them on this project.  I also some of my kids artwork and some coloring pages and random junk mail. 

I had such a fun time with this it’s so messy but good I started a second one.  

These people are creepy but I didn’t pick my pen up. 

I love this collage.

This background is some dental form in Spanish. 

My kids totally recognized themselves.

Nothing like a little ninja turtle coloring book page. 



This is a gnome in case you wondered. 



This is one of my favorites even though this lady blends right in.  










Art by my kids friend 






Jones made that little blue drawing its him

A Parade Service Project

Kathleen asked us a while back if we could help her with this parade a while back.  She was doing it with her foster agency/company so I am considering this a service project.  

My kids wanted to wear costumes but the 100 degree heat index made them pair them down, although i think jones looks a little like spanky from little rascals.  Her companies theme was Bubbles and that seemed to work well my kids handed out candy and shot parade goers with bubble guns, while i pulled them in the wagon.  By the end of the parade however we were drenched in sweat so we didn’t even check out the festival.  

We also got to hit up the museum while in town and see super hero exhibit and hot wheels one.  My kids continue to be in love with the outside part especially tennis so we also hit that up.  And we spent the night at auntie Kathleen’s so that was something to cross off the bucket list.