The 2015 List Wrap Up

Ok… so with the end of 2015 it’s time to check out what actually came of the list… the full run down. Once again there have been heaps of times this year when the list has been on the back burner while life went on. Which is good, because it means that life is actually full of heaps of fun stuff.  So much fun stuff that it’s February and it’s only now that this blog is being published… instead of it’s usual December appearance… I guess all that matters is that it is here now.  2015 was another full on year and you can get a better recap of all that happened here.  But what happened with the list?  Good question… and you are in luck because it is all here for you to read about below…  Just like all the other years those that have a blog of their own have a hyperlink so you can just click it and read all about it… and the ones that don’t are all listed below with either an explanation of what did or didn’t happen…

  1. Visit Hobbiton – completed: 01/01/15
  2. Make my own dumplings
    No excuses really… I just ran out of time.
  3. Do another Pinterest craft – completed: 13/02/15
  4. Make my own hot cross buns – completed: 05/04/15
  5. Follow through with the 2015 date box again – completed: 22/12/15
    All done and dusted for another year… once again we had to sneak a few into November and December, but they were all done and quality time was enjoyed.
  6. Paint Something – completed: 15/08/15
  7. Eat something I have planted – completed: 27/01/15
  8. Buy lunch at work no more than twice a week – completed: 23/12/16
    This year I got much better at taking my lunch… there were still a lot of lunches out, but there were less… and no more than two in any one week.
  9. Go to two weddings – completed: 21/02/15 (wedding 1, wedding 2)
  10. Order fish at a restaurant – completed: 06/01/15
  11. Try again to embrace home cooking
    This one I struggle with and I don’t know why… I like cooking… I am just not good at actually doing… maybe next year?
  12. Have a weekend away – completed: 26/04/15
  13. Go to some carols by candlelight – completed: 14/12/15
    We actually did a few carols by candlelight… starting with the ones on the 14th and finishing with the ones on Christmas eve at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl.
  14. Work as a classroom teacher – completed 13/03/15
  15. Make the most of my gym membership
    I could have done more… let’s be honest.
  16. Run 5km without walking
    Not yet… there is still hope… 5km is a fairly comfortable distance now which is good, but I am not running the whole thing.
  17. Do some trivia – completed: 17/01/15
  18. Learn another song on guitar – completed: 20/12/15
    Hello “American Honey” by Lady Antebellum
  19. Have a picnic in the backyard – completed: 22/12/15
    We should do this more often… it is nice
  20. Start collecting and sorting photos of Dave and I’s family history – completed: 20/12/15
    The collection has started… it probably needs a little more structure, but it has been started… and that’s all the list required.
  21. See some black sand – completed: 02/01/15
  22. Put some new photos up around the house – completed: 11/04/15
  23. Blow some giant bubbles – completed: 05/12/15
    An excellent Family Christmas BBQ activity for the whole family
  24. Ride a rollercoaster – completed: 09/04/15
  25. Play mini golf – completed: 08/12/15
    It was only one hole… in works put put comp… but that still counts right?
  26. See a movie at the drive-in – completed: 14/02/15
  27. Build a sandcastle – completed: 01/12/15
    Thank you December Date Day
  28. Buy an ice cream from an ice cream truck – completed: 12/12/15
    Is there a better way to celebrate seeing Taylor Swift live?  I don’t think so
  29. Take a selfie with the selfie stick fully extended – completed: 10/01/15
  30. Go to the beach at least 5 times – completed: 26/01/15
  31. Stargaze while lying on the grass – completed: 13/11/15
    I should do this more often too… the night sky is pretty incredible
  32. Watch the sunset from a beach – completed 01/12/15
    Again I say… Thank you December Date Day
  33. Rent a bike and go on an adventure – completed: 03/01/15
  34. Stay at the Langham – completed: 07/01/15
  35. Go Hiking – completed: 03/01/15
  36. Take a last minute road trip – completed: 01/10/15
  37. Make a playlist for each season (Summer and Autumn; Winter) – completed: 03/12/15
    And finally I give you Spring: :
    – Open Heaven (River Wild) – Hillsong United
    – Tommy and Krista – Thirsty Merc
    – Unashamed Desire – Missy Higgins
    – Different Worlds – Brittany Cairns
    – Head to Heart – United Pursuit
    – Midnight Clear (Love Song) – Chris Tomlin
    – He Shall Reign Forevermore – Chris Tomlin
    – Adore – Chris Tomlin
  38. Bake a cake for someone
    No excuses really… it just didn’t happen.
  39. Buy a stranger dinner (e.g. pay for someone else meal at a restaurant)
    Also no excuse for this one…
  40. Learn a greeting in a language I haven’t spoken before – completed: 07/11/15
  41. Give a heartfelt surprise to someone – completed: 10/08/15
  42. Dance in the rain – completed: 20/12/15
    This is pretty self explanatory… it rained and I danced… it was summer which made the whole thing a lot more comfortable.  
  43. Plant a tree – completed: 22/09/15
  44. Knit a scarf – completed: 30/05/15
  45. Read a book on a subject you wouldn’t normally choose – completed: 08/06/15
  46. Fly a kite – completed: 17/01/15
    This actually happened way back in Jan… rather unsuccessfully… the kite strings snapped in the wind…  but for a brief moment it flew.
  47. Write and email/call a company from which I received excellent service
    This one just didn’t happen either… I am not sure why… probably because when it comes to things like this… I am all talk
  48. Go on a romantic getaway – completed: 13/11/15
    Dave planned a camping trip, just for a night and just to help me cross things off the list… that’s pretty darn romantic.
  49. Help someone in need – completed: 20/12/15
    I probably could have done more… but we did feed a community with the help of Just Salvos
  50. Learn something in sign language – completed: 08/06/15
  51. Wear fancy dress to something – completed: 29/08/15
  52. See two oceans meet – completed: 05/01/15
  53. Go in a sea vessel… kayak, canoe, paddle boat, regular boat… whatever – completed: 06/01/15
  54. Play a board game with friends – completed: 11/07/15
  55. Write at least 3 letters to my prayer pal
  56. Go fruit picking – completed: 08/11/15
  57. Swim 20km across the year
  58. Do another boot camp – completed: 04/12/15
    It wasn’t an official bootcamp, but I did work hard thanks to my trainer for the day Rachel
  59. Do another fun run – completed: 02/12/15
    You should all go out and sign up to next years Santa Run… it is fun… and ridiculous… but mostly fun
  60. Walk/run 400km across the year
  61. Go camping – completed: 13/11/15
  62. Walk 10,000 steps more often than I don’t – completed: 31/12/15
    I don’t think I got there every day, but I certainly walked 10,000 steps more often than I didn’t.  
  63. See some fireworks – completed: 13/12/15
    Carols by Candlelight are also excellent places to see fireworks.
  64. Eat a Feijoa – completed: 16/04/15
  65. Go on a luge – completed: 03/01/14
  66. Swim in a thermal pool – completed: 02/01/15
  67. Cook all meals at home for a fortnight (no going out or lazy take away)
  68. Take a photo everyday
  69. Play Super Mario Bros
  70. See a Musical – completed: 07/02/15
  71. Read 15 books – completed: 27/10/15
  72. Try four more local cafes in search of our new breakfast spot – completed: 21/11/15
    I still haven’t found a new favourite… but the search is continuing… 4 down, plenty more to try.
  73. Try Inverloch’s ‘Red Cup’ equivalent – completed: 25/04/15
    It didn’t end up being the cafe I thought it would be as this one opened first and ruined the others plans… but this one was good.
  74. Have a mocktail – completed: 17/02/15
  75. Finish unpacking the last boxes
  76. Visit a country town I haven’t been to before – completed: 01/10/15
  77. Put up some outside lights for Christmas – completed: 25/12/15
    We got some new outdoor Christmas lights for Christmas… so Christmas night we tested them out… that still counts right?
  78. Keep getting closer – completed: 31/12/15
    There is still a long way to go, but I can honestly say that I am way better off than I was at the beginning of the year and it’s been a long time since I could say that, so it feels good.
  79. See Big Hero6 – completed: 30/05/15
  80. Use a remote control toy
  81. See a live music concert… or 4 – completed: 26/09/15
  82. Do some colouring – completed: 08/05/15
  83. Go to a live sporting event – completed: 08/01/15
  84. Have a hot jam donut – completed: 14/12/15
    The may have just been from Coles… and they may have been mini… but they were good. 
  85. Have High Tea – completed: 07/02/15
  86. Cook something from each of my Donna Hay Mags
    If I had embraced no.11 better, this might have stood a chance… but unfortunately neither have been done.
  87. Learn a new skill – completed: 10/05/15
  88. Make a photo book of our New Zealand Adventure – completed: 27/12/15
    It isn’t finished, but it has been started… I think this one will also be on next years list.
  89. Have at least 5 different groups of people over for dinner – completed 07/09/15
  90. Ride a push bike without tears – completed: 03/01/15
  91. Complete my sentence a day book for 2015 – completed: 31/12/15
    Again… this one is pretty self explanatory, but I have really enjoyed doing it… I am really looking forward to what will change in next years sentences.
  92. Make a teepee or blanket fort and watch a movie in it
  93. Go to a farmers market – completed: 26/04/15
  94. Go through the alphabet of foods/restaurants/cuisines – completed: 19/12/15
    This one ended up being a little different from what I imagined too, but here is the list:
    A = Apple Pie, B = Broccoli, C = Carrot, D = Donuts, E = Eggnog, F = Fries, G = Gingerbread house, H = Homus, I = Ice Cream Slice, J= Jam, K = Koren BBQ, L = Lamb, M = Massaman Beef Curry, N = Nectarine, O = Octopus, P = Peachy Keenie Custard, Q = Quince Paste, R = Raspberries, S = String Beans, T = Tea, U = Unsalted Nuts, V = Vermicelli, W = Watermelon, X = Xanthan Gum, Y = Yogurt, Z = Zucchini.
  95. Do something handy at home – completed: 14/02/15
  96. Walk the dog once a week
    Sorry Dex 😦
  97. Set up our outdoor furniture and eat at it – completed: 19/10/15
  98. Actually read through the New Testament – completed: 19/12/15
    The whole thing… a little each day, but the whole thing. 
  99. See a wild swimming animal – completed: 06/01/15
  100. Touch a volcano – completed: 02/01/15

Ok… So there you go… that’s the list wrap for last year… 82 out of 100… I think that’s my best year yet!  Bring on 2016!

2015 – Through the eyes of my iPhone

Wow, here we are at the very end of 2015 and I am pretty sure I still think it’s 2014. But it’s not, I have lived another year and so in blog tradition it’s time to stop just for a moment and reflect… This year’s reflection comes to you from the back row of our tour bus somewhere between Rome and Venice… Oh and like always it’s through the eyes of my iPhone… 2015 has been another super fast and jam packed year, we started in New Zealand and we are ending it in Italy.  There has been another couple of weddings, more changes at work and some changes to the house, but let me show the best way I know how… Through photos…

January…
AVSP4290

Highlight: Everything NZ! Hobbits, volcanos, boats, oceans, families, bikes, adventure and pineapple lumps.

February…

Highlight: Feb 2015 was another wedding month, first Ben and Annie, then Mum and Andy… Both beautiful! Oh and when I looked at the photos for this month, I realised it was Star Trek themed, book ended by seeing the MSO play the Star Trek soundtrack and the death of Leonard Nimoy.

March…

Highlight: I finally started doing some teaching work, just some CRT, but it’s a start!  March was also filled with Dexter… The TV show… as we finished a 7 year process of watching it from beginning to end. Dexter our dog was there too.

April…

Highlight: April was mixed with backyard building, birthday goodness, Inverloch holidays and the footy… It was all good.

May…

Highlight: In May we celebrated one year in our house, but it was also filled with lots of catch ups with the girls as we stared our long goodbye before K moved to London.  The catch ups were definitely a highlight, but the reason behind… Not so much.

June…

Highlight: June’s highlight is a little lame, but that’s ok beacuse that’s how I roll…. One of my tweets was favourited by my favourite podcasters… I loved it!

July…

Highlight: Dave turned 30 and Oz helped us celebrate… It was green and full of ice cream cake.

August…

Highlight: This month Dave and I joined the park run community and the Lewis family killed it at family feud.

September…

Highlight: September brought us an almost finished backyard, a new work site to call home and the beautiful wedding of Naomi and Jacob.

October…

Highlight: Hooray for October! Dave graduated from his masters and that meant a NSW road trip which also included watching Hawthorn win their 3rd premiership and seeing Matilda!  Winner weekend… Winner Month!

November…

Highlight: List madness as the year started drawing to a close, berry picking and the Christmas Gift to welcome the start of all the Christmas goodness that was to come.  made November a winner.

December…

Highlight: I feel like Christmas is always the highlight of December because so much Christmas fun happens… although it may have been pipped this year.  While the Christmas dinners, advent calendars, carols and the abundance of food, family and gifts was wonderful, in December Dave and I started our European adventure and so far, although we have only done 1 stop, Rome, it has been incredible… and there is still a lot more adventure to come!.

So there you go, 365 photos which mean no. 68 is off the list and my year 2015 has been summed up… Bring on 2016!

How November has improved my December

Ok so while I started writing this blog on thanksgiving Thursday… I didn’t quite finish it but now it’s the second week of December, but hey, they Christmas season is like that and I think that it might even be a better time to stop and be thankful… to wrap up my month of deliberate thankfulness.  Not to stop being thankful though… well at least I hope not.  I have really enjoyed pausing this month, and I am hoping that through out December, even thought I am not blogging about it, that I will continue to remember to stop and count my blessings, because there are a lot.

Nov 22:  Worship – I always love worshiping God with music, but sometimes it’s extra good… and tonight was one of those times!  In fact today I am thankful for my church, for learning new things and for having some great time in worship.

Nov 23:  Good Team Peeps – Sometimes I get a chance to reflect on who I work with and today I am thankful for them because they are actually grand! They are hardworking and encouraging and I love being in a team with them.

Nov 24:  Walking catch ups – so the spring time weather has on occasions like today been delightful and allowed for a wonderfully long catch up walk with my friend Julia.  The walk was good but the catch up was even better!

Nov 25:  Glasses – tonight I picked up my glasses and I am just very thankful that some genius worked out how to make blind people like me see… The world is so much more interesting when I can actually see it with crisp clarity.

Nov 26:  Dave’s never ending list of talents – You’ve probably already worked out that Dave is a winner, but tonight at his school’s presentation night I watched him work his musical magic and it was so good.  He is a teaching and conducting wiz and I am very proud of him.

Nov 27:  Wise Friends that tell us where things are at – While it wasn’t quite how we expected the night to go, Dave and I got to hang out with our friends Matt and Fee  which is always fun, but they also speak wisdom into our lives, they are honest and loving and push us to be our best selves.

Nov 28: Holy City – even though it’s only November  Christmas can now happen, I have heard someone sing ‘Holy City’… all is well and I am ready… we not really, but if it happened tomorrow, my heart would be ok because I have heard this song.  This song that seems to be so ingrained in my Christmas experiences that it simply doesn’t feel right without… even if it is sung by David Hobson… my love-hate relationship with him and this song only seems to make the nostalgia attached to this song worse.  Oh and I am thankful for the Langham and it’s deliciously wonderful dishes, both actual dishes and food dishes.

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Nov 29: The Salvos – it’s who I am, and even though there is lots about it I would like to change, there is even more that I love and cherish and today was an army day of celebration… Commissioning and the festival of mission.  Thank God for the Salvos.

Nov 30: Thankfulness in November – This month has made me stop and actually look at my days and to be thankful for what I have.    But it’s actually been more important than that, it has given me a little attitude adjustment just in time for December.  I am not really sure how, or when it happened, but it has.  Leading up to November and December I had found myself cringing every time I got a text message or looked at my diary because there was so much to do and no more time to offer.  I hate saying no, but I also hate not having time, time to prepare, time for Dave, time for me… just time and December makes these two parts of my being feud in ways I never imagined they could.  But I have decided that I just need to change my perspective… I have to look at it differently.  So instead of looking at my diary full of things I need to do as obligations, I have decided to celebrate that I actually get to catch up with people that I might not see regularly, I get to hang out with friends and family and celebrate all that they mean to me and I get to practice generosity and be blessed by being a blessing.  It doesn’t always work, but so far it’s made a pretty big difference.  I am finding that because I have changed my perspective on why I am going, I am open to enjoying things more, so it’s a double bonus.  So while this whole month of reflection hasn’t changed my daily practice as much as I perhaps thought it would, it has helped me face December with much more Christmas joy than I have had in many years.  Here are some of my Christmas joys so far in December…

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… List adventures, fun runs, special birthdays, family Christmas celebrations, church nativities, Myer windows, light displays at the Town Hall, catch ups with friends  and work Christmas parties… And there is still two weeks until Christmas, but at least now I feel a little more prepared to face it.

Quick! Finish the List

At the beginning of every year the list starts strong… really strong… I go pretty hard and then always slam on the breaks because I have this panic that I will run out of things to do and that the list will run out.  It’s a stupid thing to do, because then at about this time each year I look at the list and thing heavens above there is a lot of stuff left… will there ever be a year where I actually finish the list?   So here we are again… so far I have crossed off 51 things… which is a pretty good effort… but there are only 7 weeks left in the year… and 49 things to do… that is a lot… so I am asking for help… here is a good old list update with both the things I have done (click the hyperlinks to read the blog I wrote about it, or just enjoy this little blurb if it’s a fresh one)… and the things that are still left to do… so if you see something that you think you might like to help me with, sing out… it’s going to be a mad rush to the end.

  1. threequartersVisit Hobbiton – completed: 01/01/15
  2. Make my own dumplings
  3. Do another Pinterest craft – completed: 13/02/15
  4. Make my own hot cross buns – completed: 05/04/15
  5. Follow through with the 2015 date box again
  6. Paint Something – completed: 15/08/15
    It wasn’t quite the painting I thought I would be doing, in fact technically it was ‘oiling’ but I used a paint brush for a bit… so I think it counts and the deck looks pretty flippin good.
  7. Eat something I have planted – completed: 27/01/15
  8. Buy lunch at work no more than twice a week
  9. Go to two weddings – completed: 21/02/15 (wedding 1, wedding 2)
  10. Order fish at a restaurant – completed: 06/01/15
  11. Try again to embrace home cooking
  12. Have a weekend away – completed: 26/04/15
  13. Go to some carols by candlelight
  14. Work as a classroom teacher – completed 13/03/15
  15. Make the most of my gym membership
  16. Run 5km without walking
  17. Do some trivia – completed: 17/01/15
  18. Learn another song on guitar
  19. Have a picnic in the backyard
  20. Start collecting and sorting photos of Dave and I’s family history
  21. See some black sand – completed: 02/01/15
  22. Put some new photos up around the house – completed: 11/04/15
  23. Blow some giant bubbles
  24. Ride a rollercoaster – completed: 09/04/14
  25. Play mini golf
  26. See a movie at the drive-in – completed: 14/02/15
  27. Build a sandcastle
  28. Buy an ice cream from an ice cream truck
  29. Take a selfie with the selfie stick fully extended – completed: 10/01/15
  30. Go to the beach at least 5 times – completed: 26/01/15
  31. Stargaze while lying on the grass
  32. Watch the sunset from a beach
  33. Rent a bike and go on an adventure – completed: 03/01/15
  34. Stay at the Langham – completed: 07/01/15
  35. Go Hiking – completed: 03/01/15
  36. Take a last minute road trip – completed: 01/10/15
    It was only really last minute for me because I left it until the last minute to get myself organised to go… but that still counts.  Davo and I headed to NSW for his Masters Graduation!  I was a very very proud wife and it was definitely worth the trip.
  37. Make a playlist for each season (Summer and Autumn)
    We can now add Winter:
    – Touch The Sky – Hillsong United
    – No Longer Slaves – Bethel- We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
    – This is Living – Hillsong Young & Free
    – Captain – Hillsong United
    – Great I am – New Life Worship
    – Believing A Lie – Joel Shannon & Asher Johnson
    – I’ll go in the Strength of the Lord – Salvation Army
    – O Boundless Salvation – William Booth
    – Over the Rainbow – Judy Garland, Wizard of Oz
  38. Bake a cake for someone
  39. Buy a stranger dinner (e.g. pay for someone else meal at a restaurant)
  40. Learn a greeting in a language I haven’t spoken before – completed: 07/11/15
  41. Give a heartfelt surprise to someone – completed: 10/08/15
    It doesn’t really matter what it was, or who got it… because I feel like giving that away on here ruins the magic of it… but it happened… and if you recognise the picture for this one… well then I guess you know… but if not, you’ll just have to trust me when I tell you it happened.
  42. Dance in the rain
  43. Plant a tree – completed: 22/09/15
    Well Dave actually planted the tree trees without me… so instead I got to plant the vine in the middle… but the backyard now has an orange tree, a lemon tree and a passion-fruit vine… lets start praying for some delicious fruit soon!
  44. Knit a scarf – completed: 30/05/15
  45. Read a book on a subject you wouldn’t normally choose – completed: 08/06/15
  46. Fly a kite
  47. Write and email/call a company from which I received excellent service
  48. Go on a romantic getaway
  49. Help someone in need
  50. Learn something in sign language – completed: 08/06/15
  51. Wear fancy dress to something – completed: 29/08/15
  52. See two oceans meet – completed: 05/01/15
  53. Go in a sea vessel… kayak, canoe, paddle boat, regular boat… whatever – completed: 06/01/15
  54. Play a board game with friends – completed: 11/07/15
  55. Write at least 3 letters to my prayer pal
  56. Go fruit picking – completed: 08/11/15
    It’s a good thing that my brother’s girlfriend Amy is organised, because without her this would not have happened, but it did… the weather was perfect and we took home a delicious mountain of strawberries, cherries and best of all raspberries….mmmmmm…. so many delicious raspberries… it turns out I like berry picking, especially raspberry picking.
  57. Swim 20km across the year
  58. Do another boot camp
  59. Do another fun run
  60. Walk/run 400km across the year
  61. Go camping
  62. Walk 10,000 steps more often than I don’t
  63. See some fireworks
  64. Eat a Feijoa – completed: 16/04/15
  65. Go on a luge – completed: 03/01/14
  66. Swim in a thermal pool – completed: 02/01/15
  67. Cook all meals at home for a fortnight (no going out or lazy take away)
  68. Take a photo everyday
  69. Play Super Mario Bros
  70. See a Musical – completed: 07/02/15
  71. Read 15 books – completed: 27/10/15
    All done… here’s the full list: 

    • The Storyteller – Jodi Picoult (finished 26/01/15)
    • Still Alice – Lisa Genova (finished 09/02/15)
    • Leaving Time – Jodi Picoult (finished 22/02/15)
    • Wild – Cheryl Strayed (finished 21/03/15)
    • Divergent – Veronica Roth (finished 02/04/15)
    • Child 44 – Tom Rob Smith (finished 10/04/15)
    • Useful – Debra Oswald (finished 05/05/15)
    • Emma – Jane Austen (finished 08/06/15)
    • The Burnt House – Faye Kellerman (finished 18/06/15)
    • If I Stay – Gayle Foreman (finished 25/06/15)
    • Little Women – Louisa May Alcott (finished 03/08/15)
    • Pretty Little Liars – Sara Shepard (finished 23/08/15)
    • Butterflies in November – Audur Ava Olafsdottir (finished 12/09/15)
    • We are all completely beside ourselves – Karen Joy Fowler (finished 01/10/15)
    • Salem Falls – Jodi Picoult (finished 27/10/15)
  72. Try four more local cafes in search of our new breakfast spot
    I’ve tried 3 and I have one more in mind…. so I am almost there.
  73. Try Inverloch’s ‘Red Cup’ equivalent
  74. Have a mocktail – completed: 17/02/15
  75. Finish unpacking the last boxes
  76. Visit a country town I haven’t been to before – completed: 01/10/15
    Well I guess by default it is a country town… but it’s a bit bigger than most… We headed to Newcastle in NSW for Dave’s masters… but I had never been there before… and now I have and technically it fits the requirements.
  77. Put up some outside lights for christmas
  78. Keep getting closer
  79. See Big Hero6 – completed: 30/05/15
  80. Use a remote control toy
  81. See a live music concert… or 4 – completed: 26/09/15
    I didn’t think I would be able to cross this off until I saw Taylor Swift in December but a surprise MSO concert means it is already off the list.

    • Lady Antebellum – 17/03/15
    • John Farnham & Olivia Newton John – 08/04/15
    • Michael Bolton – 16/05/15
    • MSO Disney in concert – 26/09/15
  82. Do some colouring – completed: 08/05/15
  83. Go to a live sporting event – completed: 08/01/15
  84. Have a hot jam donut
  85. Have High Tea – completed: 07/02/15
  86. Cook something from each of my Donna Hay Mags
  87. Learn a new skill – completed: 10/05/15
  88. Make a photo book of our New Zealand Adventure
  89. Have at least 5 different groups of people over for dinner – completed 07/09/15
    Again I feel like if I name names it makes people feel like they were only here for the list, which isn’t true, there has been more than 5 and all of them were for more than just the list… but it is all done.
  90. Ride a push bike without tears – completed: 03/01/15
  91. Complete my sentence a day book for 2015
  92. Make a teepee or blanket fort and watch a movie in it
  93. Go to a farmers market – completed: 26/04/15
  94. Go through the alphabet of foods/restaurants/cuisines
  95. Do something handy at home – completed: 14/02/15
  96. Walk the dog once a week
  97. Set up our outdoor furniture and eat at it – completed: 19/10/15
    All done and I love it! I feel like we might be spending a lot of time out here while the weather is good.
  98. Actually read through the New Testament
  99. See a wild swimming animal – completed: 06/01/15
  100. Touch a volcano – completed: 02/01/15

Ok… So there you go… that’s where we are at in the middle of November…  51 things completed, 49 to go… and as you can see there are still a lot of gaps… so if you see something you want to cross off with me now is the time to say so… I am going to need some help!

Family Feud Champions

This weekend I have been reminded just how good my family is… It’s really good.  Of course, it’s not perfect, most aren’t and even though there are a number of things that I have wished were different about my family… at the moment I am pretty happy with where things are at. I have been super blessed to grow up with lots of extended family around, especially my grandparents and I am overwhelmed by how much they love me.

As part of the ‘Fun Fest’ weekend this weekend… (it used to be the YP Anniversary for all those salvo die-hards reading this) I was asked to put together a team for a Family Feud night… and we had to dress up.  This is a combo I couldn’t resist… seriously… costumes and game shows… bring it on.  Our team was my Pa, two cousins, one brother and myself… and our costume… ‘Despicable Me’ inspired!  And this is how we looked…

IMG_2823

Pretty impressive home-made minion costumes if you ask me and who could have pulled off a better Gru?  But the best bit… apart from the fact that we won the night, was Pa.  Pa had never seen Family Feud before he was asked to join our team… so he spent all week watching it, just so he would know what to do!  That man is a winner and a half!

Oh and these costumes mean that I have now successfully crossed number no. 51 off the list!

Halfway point 

Just like every year, this year is flying and without really any warning at all we have reached July… which is the halfway point… so what better time to do a quick list update.  I think the list is actually traveling along quite nicely… but I will let you decide for yourself.  Like always, those list tasks that already have a blog or a picture of their own have a hyperlink, so you can go back a read all about it… but I have included the ‘official’ list picture too, just for some fun.  Oh and any that have been completed but seemingly flown under the radar you can read about here…. ok, here we go halftime update.

1. Visit Hobbiton – completed: 01/01/15

3. Do another Pinterest craft – completed: 13/02/15

4. Make my own hot cross buns – completed: 05/04/15

7. Eat something I have planted – completed: 27/01/15
The veggie patch is still going strong, although I think we have enough chillies to last a life time.

9. Go to two weddings – completed: 21/02/15
(wedding 1,
wedding 2)
Two beautiful weddings I might add, the first our friends Ben and Annie and the second my Mums. 

10. Order fish at a restaurant – completed: 06/01/15

12. Have a weekend away – completed: 26/04/15

14. Work as a classroom teacher – completed: 13/03/15
Yep it’s happening, at the moment it is just emergency relief teaching, but it is teaching in a classroom all the same.

17. Do some trivia – completed: 17/01/15
Ok so it wasn’t quite the trivia I had in mind, but there were several rounds of buzz and it is a trivia game, so it is off the list. 

21. See some black sand – completed: 02/01/15

22. Put some new photos up around the house – completed: 11/04/15

24. Ride a rollercoaster – completed: 09/04/14
Winner birthday inclusion from 1 Dave George!  It may have just been the scenic railway at Lunar Park, but its a coaster of sorts and was enough fun to warrant crossing this off the list.

26. See a movie at the drive-in – completed: 14/02/15
What better way to celebrate valentines day than at the drive-in?  There is none, seriously I don’t the drive-in will ever go out of fashion

29. Take a selfie with the selfie stick fully extended – completed: 10/01/15

30. Go to the beach at least 5 times – completed: 26/01/15
Split over 2 countries in the once summer means 5 different beautiful beaches.

33. Rent a bike and go on an adventure – completed: 03/01/15

34. Stay at the Langham – completed: 07/01/15

35. Go Hiking – completed: 03/01/15

37. Make a playlist for each season
Well we are now into our third season this year… so two playlists are done.
Summer:

– Burn Like a Star – Rend Collective
– My Lighthouse – Rend Collective
– Shake It Off – Taylor Swift
– Style – Taylor Swift
– Out Of The Woods – Taylor Swift
– Blank Space – Taylor Swift
– Welcome To New York – Taylor Swift
– I Am Australian – Travis Collins
– Uptown Funk (feat. Bruno Mars) – Mark Ronson
– Ever Be – Bethel Music

Autumn:
– American Honey – Lady Antebellum
– Forever – Bethel Music
– Wasn’t Expecting That – Jamie Lawson
– Trouble (feat. Jennifer Hudson) – Iggy Azalea
– Shut Up and Dance – Walk the Moon
– Sexual Healing – Hot 8 Brass Band
– Marvin Gaye (feat. Meghan Trainor) – Charlie Puth
– You’re The Voice – John Farnham
– How Can We Be Lovers – Michael Bolton

44. Knit a scarf – completed: 30/05/15
Hand knitted… as in… with my hands… as the knitting needles… and it turned out ok…. but took a lot longer than the 30 minutes the YouTube I watched told me it would.

45. Read a book on a subject you wouldn’t normally choose – completed: 08/06/15
This year I have been part of a new bookclub… which I mention breifly here… and I love it, I have read 3 books now that I probably would never have read without prompting and one I chose.  2 of the 3 were books that I would have read if recommended to me, but probably would other wise not come across and one was completely not on my raider.  I had heard of it… mostly because it’s title is my name… but it was in a genre that I just never really got into.  I think probably because I found them more challenging to read, and couldn’t do it as a little mind escape… it took effort.  But May’s bookclub book… which turned out would also become June’s as well was Emma by Jane Austen, a classic.  And even though I would have never chosen it myself… I am glad Kirsten did, because it does share my name and once I got used to the style of writing I actually loved it.   So time well spent and no. 45 off the list.

50. Learn something in sign language – completed: 08/06/15
So I have always had a fascination with Auslan and how incredible it is… so I popped learning some of it on my list this year.  Conveniently one of my besties recently did an Auslan course and shared some of her knowledge with me… and we made a little video.  Click the link to check it out. 

52. See two oceans meet – completed: 05/01/15

53. Go in a sea vessel… kayak, canoe, paddle boat, regular boat… whatever – completed: 06/01/15

64. Eat a Feijoa – completed: 15/04/15
Delicious and sweet… I really don’t understand why these don’t take off here.  Seriously they are delicious

65. Go on a luge – completed: 03/01/14

66. Swim in a thermal pool – completed: 02/01/15

70. See a Musical – completed: 07/02/15
January date night at Once with Davo.  Quite different to the musicals I usually go to, but still a winner, let’s face it musicals usually are. 

71. Read 15 books
Ok so it isn’t quite completed yet, but it is on it’s way… I’ve read 10 so far, 5 to go, but here are the ones I’ve read to date:

    • The Storyteller – Jodi Picoult (finished 26/01/15)
    • Still Alice – Lisa Genova (finished 09/02/15)
    • Leaving Time – Jodi Picoult (Finished 22/02/15)
    • Wild – Cheryl Strayed (21/03/15)
    • Divergent – Veronica Roth (02/04/15)
    • Child 44 – Tom Rob Smith (10/04/15)
    • Useful – Debra Oswald (05/05/15)
    • Emma – Jane Austen (08/06/15) 
    • The Burnt House – Faye Kellerman (18/06/15)
    • If I Stay – Gayle Foreman (25/06/15)

74. Have a mocktail – completed: 17/02/15
Thanks to a fun hen’s night for my mum this is now off the list!

79. See Big Hero6 – completed: 30/05/15
We didn’t see it on the big screen like I thought we would, but we did see it in the comfort of our lounge and it was wonderful as all disney movies are… seriously I can’t think of an animated dud.

82. Do some colouring – completed: 08/05/15
Apparently adult colouring is a thing now… just another thing that I seems to have been into before it was cool… so much before that I was uncool… but now I can embrace it… seriously embrace it because its a thing… a real anti-stress thing. 

83. Go to a live sporting event – completed: 08/01/15

85. Have High Tea – completed: 07/02/15
Celebrating mum as a bride to be also meant that we got to have high tea, and as all high teas are it was beautiful and delicious. 

87. Learn a new skill – completed: 10/05/15

90. Ride a push bike without tears – completed: 03/01/15

93. Go to a farmers market – completed: 26/04/15

95. Do something handy at home – completed: 14/02/15
Now that we have our own home we can change it whenever we want… so at the moment we are preparing the backyard for a deck, so far I have drilled, hammer, shoveled and use some power tools I don’t actually know the name off, but it is fun… and you’ll get to see some pictures when it is done. 

99. See a wild swimming animal – completed: 06/01/15

100. Touch a volcano – completed: 02/01/15