26 in 26

Here are 26 things I want to accomplish while I am 26, because I just really never get sick of making lists and goals in my life...even if I don't fully accomplish them:

1. Read a classic
2. Finish the Book of Mormon before the baby comes (July 22-due date)
3. Redecorate hallway
4. Organize basement storage shelves
5. See a play at the Playmill
6. Master a new song on the piano
7. Master a new song on the guitar
8. Go snowboarding
9. Learn how to use my new Silhouette Cameo (learn all of its functions and try them at least once)
10. Read all of the conference talks that occur while I'm 26. 
11. Plant flowers in the front pots and keep them alive!!!
12. Replant a vegetable garden
13. Walk/elliptical/bike/move 500 miles.
14. Go to the temple 12 times
15. Have a baby
16. Decorate baby room
17. Blog 52 times 
18. Get blog books printed
19. Clean windows- inside the cracks and everything
20. Read a self-help book
21. Help get Clay's second book published
22. Establish a budgeting system
23. Go snow-shoeing
24. Sand and refinish my table, with plenty of gloss finish
25. Learn to use my ice cream maker and make some ice cream
26. Plan and execute another freezer meal day (ideally one for summer and one for winter)

Some of these are repeats from last year, which is pretty self-explanatory I'm sure. But I'll explain anyway- I didn't accomplish them. ha :) Try try again! Also, some are repeats that I want to repeat- like flowers and garden! Coming up with 26 things is hard. Did you notice one of these things is having a baby? I decided that was a big enough item to go on the list :) Also, the 500 miles thing. When I say that, it sounds HUGE. When I think about it in detail, its really not that huge. Do you know how easy it is to walk a mile? Like way easy. I do a mile on the elliptical in about 10 minutes. So if you think of it that way, it's not that far fetched to think about me moving 500 miles. Also, I plan on walking a lot this summer, ALSO I plan on walking a lot with the baby in the bob. I love this list! I think some are super fun ones, some are super productive, some are super spiritual, and some are helping develop my talents. I mean, how much more well-rounded can I get?! 

I'm excited!

PS- I still believe in blogging, I do. I like recording things other than pictures and small quick captions. I like expressing my thoughts. This is why I am trying the achievable goal of 52 blog posts, which is trying to be at least once a week. I want to keep this up. It's important to me and my sanity I think.

Happy 26th Birthday

It's 6:49am on Sunday morning and it's my birthday!

The snow is falling, my body is sick (cough, cold, bleh), yet I am very happy and very grateful.

Yesterday, among feeling sick and gross (coughing up snot is so not fun...Clayton tries his best not to glare at me when it happens, he gets soooo grossed out), I looked in the mirror and saw my pregnant belly and smiled. There were so many moments in recent years where I truly wondered if I would ever be pregnant.

Did you know I considered not even trying? I was too scared of the possibilities of passing Lyme to my baby. I thought, how selfish of you to consider it. Well, research and doctors helped me change my mind about that and a LOT of prayer and meditation.

Then there was the fact that we simply couldn't get pregnant by ourselves. I thought, maybe this is a sign from Heavenly Father. Maybe this is our blessing, the inevitable.

But as you all know it all worked out and I am indeed pregnant, with our first sweet child. He kicks me all the time and moves around and I just love him to pieces already!

I've thought a lot about what I want to do this year, my 26th year. Honestly it's been tough. I have thought about making goals like I did last year. I accomplished a lot of them and did a lot of fun things (not all of them) that I wouldn't have had I not made the list. But honestly when I made that list I had a goal in mind. DISTRACT. My life was soooo not where I wanted it to be. Clay and I were both just working and surviving. Hoping that something of hope would come soon. That's the truth. I wanted to take charge of my life and make things happen. And I did! And it was great. We had such a happy, fun, summer...which I attribute to my list :)

Mostly this year I want to just be the best mother I possibly can. I think these things describe a good mom: loves God, loves family. When I think of my mom, who I think has done (and still does) a marvelous job at the motherhood duty, those are the two things I think. I hope so badly I can be like her.

But, I think I still want to think of 26 things I want to accomplish this year. It's fun. And motivating.

Well, I've finished my tea and my nose is finally clear (the reason I woke up is my nasal decongestant wore off...I squirted some more in and now I'm clear finally), so I think I'll go back to sleep.

Happy Birthday! I am glad to be alive.