My 101 – yearend 2010 update

Original (updated on an ongoing basis) list is here. Previous updates linked in original post.

Items like this are in progress

Items like this are completed [date]

Items Done: 30/101

Items Started but not completed: 17

% of 1001 days elapsed: 45%

% of items completed: 30%

% of items started or completed: 47%

It would seem that I’m not really on track here.  Might have to step up my game a little.

My 101

Just For Me (10)
1. Re-pierce my ears 10/11 and buy some earrings I really <3 11/6/09
2. Get that next tattoo

Planning a trip to Sedona in February.  Have a tattoo artist there who will do this.

3. Put readings, powerpoint etc. from Dad’s memorial on blog 02/21/10
4. Totally blow off work one day and go to the beach. Alone. Feel no guilt 09/03/10
5. Do a past life regression

This is also on the agenda for the Sedona in February trip.

6. Get makeup professionally done 10/31/09
7. Go Bejeweled Blitz-free for 30 days 11/06/09
8. Go unplugged 1 day / month (15/34)
9. Get that hot stone massage 3 times (0/3)
10. Sign up for and take a class offered at SRHS

Home Dec (12)
11. Paint laundry room 12/31/10
12. Window treatment in front room

This was high on the list of good intentions.  However, I know what I want to do and the perfect fabric has not found me yet.  A trip to Boca Bargoons is called for.

13. Shower curtain in boys bath
14. Window treatments in my bath

I’m counting “have purchased the fabric and the design is worked out in my head” as started since that often takes as long, or longer, than actually making them.  Of course, I had a design idea and fabric purchased for this year ago, but I’m not loving it for with the paint job I ended up doing in there.

15. Get boys @ beach painting done
16. Finish painting boys room
17. Get curtains and make valances for bedroom
18. Repaint the blue in bedroom 4/04/2010
19. Get new coffee tables in FR
20. Get new bedroom furniture
21. Paint master hall closet doors 3/28/2010
22. Stencil border in master bedroom

Honestly, I am rethinking this.  It is a 3 layer stencil and the MBR is huge.  There is probably ~60 feet of wall this would go on.  Not really sure there is anything I could love enough to invest that much time in.  I’ll probably complete one small section, live with it for awhile and then decided if I’m going to do the rest of paint over it.

Hobbies / Leisure (16)
23. Make the boys pillows 01/03/10

Of course, one of them fell out during a rest area stop in the middle of one of those midwest states on the Great Road Trip of 2010.  So, while this is technically done, I still have one (replacement) to make.

24. Write a new poem February 9
25. Redo music swap CD and mail out 01/23/10
26. Rip the rest of my CD’s
27. Do Postcard Crossing with the boys, 45 postcards (0/45)
28. Create custom google travel map
29. Crochet or knit an afghan
30. Sew a dress
31. Read 20 fiction books (15/20)
32. Make a Best of Julia dvd
33. Sing at a karaoke bar
34. Make an apron
35. Try 25 new recipes (25/25) 12/29/10

Recipes made here

36. Watch 20 movies I’ve never heard of that are recommended by friends (5/20)

Movies watched and my thoughts (if I have any) are here

37. Grow some herbs
38. Make at least one thing with all those beads 05/21/10

DH’s niece graduated last spring.  I made this for her using green aventurine, lapis lazuli, and green jasper.

Travel, Adventure and Outings (21)
39. Hike Zion Canyon Rim 06/13/10

I changed this from from Zion Canyon. After backpacking the canyon rim through all manner of weather, I’m not too keen on backpacking in the river.  Maybe just do the canyon day hike portion one day.  This was an overnight trip with my BFF Sara.  It deserves a photo blog post of its own which, whenever I get it done, will be linked here.

40. Try kite surfing
41. Go to Kennedy Space Center
42. See a shuttle launch 11/16/09
43. Camping @ Anastasia SP

This was originally Bahia Honda SP in the Keys.  However, the point being to camp by a nice beach.  After checking out the both of them (and finding that the beachfront campsites @ BHSP are all booked through the 18 month booking window I’m changing it to Anastasia SP as the beach there is actually nicer (although no sunsets)

44. Biking and geocaching in Jonathon Dickinson SP 02/15/10
45. Sleep under the stars. Preferably in the desert
46. Go skinny dipping in water that is not glacier fed (ahem, girls)
47. Take the boys to an outdoor music festival
48. Go kayaking
49. Go to Cassadaga
50. Go back to Sedona

Planned for Feb 2011

51. Watch a sunrise on the beach with the boys 10/16/09
52. Find a local laser tag place and take the boys
53. Take DS1 to Washington DC
54. Log visits to 10 earthcaches w/boys (1/10)

Logging the earthcaches visits here

55. Make and activate 5 currency series geocaches
56. Visit a cave with the boys Jewel Cave Nat’l Monument, toured 7/17/10
57. Go snorkeling with the boys (like, somewhere with great snorkeling, obviously.  Not just off Jupiter Beach)
58. Go with the boys to somewhere with snow in winter
59. Take a cruise w/DH

Health / Fitness (5)
60. Bike (or roller-blade) 1000 miles you would otherwise drive (200/1000)
61. Lose that last 7 lbs (5/7)

I think I need to set something to define when this is done.  I have lost 3 – 5 of these pounds 4 or 5 times already.  I have lost them all once but they were back a week later.  So, I think I will need to be @ or under my goal weight here for 1 month or more to mark this complete.

62. Try those yoga DVD’s (at least once) (1/2)
63. Lower blood glucose # 9/24/10
64. Get a good bike – 11/30/09

Giving Back (9)
65. Donate blood 4 times (0/4)

I have tried this a couple times and end up with blood flow stopping, me nearly passing out from their efforts to salvage the donation. So, I’m going to try one more time after a couple weeks doing all the right stuff (drinking lots, cinnamon etc).  If it’s still a disaster, I’m gonna give up on this.

65. Make Heather’s chocolate cake for school staff for no reason Feb 08, 2010
66. Pay it forward by helping a mom with twin babies
67. Inspire someone else to do a 101 in 1001 My niece did one, posted 12/7/09
68. Donate 101 cans of food to a shelter 11/10/10
69. Volunteer 101 hours (66.5/101)
70. Donate $5 of fun money for every item not completed.
71. Do the Reef Sweep / Beach Cleanup day as a family
72. Update school Amazon site 10/29/09

Family and Friends (7)
73. Meet 10 of my “pretend friends” in person for the first time (3/10)

One of the highlights of The Great Road Trip of 2010.  Had planned to meet one more but it didn’t work out due to tight schedules.  The Hypothetical Great Road Trip of 2011, if it were to go as I am loosely planning at the moment, would complete this.

74. Visit Mary Kaye or get her a ticket here
75. Have a sleepover or girl’s day/night with CLC and JMS
76. Take a sushi-loving friend to lunch and let them attempt to convert me
77. Have a crawl with Kirbo + Capper and any other PNW-ers that can make it.
78. Send cards to 20 friends or family for no reason (5/20)
79. Play a complete game of Risk with DS1 12/17/10

The Endless Pursuit of Organization (15)
80. Split health and education files 01/06/10
81. Finish dumping all home video tapes to drive
82. Write a will
83. Get Canadian passports / IDs for me and the boys
84. Print photos of all DS’s creations and put in an album
85. Get pics in orange striped photo album
86. Organize recipes into binder
87. Get photo dump folder organized / purged
88. Get boys DVD’s organized into a binder and indexed 3/21/10
89. Get dumped video time-stamped and org’d by quarter
90. Get dumped video edited and burned onto DVDs
91. Purge and restock travel bins, 11/09/10
92. Purge and reorganize family room closet 01/09/10

Sadly, this could stand to be done again.  Probably won’t be anytime soon, though.

93. Make that “what you’re gonna need to know if I’m dead” spreadsheet for DH
94. Organize / purge laundry room 01/30/10

Financial (4)
95. unspecified / personal (0/6)
96. Pay off short-term debt (3/100%)
97. Start construction on a pool (this comes after #96 obviously)
98. Track budget / spending for 6 consecutive months

This was originally done as a 0/34 (i.e. to be completed, had to be done every month.  It wasn’t.  After the first year, I’m changing it. But for purposes of #70, it will be considered incomplete.

Work (3)
99. Log 5000 calls (475/5000)
100. Hit quarterly work hour targets on schedule spreadsheet (0/11)

My life being what it is, this turns out to be impractical / undoable in the manner I’d envisioned.  (yes, that’s a movie I’ve seen many times).

100. Set and track SMART goals for business for 4 consecutive quarters 

101. Develop 4 new (to me) companies as clients (1/4)

100 Things that make me happy

Making such a list is  one of the top 101 things on the Day Zero project site. I thought it was a great idea so I’d put it on my list for my next 101 but decided to just make it a post. I’ll be adding them as I think of them. Or maybe one-liner posts since going back to find the original post to edit is a big PITA to someone as lazy as myself.

The decision to do it now was inspired by the sight of a single gardenia bloom on the bush that is right outside my office.  That location being intentional since gardenias are way up there on the list of things that make me happy.  This particular one makes me especially happy because it’s kind of aberrant. The gardenia bloomed heavily this year but it’s been done for months already. And it was a rather short blooming period, comparatively. Maybe for the same reason it was particularly heavy.  That’s  just a guess, of course, since I’m not exactly in tune with the plant world (what with my black thumbs and all).

So… my list begins
1. Gardenias – in particular their scent. Only actual gardenia blossoms, though. I have never smelled anything ‘gardenia scented’ that came close. Almost universally, gardenia scented = nasty to my sensibilities.

Others just off the top of my head
2. sitting in my chair and watching my kids play at the beach

3. Driving the wide open road, music playing loudly on a good stereo (one of which my DH gave me for Xmas one year and installed in my van allowing me to play my ipod in my older model van.  Yes, the man does know a few things about what is on this list.)

4. Hazelnut coffee creamer in fresh (good, obviously) coffee

5. My latest coffee mug from Starbucks

6. Looking down and seeing perfectly painted toenails in a bright (but *non-pink or pink-ish*) color. I’m talking about mine, here. Other peoples are fine but I wouldn’t go so far as to say seeing them makes me happy. .  And if the view of my toes looks like this, even better.  See #2.

7. Roller-blading

8. Hiking

9. trip-planning – at least as much fun as the actual going.

10. Spreadsheeting my life – what can I say.  My inner geek loves a spreadsheet and my inner control freak likes to have things distilled into neat little columns and rows of black and white.  Well, actually, I like to add color to my spreadsheets.  The ability to do so also makes me happy.

11. Dove Dark Chocolate promises – the chocolate, always.  The inspirational and/or clever saying inside the wrapper, frequently.

12. A new pair of shoes – some more than others.  I’m still enjoying the afterglow of this purchase many months later.

They might be my favorite shoes ever.  I’m almost tempted to buy a second pair just in case because sooner or later, these will get wrecked.  And twice this week I saw these in the stores again.

… to be continued

New recipes

As part of my day zero project / 101 things in 1001 days, I have “trying 25 new recipes”.  This post will get updated with the new recipes as I try them.  Probably in no particular order.

First, I’m catching up on the stack I’ve tried and intended to put here for the last 5 months.  My memory on some is gonna be sketchy but suffice to say if I don’t remember much about it, it couldn’t have been either terribly good or terribly bad.

1. Pastor Ryan’s Bronzed Sea Bass with Lemon Shallot Butter

I got this from one of my friends that live in my computer.  I know several are big fans of pioneer woman cooks (I think that is the blog this comes from).  I remember doing this – I think it was ok but I didn’t make a mental note to put it into the mental list of regular repertoire of meals (something I’m always looking to expand so anything that most of us like goes there).  I think my conclusion was that this was just ok and kind of a lot of messing around (for someone like me, who sets the cooking bar fairly low, that is).

2. Delightfully Delicious Hershey’s Kisses Peanut Butter Blossoms

This is a recipe from the back of a bag of Hershey’s Kisses, I believe.  I changed it up a bit (for Christmas baking) and used the peppermint stripe kisses and cream cheese instead of peanut butter.  Then I rolled them in colored sugar.  There’s a picture somewhere that I may or may not eventually get into this post.  They were good, looked very festive and I’ll probably do them again for the plates of goodies I do for the teachers and various other peeps at the kids’ school.

48 Hershey’s Kisses Milk Chocolates
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Granulated sugar

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl. Add 1/2 cup granulated and brown sugar, beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk, vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually beat into mixure.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Back 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press at Kisses Chocolate into center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

3. Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Excellent!  I believe I made this to the recipe – perfect for a cold day of which we had many this year. (from allrecipes)

4. Potato Soup

Also, really good and going into the “cold weather cooking” section of that regular repertoire list in my head.  The boys weren’t too crazy about it but they’ll eat it and DH and I both thought it was really good.  I made this to the recipe (from recipezaar)

5. Sugar and Spice Candied Nuts

O.M.G.  These are to die for!  This was posted to a message board I’m on, I made them for Christmas and will be doing these up to include with the school staff goodies next year.  Also, my inlaws are all big nut people (yeah, that is totally intended) so these didn’t last to the end of the day @ Christmas.  And I made a double batch.  I used almonds, pecans and cashews (because I am a big hater of walnuts and yes, I do know how healthy they are.  I still don’t like them and I’ll just get my healthy somewhere else).  Next time I would leave out the cashews – too soft.  Maybe try hazelnuts or just leave it @ pecans and almonds. Oh, and I think I’d put a little more cayenne in there too.  Maybe a tsp instead of a “generous pinch”.  It didn’t come through really at all.

Sugar-and-Spice Candied Nuts
Adapted from Elizabeth Karmel of Hill Country

Karmel says: “A mason jar full of nuts and a pretty ceramic bowl is my favorite gift. If you bring these to a party, tell the host or hostess to hide them, or they will disappear.”

Deb says: These are so insanely easy to make — and from ingredients you probably already have on hand — they’re perfect to bring to any party. Like that one tonight.

1/3 cup dark-brown sugar
2/3 cup white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt (I might up this by a 1/2 tsp. next time for more of a sweet/salty balance)
Generous pinch of cayenne pepper (I swapped this with 1/4 teaspoon of hot smoked paprika)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pound walnut or pecan halves or whole peeled hazelnuts
1 egg white, room temperature
1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix sugars, salt, cayenne, and cinnamon, making sure there are no lumps; set aside. Beat egg white and water until frothy but not stiff. Add walnuts, and stir to coat evenly. Sprinkle nuts with sugar mixture, and toss until evenly coated. Spread sugared nuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet fitted with parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven, and separate nuts as they cool. When completely cool, pour the nuts into a bowl, breaking up any that stick together.

6. Baba Ghanoush

First, I really <3 baba ghanoush.  I’ve had this recipe and been meaning to try it since we had it at my SIL’s sometime around Christmas 1998 (to anyone who doubts my spectacular procrastination abilities, that should put it to rest).  I have to say that, in fact, my BIL did most of the work on this one as it was for appetizers on Christmas and I was delegating.  But I’m counting it anyway…

This was really really good.  However, he kind of  just mashed it all up.  I think next time I would food-pro it smooth.  Just a personal preference, I think.  It was still delicious lumpy.  Oh, and thank goodness for Facebook Mobile and friends that are more clueful than I when it comes to all things food / cooking related.  Otherwise, I might still be wandering about from store to store trying to find tahini and having no idea what to tell the staff that asked me what it was.

1 large eggplant
1/4 c tahini, plus more as needed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c fresh lemon juice, plus more, as needed
1 pinch ground cumin
salt, to taste
1 tbsp EVOO
1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (??  I don’t know about this, I just bought regular parsley)
1/4 C kalamata olives

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill (I think you could just use the broiler here… I can’t remember if we used the broiler or the gas grill). Preheat an oven to 375. Prick the eggplant with a fork in several places and place on the grill rack 4 to 5 inches from the fire. Grill, turning frequently, until the skin blackens and blisters and the flesh just begins to feel soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet and bake until very soft, 15 to 20 minutes

Remove from the oven, let cool slightly and peel off and discard the skin. Place the eggplant flesh in a bowl. Using a fork, mash the eggplant to a paste. Add the 1/4 C Tahini, the garlic, the 1/4 c lemon juice and the cumin and mix well.

Season with salt, then taste and add more tahini and/or lemon juice, if needed. Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl, drizzle the olive oil over the top and sprinkle with parsley. Place olives around the sides. Serve @ room temperature.

7. Slow Cooker Pork Roast

From my message board friend Jenny.  This, I think, would’ve been really, really good.  Except the pork was really dry.  A problem I very frequently have with my slow cooker food so if anyone knows the solution, please shout it out!

Ingredients
1 large onion, sliced
3 pounds boneless pork loin roast (trimmed of fat)
2 cups hot water
½ cup white sugar
6 tbsp. red wine vinegar
4 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. ketchup
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. garlic powder

Arrange onion slices evenly over the bottom of the slow cooker, and then place the roast on top of the onion. In a bowl, mix together all remaining ingredients and pour over roast.
Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours, or until tender.
When meal is cooked, remove roast to a platter. Strain the drippings into a saucepan, removing the onions and placing them on the platter around the roast. Cover the platter and keep it warm in the oven.
Dissolve 2 tbsp. cornstarch in ½ cup cold water, and stir into the drippings. Cook on medium high, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil, and then let mixture boil for at least a minute. Continue to reduce until mixture is at the right consistency to your liking.

8. Salsa Shrimp Dip

This was another dip / appetizer we had @ Christmas.  Also, mostly made by my BIL.  Also, good – will make again but between this, the baba ghanoush and the Cucumber and Herb Dip (next) this was my least fav.  This recipe and the next were from a BJ’s Wholesale magazine.

Salsa Shrimp Dip
4 oz cream cheeses (recipe called for Neufchatel)
16 oz jar chunky salsa
6 oz can  tiny shrimp, drained
1/2 C chopped celery
1/4 C sliced green onion

Beat cheese in a small bowl until smooth.  Gradually beat in salsa until well blended.  Stir in shrimp, celery and green onion until well blended.  Cover and refrigerate at least one hour.  Serve w/crackers.  Can garnish with chopped cilantro.

9. Cucumber and Herb Dip

Really, really good!  Will make again.  Quick and easy to make ahead

Cucumber and Herb Dip
8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 C finely shredded cucumber, well drained
1/2 C shredded swiss cheese
1/2 tsp dill weed
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp minced, fresh garlic

Mix all ingredients until well blended.  Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.  Serve with crackers.

10. Chocolate Crackle Cookies

Another recipe from a friend living in my computer (yes, that is where 90+% of my ideas come from).   I won’t make these again – they are a ton of messing around and, while they look really great, they aren’t really all that good.  They are just OK so totally not worth the effort.  Unless you’re making cookies for purposes of photographing them.

11. Cranberry Bliss Bars

This is supposed to be the recipe for the bars you get @ Starbucks around the holidays.  These are really good but they didn’t actually turn out that similar to the ones @ Starbucks.  The cake was too cake-like, not heavy and bar-like like the Starbucks ones.  Also, the frosting and the drizzled icing is a completely different consistency than the SB ones.  Still good, though.  I might tweak it next Christmas to see if I can get it closer to the SB version.

12. Light and Crispy Asparagus Quiche

I had high hopes for this as several ‘puter-dwelling friends raved about it and said their very picky kids loved it.  Mine tried it and made a valiant attempt to not make faces while eating it.  But it was not a hit.  And neither DH nor I were too crazy about it either.  But my kids will eat asparagus just lightly steamed, which is a way less work for me anyway…  so, needless to say, this one does not make it to the regular repertoire.

13. Walnut Pesto Breadsticks

I made these for Thanksgiving to take to the inlaws and again at Christmas as they were a hit.  Nice, light flavorful appetizer.  Bit tricky working with the breadsticks to baked them twisted without mutilating them.  Also, they burned easily.  But this is a recipe I will make many more times.  I used Parmigiano Reggiano instead of Parm.

14. Cappers Salad

My friend Capper / Jackie’s salad and dressing. I don’t know if she just made it up or what but I made this over the holidays and everyone *loved* both the salad and the dressing.  It goes onto the list.

Salad

mixed greens (she’s a purist, I buy the bagged Spring Mix salad), cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, garbanzo beans, avocado and roasted walnuts (I used pecans)

Best salad dressing EVER:

1/3 cup veggie oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
3 T soy sauce
1/4 white onion
1 carrot

Put everything in a blender and puree.

15. Tom’s Trinidadian Curry Chicken

Again, from the Pioneer Woman cooks via one of my many friends who are fans and pass along the good stuff.  Everyone liked this, I will likely make it again although I will say it was more work than the regular Curry Chicken we make (my husband, the Jamaican’s, version).  This nice thing about it was that the messing around came before, then you marinate it so it’s a good make ahead kind of thing.  Different and more varied flavor.  Will make again but probably not often since it requires a little planning ahead – something I don’t do much of when it comes to cooking.

16. Boilermaker Tailgate Chili

Really great chili recipe.  This goes on the list!  I don’t think I used nearly so much chili powder – maybe half of that but that’s just personal preference (and a pretty good idea that my kids wouldn’t care for that strong a chili flavor.  I also don’t think I could find the beans in spicy sauce or else I was trying to keep it not too spicy.  I used all regular ones.  I also omitted the green chilies to keep it from being too spicy.  Next time I might make two versions.

17. Perfect Potato Salad (from Audrey)
3 Medium Potatoes
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp vinegar
1/2 C sliced celery
1/3 C finely chopped onion
1/4 C chopped dill pickle relish
1 tsp salt
1 tsp celery seed
3/4 C mayo
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

In covered pan, cook whole potatoes in enough boiling salted water to cover till tender. Drain well. Peel warm potatoes. Slice potatoes into mixing bowl. Sprinkle potatoes with sugar and vinegar. Add celery, onion, relish, salt and celery seed to potatoes. Stir to combine. Add mayo & eggs. Mix well. Cover and chill thoroughly. Makes 4 servings.

This? Is awesome. It actually is the perfect potato salad. Unfortunately, the first time I made it I was taking it to the inlaws and was doubling or tripling it – I don’t remember. Somewhere along the way, the math played tricks on my brain and I put in waaay too much celery salt. I don’t recommend this. As written, it is perfect. But a little celery salt goes a long way.
18. Pizza Pasta

19. Panera Bread’s French Toast recipe

20. Sara’s Broccoli salad

21. Uncle Bill’s Green Split Pea with Hambone Soup

I was in Target one day and they had a sample lady with a spiral cut ham that was on sale. The boys all tried it and assured me they loved it and would still love it even after I bought it. So I did and they did, remarkably. Usually, it’s something Costco size and they eat it one time after we bring it home and then decide it’s not edible, after all. Which leaves me with a Costco size container / package / of something no one will eat. But, I digress.

After a lot of turkey and ham sandwiches there was just the bone with chunks of ham that were good but not good for slicing.  So, I decided to google to see WTH I was supposed to do with this thing now.  (I was all good with the thing being already sliced.  Too bad that stopped halfway through!)  So, I found this recipe with lots of reviews / stars and, most importantly, didn’t require me to buy any funky ingredients that I couldn’t find @ Target which is where I happened to be when the idea struck me.  In fact, I only had to buy 2 things for it.  I still managed to forget one of them.  This is why I live and die by lists.

Anyway. I made it today.  I substituted the boullion and 6 cups of water for chicken broth since I hate messing with boullion and I always have chicken broth anyway.  I also added one potato when I thought it was too thin.  Turns out, I didn’t need to.  I had cut chunks off the hambone previously.  I kept those out initially.  After the 1.5 hr cooking with the bone in, I took out the bone and pureed the whole thing.  This was primarily so that there were no identifiable veggies in there.  I thought the odds of the boys liking it were much, much higher that way.  It’s just going to be referred to as ham soup in this house since they like ham. When I put it back in the pot to reheat, I added the chopped up ham that I’d taken off the bone but hadn’t had in the pot with the bone all along.  Oh, and I used fresh tyme and way more of it than this recipe called for.  Also, 2 bay leaves, quite a bit more pepper and salt, as well.  3 stalks of celery and about 10 largish baby carrots.

I made some garlic bread to go with it.  I had some of the soup and thought it was really good.  It was cold so soup was great.  Of course, the real test will be when I try to get the boys to eat it.

22. Holiday Morning French Toast

23. Christmas Morning Casserole

24. Rosemary and Garlic Roast Leg of Lamb

25. Nanaimo Bars

26. Cherry Cordial Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

About #75 of the 101

Make an apron. Yes, this is on my list… I can think of a few friends who would laugh their asses off if they read this. But no, I’m not kidding.

Sometimes I have to, you know, cook food. And I’m, uhm… not especially proficient, let’s say, in the kitchen so I ruin my clothes in there a lot. My friend Tricia that lives in my computer (and in CO) makes really cute aprons so I’m going to try one. Plus, it’s an excuse to buy fabric. Which is always good. Yes, there will be pics when this is done. Only of the apron, probably not me wearing it. That would be taking things a bit far, I think.

101 things – 2nd quarterly (or thereabouts) update

Original list here

Items Done: 22/101

Items Started but not completed: 17

My inner geek has calculated the following: 17% of the 1001 days has elapsed.  To be on track for completion, I should have completed 17% or 17 of the tasks.  So I’m 30% ahead.  Of course, I used to be 40% ahead.  But I did all the quick / easy stuff first.  Most things left (and not started) are much more time consuming (or expensive / involving travel) or I just dread doing them (hello laundry room.  You need paint but you have so many, many shelves attached to the walls in a small space.) .

My 101

Just For Me (10)
1. Re-pierce my ears 10/11 and buy some earrings I really <3 11/6/09
2. Get that next tattoo

Design for this in previous quarterly update.  Trying for Sedona in September.  Would like to get it done then / there.

3. Put readings, powerpoint etc. from Dad’s memorial on blog 02/21/10
4. Totally blow off work one day and go to the beach. Alone. Feel no guilt

Well, we got our beach weather now.  I’m getting very close to this.  Probably going to close one more deal first to help with the “feel no guilt” part.  The birthday thing (previous quarterly update) didn’t work out … I forget why. Oh right.  I was sick on my birthday.  Spent the day in bed watching Netflix on demand.  I had the “feel no guilt” part right, though.

5. Do a past life regression

Sedona, September.  If I can swing the trip then.

6. Get makeup professionally done 10/31/09
7. Go Bejeweled Blitz-free for 30 days 11/06/09

I think maybe it’d be good for me to do this one again.  That game is very crack-like.

8. Go unplugged 1 day / month (6/34)
9. Get that hot stone massage 3 times (0/3)
10. Sign up for and take a class offered at SRHS

Home Dec (12)
11. Paint laundry room
12. Window treatment in front room
13. Shower curtain in boys bath
14. Window treatments in my bath
15. Get boys @ beach painting done
16. Finish painting boys room
17. Get curtains and make valances for bedroom
18. Repaint the blue in bedroom 4/04/2010
19. Get new coffee tables in FR
20. Get new bedroom furniture
21. Paint master hall closet doors 3/28/2010
22. Stencil border in master bedroom

I started this.  It’s a 3 layer stencil in an 18″ pattern. It took me ~45 minutes to do 4 lengths of one layer.  There is probably ~ 60 ft of wall in that bedroom.  It’s a bit of a shame that I don’t tend to consider the practicality of implementation when I get set on an idea.  This *will* take forever.  But it’ll look awesome if it ever gets done.  There will be pics here one of these days.  Once I get any part of it done with all 3 layers.

Hobbies / Leisure (16)
23. Make the boys pillows 01/03/10
24. Write a new poem 02/09/2010
25. Redo music swap CD and mail out 01/23/10
26. Rip the rest of my CD’s
27. Do Postcard Crossing with the boys, 45 postcards (0/45)
28. Create custom google travel map

This is something that will continually be updated.  I’m putting on routes, attractions, museums etc. that I / we’ve been to and/or want to go to.  There are different colors for things I’ve been to (w/o the boys), been to with the boys and want to go to.  It’s a bit time consuming as first I had to google for code that more or less accomplished what I wanted and then tweak it to do exactly what I wanted.  Made more time consuming given that I don’t know the first thing about programming in java (well, I do know a couple things now from doings this).  Once I get the routes / places we’ve been all added along with what is already on my mental travel bucket list, I will mark this done even though my mental travel bucket list is forever getting longer.

29. Crochet or knit an afghan

I did pick out the pattern and I know, generally, what color.  That’s it, though.  I hardly think even I – the queen of rationalization – can consider that “started”.  Seems I’d need to have at least bought some yarn and own needles (or hooks. I can’t remember if it’s a crochet or knitting pattern.)  I think we need at least a few stitches done.  And let’s consider that I haven’t put yarn on a hook / needle for at least 30 years.  (Dang, that makes me feel old to type that!)

30. Sew a dress
31. Read 20 fiction books (10/20)
32. Make a Best of Julia dvd
33. Sing at a karaoke bar
34. Make an apron
35. Try 25 new recipes (5/25)

I need a separate post for the recipes – haven’t started that yet.  I can think of at least 5 I’ve done but have to go through them because I think I’m forgetting a few.

36. Watch 20 movies I’ve never heard of that are recommended by friends (3/20)
37. Grow some herbs
38. Make at least one thing with all those beads

Travel, Adventure and Outings (21)
39. Hike Zion Narrows

Trying to tack this onto the end of a conference in early June.  Hoping my niece can come with (since I’m not crazy enough to do it by myself).  Might ask a friend whose daughter lives out there, also, if he wants to come.  Am trying to pretend the idea of camping under the stars in mountain lion country doesn’t scare the heck outta me

40. Try kite surfing
41. Go to Kennedy Space Center
42. See a shuttle launch 11/16/09
43. Camping @ Bahia Honda SP

Don’t think I’ll pull this off now before it’s cool again.  NFW am I camping in FL heat.

44. Biking and geocaching in Jonathon Dickinson SP 02/15/10
45. Sleep under the stars. Preferably in the desert

This will presumably happen along with hiking Zion Narrows as we’re planning to do the hike as an overnight backpack trip.

46. Go skinny dipping in water that is not glacier fed (ahem, girls)

This could be marked off w/the Zion Narrows trip also.  Particularly since said niece is the inspiration for this item

47. Take the boys to an outdoor music festival
48. Go kayaking
49. Go to Cassadaga
50. Go back to Sedona

As above – hoping for September

51. Watch a sunrise on the beach with the boys 10/16/09
52. Find a local laser tag place and take the boys
53. Take DS1 to Washington DC
54. Log visits to 10 earthcaches w/boys (1/10)
55. Make and activate 5 currency series geocaches
56. Visit a cave with the boys

This will be part of the summer road trip to Canada if it happens

57. Go snorkeling with the boys (like, somewhere with great snorkeling, obviously.  Not just off Jupiter Beach)
58. Go with the boys to somewhere with snow in winter
59. Take a cruise w/DH

Health / Fitness (5)
60. Bike (or roller-blade) 1000 miles you would otherwise drive (128/1000)
61. Lose that last 7 lbs (1/7)
62. Try those yoga DVD’s (at least once) (1/2 <-I think)
63. Lower blood glucose #
64. Get a good bike - 11/30/09

Giving Back (9)
65. Donate blood 4 times (0/4)
65. Make Heather’s chocolate cake for school staff for no reason Feb 08, 2010
66. Pay it forward by helping a mom with twin babies
67. Inspire someone else to do a 101 in 1001 My niece did one, posted 12/7/09
68. Donate 101 cans of food to a shelter 11/12/09
69. Volunteer 101 hours (33.5/101)
70. Donate $5 of fun money for every item not completed.
71. Do the Reef Sweep / Beach Cleanup day as a family
72. Update school Amazon site 10/29/09

Family and Friends (7)
73. Meet 10 of my “pretend friends” in person for the first time (1/10)

Met my twin board friend “asilam” (and her adorable boys) in Daytona

74. Visit Mary Kaye or get her a ticket here

Again, if there’s a road trip, it will include an MK visit

75. Have a sleepover with MAM, CLC and JMS
76. Take a sushi-loving friend to lunch and let them attempt to convert me
77. Have a crawl with Kirbo + Capper and any other PNW-ers that can make it.
78. Send cards to 20 friends or family for no reason (2/20)
79. Play a complete game of Risk with DS1

This is turning into the longest game of Risk EVAH!

The Endless Pursuit of Organization (15)
80. Split health and education files 01/06/10
81. Finish dumping all home video tapes to drive

Need to make a trip to Radio Shack or somewhere for the right cable since I no longer use the ‘puter with the firewire card in it.  Then I will probably have to re-purchase my video editing software since I don’t think I kept the download file and it’s probably outdated by now.

82. Write a will
83. Get Canadian passports / IDs for me and the boys
84. Print photos of all DS’s creations and put in an album
85. Get pics in orange striped photo album
86. Organize recipes into binder
87. Get photo dump folder organized / purged
88. Get boys DVD’s organized into a binder and indexed 3/21/10
89. Get dumped video time-stamped and org’d by quarter
90. Get dumped video edited and burned onto DVDs
91. Purge and restock travel bins, 11/09/10
92. Purge and reorganize family room closet 01/09/10
93. Make that “what you’re gonna need to know if I’m dead” spreadsheet for DH
94. Organize / purge laundry room 01/30/10

Financial (4)
95. unspecified / personal (0/6)
96. Pay off short-term debt (3/100%)
97. Start construction on a pool (this comes after #55 obviously)
98. Track budget / spending every month (0/34)
Work (3)
99. Log 5000 calls (172/5000)

This appears to be having the desired effect as I’m much better at making a habit of logging my communications.  Not yet where I should be, though, in terms of habit.

100. Hit quarterly work hour targets on schedule spreadsheet (0/11)
101. Develop 4 new (to me) companies as clients (1/4)

Just closed a deal today with a new company.  Now, it’s not exactly a new client in that my contact there is an old client who came from another company.  However, since the task is to make 4 new companies clients (and the old one he left continues to be) I’m counting it.  Have active searches with 2 more new companies but I’m only counting ones that I am successful in making placements with.  Not really a client until they pay you.

Travel Bucket List

This will be a work in progress. I was updating my 101 list and thinking about stuff that I’ll have to put on the next one, etc. It occurred to me that my 101 lists could easily be all in the vein of “places to go”. Of course, life gets in the way of getting 101 of those things marked of in 1001 days.

So, I’m just going to keep all those things here. Without question, this list will outlive me. Just as well, though, as I’d hate to carry on living when I could think of no more things I want to do. At some point I might categorize this but for now I’m just going to add them as I think of them.

Petra
Florida State Caverns
US National Parks
Canada National Parks
Hike Kilimanjaro (this is actually my friend Sara’s plan. She’s got it worked out that we’re doing this in 2021, I believe. She’s a planner.)
Hike Na Pali Coast on Kauai

List of US National Parks (copied from wikipedia)

Acadia	Maine
	Covering most of Mount Desert Island and other coastal islands, Acadia preserves the tallest mountain on the Atlantic coast, granite peaks, ocean shoreline, woodlands, and lakes. There are freshwater, estuary, forest, and intertidal habitats.
National Park of American Samoa	American Samoa
	The southernmost national park is on three Samoan islands and protects coral reefs, rainforests, volcanic mountains, and white beaches. The area is also home to Samoan peoples, flying fox, brown boobies, sea turtles, and 900 species of fish.
Arches	Utah
	This site features more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches, including the Delicate Arch. In a desert climate millions of years of erosion have led to these structures, while the ground has life-sustaining soil crust and potholes. Other geologic formations are stone columns, spires, fins, and towers.
Badlands	South Dakota
	The Badlands are a collection of pinnacles, spires, and grass prairies. It has the world’s richest fossil beds from the Oligocene epoch and wildlife including bison, bighorn sheep, black-footed ferrets, and swift fox
Big Bend	Texas
	Named for the Bend of the Rio Grande along the US-Mexico border, this park has part of the Chihuahuan Desert, ancient fossils, and cultural artifacts of Native Americans
Biscayne	Florida
	Located in Biscayne Bay, this park at the north end of the Florida Keys has four interrelated marine ecosystems: mangrove forest, the Bay, the Keys, and coral reefs. Threatened animals include the West Indian Manatee, American crocodile, sea turtles, and peregrine falcon
Black Canyon of the Gunnison	Colorado
	The park protects a quarter of the Gunnison River, which has dark canyon walls from the Precambrian era. The canyon has very steep descents, and it is a site for river rafting and rock climbing. The narrow, steep canyon, made of gneiss and schist, is often in shadow, appearing black.
Bryce Canyon	Utah
	Bryce Canyon is a giant natural amphitheatre along the Paunsaugunt Plateau. The unique area has hundreds of tall hoodoos formed by erosion. The region was originally settled by Native Americans and later by Mormon pioneers.
Canyonlands	Utah
	This landscape was eroded into canyons, buttes, and mesas by the Colorado River, Green River, and their tributaries. The park is divided into four districts by the rivers. There are rock pinnacles and other naturally sculpted rock, as well as artifacts from Ancient Pueblo Peoples.
Capitol Reef	Utah
	The park’s Waterpocket Fold is a 100-mile monocline protruding from the earth that shows its geologic layers. Other natural features are monoliths and sandstone domes and cliffs shaped like the United States Capitol
Carlsbad Caverns	New Mexico
	Carlsbad Caverns has 116 caves, the deepest of which is 489 m. The Big Room is almost 4000 feet long, and the caves are home to over 400,000 Mexican Free-tailed Bats and sixteen other species. Above ground are the Chihuahuan Desert and Rattlesnake Springs.
Channel Islands	California
	Five of the eight Channel Islands are protected, and half of the park’s area is underwater. They are home to over 2,000 species of land plants and animals, and 145 are unique to the islands. The islands were originally settled by the Chumash people, and there is a unique Mediterranean ecosystem.
Congaree	South Carolina
	On the Congaree River, this park is the largest portion of floodplain forest left in North America. Some of the trees are the tallest in the Eastern US, and the Boardwalk Loop is an elevated walkway through the swamp.
Crater Lake	Oregon
	Crater Lake lies in the caldera of Mount Mazama formed 7,700 years ago after an eruption. It is the deepest lake in the United States and is known for its blue color and water clarity. There are two islands in the lake, and, with no inlets or outlets, all water comes through precipitation.
Cuyahoga Valley	Ohio
	This park along the Cuyahoga River has waterfalls, hills, trails, and displays about early rural living. The Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail follows the Ohio and Erie Canal, where mules towed canal boats. The park has numerous historic homes, bridges, and structures.
Death Valley	Nevada
	Death Valley is the hottest, lowest, and driest place in the United States. There are canyons, colorful badlands, sand dunes, mountains, and over 1000 species of plants in this graben on a fault line. Further geologic points of interest are salt flats, springs, and buttes.
Denali	Alaska
	Centered around the Mount McKinley, the tallest mountain in North America, Denali is serviced by a single road leading to Wonder Lake. McKinley and other peaks of the Alaska Range are covered with long glaciers and boreal forest. Wildlife includes grizzly bears, Dall sheep, caribou, and gray wolf.
Dry Tortugas	Florida
	The Dry Tortugas on the west end of the Florida Keys are the site of Fort Jefferson, the largest masonry structure in the Western Hemisphere. With most of the park being water, it is the home of coral reefs and shipwrecks and is only accessible by plane or boat.
Everglades	Florida
	The Everglades are the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States. This mangrove ecosystem and marine estuary is home to 36 protected species, including the Florida panther American crocodile, and West Indian manatee. Some areas have been drained and developed; restoration projects aim to restore the ecology.
Gates of the Arctic	Alaska
	This northernmost park protects part of the Brooks Range and has no park developmenmt. The land is home to Alaska natives, who have relied on the land and caribou for 11,000 years.
Glacier	Montana
	Part of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, this park has over 50 remaining glaciers and 130 named lakes under the tall Rocky Mountain peaks. There are historic hotels and a landmark road in this region of rapidly receding glaciers. These mountains, formed by an overthrust, have the world’s best sedimentary fossils from the Proterozoic era.
Glacier Bay	Alaska
	Glacier Bay has numerous tidewater glaciers, mountains, and fjords. The temperate rainforest and the bay are home to grizzly bears, mountain goats, whales, seals, and eagles. When discovered in 1794 by George Vancouver, the entire bay was covered by ice, but the glaciers have receded over 65 miles.
Grand Canyon	Arizona
	The Grand Canyon, carved out by the Colorado River, is 277 miles long, a mile deep, and up to 15 miles wide. Millions of years of exposure has formed colorful layers of the Colorado Plateau in mesas and canyon walls. Ecosystems vary on the north and south rims and elevation within the Sonoran Desert.
Grand Teton	Wyoming
	Grand Teton is the tallest mountain in the Teton Range. The park’s Jackson Hole valley and reflective piedmont lakes contrast with the tall mountains, which abruptly rise from the glacial sage-covered valley.
Great Basin	Nevada
	Based around Wheeler Peak, the Great Basin has 5,000-year-old bristlecone pines, glacial moraines, and the limestone Lehman Caves. It has some of the country’s darkest skies and animal species including Townsend’s big-eared bat, Pronghorn, and Bonneville cutthroat trout.
Great Sand Dunes	Colorado
	The tallest dunes in North America are up to 750 feet tall and neighbor grasslands, shrublands and wetlands. They were formed by sand deposits of the Rio Grande on the San Luis Valley, and the park also has alpine lakes, six 13,000-foot mountains, and ancient forests.
Great Smoky Mountains	North Carolina, Tennessee
	The Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Appalachian Mountains, have a wide range of elevations, making them home to over 400 vertebrate species, 100 tree species, and 5000 plant species. Hiking is the park’s main attraction, with over 800 miles of trails, including 70 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Other activities are fishing, horseback riding, and visiting some of nearly 80 historic structures.
Guadalupe Mountains	Texas
	This park has Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas, the scenic McKittrick Canyon full of Bigtooth Maples, part of the Chihuahuan Desert, and a fossilized reef from the Permian
Haleakala	Hawaii
	The volcano on Maui has a very large crater with many cinder cones, Hosmer’s Grove of alien trees, and native Hawaiian Geese. The Kipahulu section has numerous pools with freshwater fish. This National Park has the greatest number of endangered species.
Hawaii Volcanoes	Hawaii
	This park on the Big Island protects the Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, two of the world’s most active. Diverse ecosystems of the park range from those at sea level to 13,000 feet.
Hot Springs	Arkansas
	The only National Park in an urban area, this smallest National Park is based around the natural hot springs that have been managed for public use. Bathhouse Row preserves 47 of these with many beneficial minerals.
Isle Royale	Michigan
	The largest island in Lake Superior and one of two parks not accessible by road, this least-visited park is a site of isolation and wilderness. It has many shipwrecks, waterways, and hiking trails. The park also includes over 400 smaller islands and the waters up to 4.5 miles from the island. There are only 20 mammal species and it is known for its wolf and moose relationship
Joshua Tree	California
	Covering parts of the Colorado and Mojave Deserts and the Little San Bernardino Mountains, this is the home of the Joshua tree. Across great elevation changes are sand dunes, dry lakes, rugged mountains, and granite monoliths.
Katmai	Alaska
	This park on the Alaska Peninsula protects the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, an ash flow formed by the 1912 eruption of Novarupta, as well as Mount Katmai. Over 2,000 brown bears come here to catch spawning salmon.
Kenai Fjords	Alaska
	Near Seward on the Kenai Peninsula, this park protects the Harding Icefield and at least 38 glaciers and fjords stemming from it. The only area accessible by road is Exit Glacier, while the rest is viewed by boat tours.
Kings Canyon	California
	Home to several Giant sequoia groves and the General Grant Tree, the world’s second largest, this park also has part of the Kings River, site of the granite Kings Canyon, and San Joaquin River, as well as the Boyden Cave.
Kobuk Valley	Alaska
	Kobuk Valley has 61 miles of the Kobuk River and three regions of sand dunes. Created by glaciers, the Great Kobuk, the Little Kobuk, and the Hunt River Sand Dunes can reach 100 feet high and 100°F, and they are the largest dunes in the arctic. Twice a year, half a million caribou migrate through the dunes and across river bluffs that contain ice age fossils. This is the least-visited National Park.
Lake Clark	Alaska
	The region around Lake Clark has four active volcanoes, including Mount Redoubt, rivers, glaciers, and waterfalls. There are temperate rainforests, a tundra plateau, and three mountain ranges.
Lassen Volcanic	California
	Lassen Peak, the largest plug dome volcano in the world, is joined by all three other types of volcanoes in this park: shield, cinder dome, and composite. Other than the volcano, which last erupted in 1915, the park has hydrothermal areas, including fumaroles, boiling pools, and steaming ground, heated by molten rock under the peak.
Mammoth Cave	Kentucky
	With 365 miles of passageways mapped, Mammoth Cave is by far the longest cave system in the world. Cave animals include five bat species, the Kentucky cave shrimp, cave fish, and cave salamanders. Above ground there are rivers, hiking trails, sinkholes, and springs.
Mesa Verde	Colorado
	This area has over 4,000 archaeological sites of the Ancestral Pueblo, who lived here for 700 years. Cliff dwellings built in the 12th and 13th centuries include Cliff Palace, which has 150 rooms and 23, and the Balcony House, with passages and tunnels.
Mount Rainier	Washington
	Mount Rainier, an active volcano, is the most prominent peak in the Cascades, and it is covered by 26 named glaciers including Carbon Glacier and Emmons Glacier, the largest in the continental United States. The mountain is popular for climbing, and more than half of the park is covered by subalpine and alpine forests. Paradise on the south slope is one of the snowiest places in the world, and the Longmire visitor center is the start of the Wonderland Trail, which encircles the mountain.
North Cascades	Washington
	This complex includes the two units of the National Park and the Ross Lake and Lake Chelan National Recreation Areas. There are numerous glaciers, and popular hiking and climbing areas are Cascade Pass, Mount Shuksan, Mount Triumph, and Eldorado Peak.
Olympic	Washington
	Situated on the Olympic Peninsula, this park ranges from Pacific shoreline with tide pools to temperate rainforests to Mount Olympus. The glaciated Olympic Mountains overlook the Hoh Rain Forest and Quinault Rain Forest, the wettest area of the continental United States.
Petrified Forest	Arizona
	This portion of the Chinle Formation has a great concentration of 225-million-year-old petrified wood. The surrounding region, the Painted Desert, has eroded red-hued volcanic rock called bentonite. There are also dinosaur fossils and over 350 Native American sites.
Redwood	California
	This park and the co-managed state parks protect almost half of all remaining Coastal Redwoods, the tallest trees on Earth. There are three large river systems in this very seismically active area, and the 37 miles of protected coastline have tide pools and seastacks. The prairie, estuary, coast, river, and forest ecosystems have varied animal and plant species.
Rocky Mountain	Colorado
	This section of the Rocky Mountains has ecosystems varying in elevation from the over 150 riparian lakes to Montane and subalpine forests to the alpine tundra. Large wildlife including mule deer, bighorn sheep, black bears, and cougars inhabit these igneous mountains and glacier valleys. The fourteener Longs Peak and Bear Lake are popular destinations.
Saguaro	Arizona
	Split into the separate Rincon Mountain and Tucson Mountain Districts, the dry Sonoran Desert is still home to much life in six biotic communities. Beyond the namesake Giant Saguaro cacti, there are barrel cactus, cholla cactus, and prickly pears, as well as the Lesser Long-nosed Bat, Spotted Owl, and javelinas.
Sequoia	California
	This park protects the Giant Forest, which has the world’s largest tree, General Sherman, as well as four of the next nine. It also has over 240 caves, the tallest mountain in the lower 48, Mount Whitney, and the granite dome Moro Rock.
Shenandoah	Virginia
	Shenandoah’s Blue Ridge Mountains are covered by hardwood forests that are home to tens of thousands of animals. The Skyline Drive and Appalachian Trail run the entire length of this narrow park that has more than 500 miles of hiking trails along scenic overlooks and waterfalls of the Shenandoah River.
Theodore Roosevelt	North Dakota
	This region that enticed and influenced President Theodore Roosevelt is now a park of three units in the badlands. Besides Roosevelt’s historic cabin, there are scenic drives and backcountry hiking opportunities. Wildlife include American Bison, pronghorn, Bighorn sheep, and wild horses.
Virgin Islands	United States Virgin Islands
	The island of Saint John has rich human and natural history. There are archaeological sites and ruins of sugar plantations from Columbus’s time. Past the pristine beaches are mangroves, seagrass beds, coral reefs and algal plains.
Voyageurs	Minnesota
	This park on four main lakes, a site for canoeing, kayaking, and fishing, has a history of Ojibwe Native Americans, French fur traders called voyageurs, and a gold rush. Formed by glaciers, there are tall bluffs, rock gardens, islands and bays, and historic buildings.
Wind Cave	South Dakota
	Wind Cave is distinctive for its calcite fin formations called boxwork and needle-like growths called frostwork. The cave, which was discovered by the sound of wind coming from a hole in the ground, is the world’s densest cave system. Above ground is a mixed-grass prairie with animals such as bison, black-footed ferrets, and prairie dogs.
Wrangell – St. Elias	Alaska
	This mountainous land has the convergence of the Alaska, Chugach, and Wrangell-Saint Elias Ranges, which have many of the continent’s tallest mountains over 16,000 feet, including Mount Saint Elias. More than 25% of this park of volcanic peaks is covered with glaciers, including the tidewater Hubbard Glacier, piedmont Malaspina Glacier, and valley Nabesna Glacier.
Yellowstone	Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
	Situated on the Yellowstone Caldera, the first national park in the world has vast geothermal areas such as hot springs and geysers, the best-known being Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic Spring. The yellow-hued Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River has numerous waterfalls, and four mountain ranges run through the park. There are almost 60 mammal species, including the gray wolf, grizzly bear, lynx, bison, and elk.
Yosemite	California
	Yosemite has towering cliffs, waterfalls, and sequoias in a diverse area of geology and hydrology. Half Dome and El Capitan rise from the central glacier-formed Yosemite Valley, as does Yosemite Falls, North America’s tallest waterfall. Three Giant Sequoia groves and vast wilderness are home to diverse wildlife.
Zion	Utah
	This geologically unique area has colorful sandstone canyons, high plateaus, and rock towers. Natural arches and exposed formations of the Colorado Plateau make up a large wilderness of four ecosystems.

My next 101

this is a holding area post. I’m still working away on my 101 things in 1001 days and now and then I think of something to put on the next list. I need somewhere to write these down because making the first 101 list was hard and took forever. I expect the next one will be much harder (assuming I mark everything off of this one).

Of course, now that I’m thinking of starting this post for somewhere to put them, I can’t remember any of them. I might have to do some calculations on what ages my kids will be by the end of the next 1001 days to see if that visit to Petra that I’m now inspired to put on my To Do list is even feasible.

Update 3/28/12
Organization
Raise closet shelves – turns out the builder install these in such a way that this would be far, far more involved that it would be worth. So, the closet shelves will be staying just where they are.

Organize and purge bin with my greeting card stash

Home Dec
Paint inside of master bedroom door
Paint inside of french pocket doors
Paint WC in master bath

Household
Get a composter and start using it

Friends and Family
Mail birthday cards to everyone in the family for one year (0/41)
I totally stole this off my niece’s list

Do scrapbook pages for Mom

Just for Me
Mine the ng archives for posts to keep and copy them to blog
Write a letter to myself to open in ten years

travel and adventure
Take the boys to an airshow

Climb a rock-climbing wall (stolen from SG)

First quarterly (or thereabouts) update on the 101

this is mostly me talking to myself to keep my honest / on track with my 101.  Updating what is done / started and quite possibly rambling on to myself with random thoughts on miscellaneous list items.

Items Done: 14/101

Items Started but not completed: 13

Just For Me (10)

1. Re-pierce my ears October 11 and buy some earrings I really <3 November 6

2. Get that next tattoo

I have the design picked out.  it’s probably going  just above my left wrist on the back of the arm would be a little cleaner version of this

3. Put readings, powerpoint etc. from Dad’s memorial on blog

We are approaching the 2nd anniversary of Dad’s death on the February 21.  I think it would be good to try to get this done before then.  My biggest issue was finding a way to embed the Powerpoint into the blog post with the music intact.  I really want it that way but realize I may have to settle for linking it somehow.  My inner geek really, really wants to find a way to make it work and is not good at accepting ideas like “it can’t be done”.

4. Totally blow off work one day and go to the beach. Alone. Feel no guilt

My birthday is on a Friday this year.  Depending on the weather this might be the date for this.  Of course, I don’t need a perfect beach day (or what is typically thought of as a beach day) since I am not all about swimming in the ocean when I go.  More about listening to the sound of eternity in the surf and doing as little as possible.  A cool, even blustery day would work for that as well.  The “feel no guilt” part is totally doable for me – especially if it is a Friday when no one answers their phones anyway and it’s my b’day.

5. Do a past life regression

I like to think this would be cool to do in Sedona or Cassadega.  No clue when I’m getting to either of those places.

6. Get makeup professionally done – 10/31

7. Go Bejeweled Blitz-free for 30 days November 06

8. Go unplugged 1 day / month (4/34)

So far, so good

9. Get that hot stone massage 3 times (0/3)

10. Sign up for and take a class offered at SRHS

I’m thinking photography although I might do beading also (see #38).  I’d love to do photography but probably shouldn’t unless I’ve got a boatload of spending money handy since it will almost certainly make me lust for a new and awesome camera.  And the number of (lower-end) cameras we already have in this household borders on embarrassing.

Home Dec (12) this section is not seeing much action unfortunately.  And this is stuff I really enjoy – just haven’t found the time.

11. Paint laundry room

12. Window treatment in front room

13. Shower curtain in boys bath

14. Window treatments in my bath

15. Get boys @ beach painting done

I have someone I want to do this for me.  When it will happen, though, is anyone’s guess.  I totally can picture it right in the big space between the two windows and over the bed in my room, though.

16. Finish painting boys room

17. Get curtains and make valances for bedroom

18. Repaint the blue in bedroom

19. Get new coffee tables in FR

20. Get new bedroom furniture

21. Paint master hall closet doors

22. Stencil border in master bedroom

Hobbies / Leisure (16)

23. Make the boys pillows January 3

24. Write a new poem

25. Redo music swap CD and mail out January 24

I am marking this done in the future, yes.  This has been almost ready to mail out for months but just before I did, I realized that a few of them did not burn right.  But I’m marking it for Sunday because I am determined this is going to get done this weekend.  Even if nothing else does.

26. Rip the rest of my CD’s

27. Do Postcard Crossing with the boys, 45 postcards (0/45)

Well, I signed up for an account.  Bought some postcards to send when I was in Orlando in October.  That’s a start.  Haven’t even talked to the boys about it yet, though, which is sort of when I will consider this started.  Or maybe once we’ve actually sent one.

28. Create custom google travel map

29. Crochet or knit an afghan

Picked a pattern.  That’s as far as this has gotten. Had some wicked cold weather when it occurred to me that it would’ve been great if I’d done this already.

30. Sew a dress

31. Read 20 fiction books (6/20)

this gets it’s own “post in progress”

32. Make a Best of Julia dvd

33. Sing at a karaoke bar

Well, my local girls have found that one of our favorite bars has karaoke on Thursday nights and we’re all up for making it out one time soon.  That’s as far as we’ve gotten so far.  I do, however, practice loudly and daily while driving. 

34. Make an apron

I’m sure I have many friends that might inadvertently spit their diet coke out when reading this (yeah, Caron, I am specifically thinking of you) since aprons and me wouldn’t ordinarily be thought of together.  However, first, I do have that whole fabric buying habit so it’s good to have an actual reason to do so now and then.  Second, I have a friend that lives in my ‘puter who put up some pics of some aprons she made and they are actually cool looking.  As in, “these are not your mother’s aprons” (Mom, I’m not dissing your aprons.  They’re fine.  It’s just a saying).  Also, while I’m the equivalent of an illegal alien in the kitchen, I do have to venture in there once in awhile.  I think it’d be good if, in those desparate times I were less likely to ruin / stain whatever I am wearing.  So, apron sewing it is.  There may or may not be pics of the finished product – depends how it all works out.

35. Try 25 new recipes (1/25)

I think I will give this it’s own post, also.  With recipes and reviews.  But it won’t be tonight.  I know I did several new ones at Christmas – I’ll just have to try to remember which ones and find them again.   That should probably be 5 or 6 / 25 but that’ll have to wait for now.

36. Watch 20 movies I’ve never heard of that are recommended by friends (3/20)

This also has it’s own “post in progress”

37. Grow some herbs

Well, let’s see.  I bought a couple basil plants at Thanksgiving for one of those new recipes and totally intended to get more whatever-I-need to start some other herbs and get them all planted in a container.  So far, I’ve still just got two basil plants that aren’t looking too good and still in the container they came home from the store in.  I might note, here, that my thumb is very nearly black.  I must’ve felt the need to prove something when I put this on the list.

38. Make at least one thing with all those beads

Heavy on the ideas here.  Not so much on any implementation yet, though.  If you catch me buying more beads before this status changes, please try to stop me.

Travel, Adventure and Outings (21)

39. Hike Zion Narrows

The plan (hope?) is to be able to do this next May/June.  Those months are filling up with stuff, though so… also my partners in crime for this adventure are my 20-something nieces who have lots of stuff and world travel going on in their lives at this stage so it’s anyone’s guess how it will work out.  My planning on the timing is mainly focused on the time of year with water that is least freezing (you hike through the river in some parts) and when flash floods are least likely. Information on the hike and some awesome pics are here

40. Try kite surfing

41. Go to Kennedy Space Center

42. See a shuttle launch November 16

This was great fun!  My sister and niece and great nephew were down for a visit from Canada.  We had a beautiful day (well, it was hot but it’s Florida.  What’re you gonna do?  The boys tolerated the wait and the crowd pretty well.  We ended up with a clear view to the launch pad (from ~ 13 miles away).  My favorite part was the boys talking about how the exhaust trail looked like a giant string of popcorn hanging down from the sky.  It truly was a spectacular sight to see and was well worth the drive and taking the boys out of school.

43. Camping @ Bahia Honda SP

No plan yet other than sometime when it is not blazingly hot. I did think I’d get that monstah tent out of the attic and have a “campout in the yard” night or two.  Ostensibly for the fun of it but, really, my ulterior motive would be to determine whether or not I can get it setup in a reasonably sturdy fashion without the assistance of the Camping Queen niece.  It was only used once, 3 years ago this summer and she was the resident expert.  I feel the need to know whether or not I can do this on my own *before* I find myself in the moment.  See, I have learned a few things in my old age (and from doing it the hard / wrong way).  I’m pretty sure I’m on my own with this one.  Mentions of this plan have garnered reactions from DH that are underwhelming, to say the least.   Oh, and it also occurs to me that I’m gonna need more air mattresses.  Sleeping on the ground ain’t happening.

44. Biking and geocaching in Jonathon Dickinson SP

Might even do this this weekend.  Maybe I should make it done to force myself to work it in.

45. Sleep under the stars. Preferably in the desert.

Well, if / when that Zion Narrows trip happens, it would include sleeping under the stars.  A big factor here is snakes.  Or more, specifically, a lack of them.  that is my very very strong preference.  I’m trying to ignore for the moment that I do realize Zion almost certainly has snakes.

46. Go skinny dipping in water that is not glacier fed (ahem, girls)

47. Take the boys to an outdoor music festival

48. Go kayaking

49. Go to Cassadaga

50. Go back to Sedona

51. Watch a sunrise on the beach with the boys October 16

52. Find a local laser tag place and take the boys

53. Take DS1 to Washington DC

54. Log visits to 10 earthcaches w/boys (1/10)

This also has it’s own “post in progress”

55. Make and activate 5 currency series geocaches

56. Visit a cave with the boys

57. Go snorkeling with the boys (like, somewhere with great snorkeling, obviously.  Not just off Jupiter Beach)

58. Go with the boys to somewhere with snow in winter

59. Take a cruise w/DH

Health / Fitness (5)

60. Bike (or roller-blade) 1000 miles you would otherwise drive (64/1000)

61. Lose that last 7 lbs (0/7)

Well, I’ve lost a couple of them several times already, but for now, this can’t be considered started since I’m back where I started with 7 to go. I suspect there will be a correlation with the completion of this one and the completion of the previous one.  One would hope, anyway.

62. Try those yoga DVD’s (at least once) (1/2)

Started doing the easier one (since I’ve never done yoga before).  I really quite love it and am doing it everyday now.  The other one is a bit more advanced so I’ll likely do a few more weeks on this one then start alternating.  I hadn’t anticipated getting into it when I put it on the list, actually.  It was just that I’d put these on my requisite Christmas list at least 4 years ago.  Got them as gifts and then never even took them out of the shrink wrap till last week.  It was more about ending the complete disuse of something I had specifically requested.  Enjoying it and sticking with it is just a pleasant fallout effect.

63. Lower blood glucose #

64. Get a good bike – November 30,2009

Giving Back (9)

65. Donate blood 4 times (0/4)

The local fire station by the boys school was doing a drive in January for a girl in the community with leukemia.  I went to donate but it went badly.  My previous attempt several years ago also went badly.  I’m going to give it one more go after making sure I’m well hydrated etc.  If it still doesn’t go well (my blood just stops flowing in mid-collection.  From there I start experiencing very unpleasant physical symptoms), I’m going to give up on it.

65. Make Heather’s chocolate cake for school staff for no reason

Plan to do this sometime around Valentine’s day.

66. Pay it forward by helping a mom with twin babies

67. Inspire someone else to do a 101 in 1001 My niece did one, posted December 7

68. Donate 101 cans of food to a shelter (67/101) November 12

69. Volunteer 101 hours (26.5/101)

70. Donate $5 of fun money for every item not completed.

71. Do the Reef Sweep / Beach Cleanup day as a family

72. Update school Amazon site October 29, 2009

Family and Friends (7)

73. Meet 10 of my “pretend friends” in person for the first time (0/10)

74. Visit Mary Kaye or get her a ticket here

75. Have a sleepover with MAM, CLC and JMS

76. Take a sushi-loving friend to lunch and let them attempt to convert me

77. Have a crawl with Kirbo + Capper and any other PNW-ers that can make it.

78. Send cards to 20 friends or family for no reason (1/20)

79. Play a complete game of Risk with DS1

This is a bit embarrassing.  DS1 and I have had the same game in progress since before Thanksgiving or right around there.  He’s less enthusiastic about playing it since I’ve started to dominate the board.  Really must finish this game soon.

The Endless Pursuit of Organization (15)

80. Split health and education files January 06

81. Finish dumping all home video tapes to drive

82. Write a will

83. Get Canadian passports / IDs for me and the boys

84. Print photos of all DS’s creations and put in an album

85. Get pics in orange striped photo album

86. Organize recipes into binder

87. Get photo dump folder organized / purged

88. Get boys DVD’s organized into a binder and indexed

89. Get dumped video time-stamped and org’d by quarter

90. Get dumped video edited and burned onto DVDs

91. Purge and restock travel bins, November 09

92. Purge and reorganize family room closet

Damn good thing I did this when I did.  Last weekend we had the boys’ birthday party.  I was not quite ready with all the game when everyone had arrived so I had some moms and dads working at blowing up some balloons and tying on ribbon.  They ran out and I was not to be found so one of the moms who is a good enough friend of mine to be comfortable doing so, opened this closet to find some.  The other moms were all horrified that she would do that but, lo and behold, it was beautiful and organized.  They were all so very impressed.  I was very relieved I’d decided to make it a priority to just get this done the week before since, otherwise, it would’ve been a terrible site to see!  I think it’s funny that these women that only know me peripherally now think I’m all about organization and neatness.  Nothing could be further from the truth.

93. Make that “what you’re gonna need to know if I’m dead” spreadsheet for DH

94. Organize / purge laundry room

This is mostly done but I can’t really mark it off since there are a couple bins of stuff to sort out yet.  It looks tons better now.  If I just painted it we’d be golden.

Financial (4)

95. unspecified / personal (0/6)

96. Pay off short-term debt (3/100%)

97. Start construction on a pool (this comes after #55 obviously)

98. Track budget / spending every month (0/34)

I have totally dropped the ball here.  However, since I am doing this list to help myself achieve objectives, I will leave this open and consider it done if/when I get it caught up (as compared to doing it on a timely basis for each month which was my original intent).

Work (3)

99. Log 5000 calls (0/5000)

Well, this is utterly embarrassing but I’ll put it out there in hopes that it inspires me to not embarrass myself further.  Just to clarify, that very low number is more a reflection of a lack of recording calls than of not making them. Although, to be sure, with holidays and out of town company and life, in general, distracting me there were almost certainly a less than ideal # of calls actually made.  It *was* well more than 88 though.  This item, though, is really about habits – specifically making a habit of logging my calls.  Apparently, I wish to prove that you can teach an old dog new tricks.

100. Hit quarterly work hour targets on schedule spreadsheet (0/11)

Not on track here, really, but catching up is totally possible.

101. Develop 4 new (to me) companies as clients (0/4)

Earthcaches

Earthcaches are a special kind of geocache (see geocaching.com for more info).  From the earthcache.org site

An EarthCache site is a special place that people can visit to learn about a unique geoscience feature or aspect of our Earth. Visitors to EarthCache sites can see how our planet has been shaped by geological processes, how we manage the resources and how scientists gather evidence to learn about the Earth.

Earthcaches Visited (1/10)

1. Blowing Rocks, The Anastasia Formation EarthCache

Its rocky Anastasia limestone shoreline is the largest on the Atlantic coast. During extreme high tides and after winter storms, seas break against the rocks and force plumes of saltwater up to 50 feet skyward, an impressive sight for which the preserve was named.

Today we visited our first earthcache.  The water was a little wild, the boys had a great time on the rocks.  The blow hole activity was pretty minor though but it was enough to give the boys a sense of what it would do with rougher seas.  There are all kinds of shells embedded in the rock.  I think that coquina is the coolest thing.

I was not planning to go swimming but ended up soaked in my tshirt, shorts and hat when DS1 decided to go walking in the wild surf with his flippies on.  Not just any flippies but these ones we just got from Lands End that they all just <3.  Apparently, the roar of the waves prevented him from hearing me say to leave them up on the beach or they’d get washed away.  Which, of course, happened immediately.  So I braved the wicked undertow and waves slamming the rocks to try to retrieve it (since, of course, this had to happen 10 minutes after LE is all sold out of them for the season).  I didn’t get the flippy.  I’d guess it is halfway to the Bahamas by now.  I did however get totally soaked in my clothes and hat and really enjoyed changing into whatever soccer shirt was laying around in the van and then driving home in that and my underwear.  Trust, when you are driving in your underwear, you pay strict attention to speed limits and your adherence to them.

Anyway, this blowing rocks place totally warrants another visit.  There’s beach a little way up that would be better for swimming – the water is way too wild in the rocky areas.  We will probably go back after winter storms when, hopefully, the water will really be blowing up through the holes.  There are also some nice trails through the sea grapes etc. at the preserve.

I will try to remember to keep a change of clothes for myself in the van at all times, though, from now on.  I used to when the boys were much littler.  I thought they’d outgrown the need for me to do that.  Apparently, not.

I’ll post pics here at some point hopefully not too far in the future.

Books to read / Books I’ve read

this list will surely evolve. But when I hear / read of a book that sounds like a good candidate for the list, I have to put it down somewhere or that idea will be long gone when I need it.

Update: I think I will just keep this post ongoing beyond the completion of whatever number of books I put for my 101 things list. Maybe it will inspire me to read more (books, that is. I read plenty on the ‘puter)

Books read starting 10/2009 (numbered books are for the day zero project list)

1. Hell’s Gate, Stephen Frey

Your run of the mill mystery with some politicians, lawyers and rugged mountain men. It was good enough, no better or worse than most of the books you’ll find on the display table at the library (which is where/why I picked this up).

2. The Memory Keeper’s Daughter, Kim Edwards

I thought this book was really good even though I have some friends who find the story implausible.  I thought that the author did a good job of developing the father’s history with his sister to explain how an otherwise decent person could send away their daughter.    The ending did feel a bit like it could’ve been developed a bit more.  It was like the author got tired of writing the story and just wrapped it up in a style that was far more rushed than the rest of the book.  I don’t think I will see the movie, though.  At least I won’t make a point of doing so.

3. The Catcher in the Rye – J. D. Salinger

Well.  I certainly could’ve lived my life w/o reading this book.  What a big yawn.  I think coming of age / teenage angst type stories and movies are just not my thing.  At all.  I will say, though, that I think Holden Caulfield is ADD.

4. A Mercy – Toni Morrison

This book was a bit difficult to get started as it jumps around a lot and it takes a bit to piece together the story.  But once I got into it, I thought it was a great book.  In fact, I stayed up till 2 a.m. after Thanksgiving dinner at the inlaws reading it.  My trouble with getting into it in the beginning may also have had something to do with the fact that I was attempting to do so while riding in the van with the whole family on the way to the inlaws.

It is short but moving.  I felt much the same after (and many times during) reading this book as I did after reading her book Beloved.  Even though I am technically aware of the era of slavery, to read such first person accounts of the evil inflicted by people on another really affects me.  It’s just incomprehensible to me that this was so many people’s reality not so long ago (Well, long in terms of one person’s life but from a historical perspective.)  In particular, I thought about my life compared to the lives of the women of that time.

I may reread this book at some point.  I think there is likely some significance to words and events earlier in the book that would come through the second time that I missed the first.

5. The Heretic’s Daughter – Kathleen Kent

I loved this book.  I think she does a great job of giving the reader a sense of life back then as well as developing a sense of the underlying forces and fears in play in the society which converged to allow an atrocity like the Salem Witch Trials to happen.  Another book that makes me think to myself “you can keep the ‘good old days’”.  This book made me realize that I really knew very little about this chapter in history.  I think now I will read up on it some more.  I may even visit some of the sites next time I am up that way.

This is a book that definitely stays in your mind and changes your perspective on things.  An interesting note that I didn’t realize till I was finished the book is that the author is a direct descendant of the mother who was hanged (and I *think* the daughter who narrates although I’m not positive on that now without the book handy – and too lazy to check Amazon.  She might be a descendent of one of the narrator’s brothers.)

6. The Time Traveler’s Wife – Audrey Niffennegger

7. The Kite Runner -  Khaled Hosseini

8. The Lovely Bones -  Alice Sebold

9. Angela’s Ashes -  Frank McCourt

10. Strength In What Remains -  Tracy Kidder

11. The Gargoyle – Andrew Davidson

12. The Help – Kathryn Stockett

13. The Life of Pi  – Yann Martel

14. Thousand Splendid Suns – Khalid Hosseini

15. The Lotus Eaters – Tatjana Soli

16. A Fine Balance – Rohinton Mistry (unfinished)

17. Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adam

18. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe – Douglas Adam

19. East of Eden – John Steinbeck

20. Getting to Happy – Terry McMillan 

This book was just okay.  I really read it by accident – all the other books on my list were unavailable at the library and I didn’t have a book that was of interest (even though there is a perpetual stack on my nightstand) and I was going to be sitting at a few soccer practices so I wanted something.  I expected more from this book and expected to relate to it a lot more.  But I found the writing and character development to be, for the most part, somewhat cliche and superficial.  I didn’t hate it but I wouldn’t recommend it.

This completes the 101 thing.  But I think I’m just going to keep on with this.

21. Outlander – Diana Gabaldon

Books to Read

For Whom the Bell Tolls – Ernest Hemingway
The Invisible Man – Ralph Ellison
Slaughterhouse Five – Kurt Vonnegut
Brothers Karamazov – Fyodor Dostoevsky
The Dharma Bums – Jack Kerouac
Catch 22 – Joseph Heller
Outlander Series – Diane Gabaldon
The Bone People – Keri Hulme (not @ library) (Capper)
Wheel of Time series – Robert Jordan (Amanda)
Katherine – ? (Amanda)
Jane Austen (Cindy)
Terry Pratchett DiscWorld series (Cindy and Jenny)
The Rice Mother (Danielle)
The Forgotten Garden (Danielle)
Message In a Bottle (and others) Nicolas Sparks (April)
The Power of One – Bryce Courntey (Michelle/Smurf)
A Prayer for Owen Meany – Irving (Amy B)
The Pilot’s Wife – Shreve (Amy B)
Joan Aiken books (Amy B)
The Bean Trees (Amy B)
Pigs in Heaven – Kingsolver (Amy B)
The Handmaid’s Tale (Cindy)
A Fine Balance (Sara)
I Know this Much is True (Sara)
Savage Inequalities (Sara) (non-fiction)
Oryx and Crake – Margaret Atwood (Capper)
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle – David Wroblewski (Capper)
City of Thieves – David Benioff (see below)
Sleepless – Charles Huston (from the 5 star reviews of someone on Amazon that liked what I liked)
Book Thief – Markus Zusak
Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins
The Power and The Glory – Graham Greene (rec’d by Scott Turow on the NPR FB feed)
Night – A Holocaust Memoir by Elie Weisel (pub)

Other books (just for me to keep track – this seems like as good a place as any) that I’m not including in the count for the 101

When you Lie About Your Age, the Terrorists Win – Carol Leifer
Healing the New Childhood Epidemics

Peace Is Every Step – Thich Nhat Hanh

Positive Energy – Judith Orloff

Chapter books read with the boys
A Wrinkle in Time
The Secret Country (Eidolon Chronicles, Jane Johnson)
Over Sea, Under Stone (audiobook) (The Dark is Rising series, Susan Cooper)
The Shadow World – Jane Johnson
The Dark Is Rising (audiobook) Susan Cooper (series)

Chapter books to read with the boys
Dark is Rising Series: The Dark is Rising, Greenwitch, The Grey King, Silver on the Tree
Eidolon Chronicles: The Shadow World, Dragon’s Fire
Tom Sawyer
Huck Finn

Percy Jones series