#96 & #97 - Take Sarah on a run/dog park.

#97 - Take Sarah to the dog park at least once a month (weather permitting) (16/33).
So lately I've been taking Sarah on walks around the neighborhood.  Emma Long Park is just too far away.  My dad spoiled Sarah by walking her 2x a day when they were here over xmas.  So I try to walk her now 4x's a week when I get home from work.  I found a nice field in the neighborhood where she can fetch her ball and run around without a leash.   I'll count each week as 1 trip to the dog park.

#96 - Take Sarah on a run with me.  What a mess.  I tried running with her in the neighborhood but she would constantly stop to sniff here and go to the bathroom there....It was stop and go and drove me nuts.  I had to finally just walk with her because I felt like my arm was going to jerk out of socket trying to keep her running.  I did find out though that if Itake her off the lease and run that she will eventually catch up and stay with me....but still occasionally stops then runs like mad to find me again.  Can't really do that next to a street with cars or other dogs and children around.  I don't want to take the chance of something happening to her.  The area behind my house might work though.

#44 - Work out at least 3x's a week [IP] (holidays and vacations permitting)

Success!  I'm finally back on my workout regime.  :-)  Made it to the gym 3x's this week and played volleyball twice!  Now to keep it up.
Sunday - volleyball game
Monday - cardio/weight class
Wednesday - ran 3.5 miles, 10 mins on elliptical
Thursday - volleyball game
Friday - ran a 5K (3.1miles), 20 mins on elliptical

Failure :-(
#15 - Cook at least one home meal(s) a week [i.e. eat out less] (43/143)
No cooking this week or last week.  Unless you count tomato soup? 

#40 - Read more than just fiction novels/books (IP)

Just finished reading 'New Moon', the sequel to 'Twilight' (Yes, this is fiction).  I enjoyed the sequel much more than the first book, overall it was just more interesting and entertaining. 

Next I plan on reading 'The Worst Hard Time' by Timothy Egan.  This book is about the dirty 30's, the time when dust bowls claimed the land.  It is America's worst prolonged environmental disaster.  My mothers side is from Amarillo and my Great Aunt can remember walking to school with a face mask on because of the dirt in the air (and her experience was after the worst of it was over).  It all happened because farmers plowed the prairie lands/grasslands...which was never meant for farming in Amarillo, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Colorado.  Then the wind took that loose soil and blew it all away, as far away as New York!  Drought, high temperatures, plagues, dust-related diseases, black blizzards ten thousand feet high and the worst day of all, "Black Sunday"...how could people survive this?

What's the next worst hard time?  Global warming has not slowed down.  Think of the polar bears, drowning because the ice is melting and they have no where to go.

Survey

1. Started your own blog – Yup, this one
2. Slept under the stars - Camping counts!
3. Played in a band - Symphonic band and marching band in HS
4. Visited Hawaii – This is on my to do list
5. Watched a meteor shower – As a kid (I'm pretty sure)
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world - Yup, went with my parents as a kid
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo - Does karaoke count?  I'm horrible.  Also tried out for one in elementary school...for a talent contest
11. Bungee jumped - Twice!  In Costa Rica and Florida for SB
12. Visited Paris - On the to do list
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch - Learned cross stitch when I was a kid...also made those friendship bracelets (even did the really intricate ones)
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning - Not yet, guess I'm lucky
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train - Rode a train from MI to Canada (4-5 hrs)...but have not slept on one
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked - I don't think I'd do this, too risky
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill - Who hasn't?  Those are called “mental health days”, everyone needs them.
24. Built a snow fort- Uh yah...used to live in MI!
25. Held a lamb - At a petting zoo or one of those field trips as a kid
26. Gone skinny dipping - yup
27. Run a Marathon - Did a half marathon (which I injured myself in)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice - Italy is at the top of my list for places to visit
29. Seen a total eclipse – Even made those little boxes to look at them when I was a kid
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset – While camping
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise - 2 of them....a 3rd one this summer when I go to Alaska
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person - On a HS band trip no less..stopped there on our way to NY
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors- Ummm...been to Amarillo and Germany to visit relatives, guess that counts.  My mom does genealogy...so we tend to go find those places...even visited some cousins I had never heard of that my mom tracked down.
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language - Took 3 yrs of Spanish in HS and a little of German when I was young...however since I don't use it....I don't speak it
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing - Zilker park and on an adventure trip in HS...plus done indoor many times
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance - Do you know how expensive those are!!!!?  Hope to avoid that
47. Had your portrait painted - Really?  People still have this done?
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling– scuba dived in Jamaica and have been snorkeling several times in various locations
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud - fun, fun!
54. Gone to a drive-in theater - Apparently I did as a kid but don't remember it...would like to go again
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen - Did this in Jr High I think...for church group in Maryland
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies - Yup, I was a Brownie
62. Gone whale watching - In Australia...it was amazing!
63. Got flowers for no reason – A lovely surprise...and at work no less!
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma - All the time
65. Gone sky diving - Twice!  For my b-day and on a date
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp - Yup...when I went to Germany, Dachau
67. Bounced a check – nope...never
68. Flown in a helicopter - YES!  When I went to Vegas...it was a b-day gift...helicopter ride of the strip at night
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy – My mom has a few in the basement
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial – Used to live in Maryland, my parents took us to all the memorials, I think I was around 8 or 9....I don't remember very much though  :-(  Would like to go back.
71. Eaten Caviar - Tried it...not fond of it
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone - Sigh...yup
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle – My friends b/f took me on a ride on his crotch rocket...that was scary! 
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car – Nope...I've only leased through my dad
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper – A few times in HS.
85. Read the entire Bible - On my to do list
86. Visited the White House - Yup, when I lived in Maryland....of course didn't go in....stood outside
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating -  Um...yeah no!
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life - Donating blood always saves a life!
90. Sat on a jury - Been called several times and was very close to sitting once....
91. Met someone famous – Ryan Reynolds (have a pic with him), also saw Katie Holmes in the airport...standing in line next to me (but didn't talk to her)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person - I do live in TX and was born here...so of course!
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone - Who doesn’t own a cell phone?
99. Been stung by a bee

Holiday recap - Plethora of accomplishments

2.5 weeks of vacation and parents in town = many completed projects!

#10 - Use my stand mixer.  My mom and I made Christmas cookies together and I finally broke out the stand mixer.  I've owned this mixer for 8 years and had never used it.  Shame on me....it makes baking so much easier!  Even used it to make our favorite sweet potato side dish.

#15 - Cook home meal(s) (43/143) .  I decided for my parents anniversary to make them a great steak dinner.  I bought some awesome steaks from HEB for the occasion.  Malek seasoned and grilled them to perfection.  I made ranch flavored mashed potatoes and put together a salad.  To set the mood I even lit candles (#83 - Enjoy a candlelit dinner)!
On Christmas day I made eggs Benedict for brunch, my fav!  Yummy!

#40 - Read more than just fiction novels/books (IP).  Finished reading "Eat, Pray, Love" .  Started reading "New Moon"...yes yes, I know this is Fiction...as long as I'm reading I'm OK with it.

#41 - Clean out closets and donate clothes to charity at least once a year (IP, 1.5/3) - I started a pile of clothes in my tub to give to Good Will.  Plan on dropping it off sometime this January.  (Will update to 2/3 once I make the drop)

#64 - Start using anti-aging creams.  My brother gave me the Clinique daytime age defense moisturizer for Christmas.  I think I might also buy the antioxidant night moisturizer to go along with the day cream.  I do have the eye cream as well....just need to remember to use it!  For the past year I have been using Olay's Complete Defense Daily UV Moisturizer with SPF 30.

#111 - Home Theater System.  Hallelujah!  I have surround sound!  What a wonderful gift from my parents for Christmas.  My Dad and brother hooked it up the same day I unwrapped it.  I'm not used to hearing cars or bullets fly behind me, I find myself turning around quite a bit during movies.   

Home improvements (I love my parents!):

• Dad changed out most of my light switches to rocker switches (only have the laundry room left)
• Dad added bronze knobs to my cabinets and drawers in the kitchen
• Mom helped me change out the curtains in the office and then she worked her magic on curtains in the guest room (using bedsheets!).  These are temporary...just needed something up until I find curtains I like.
• Mom & Dad couldn't stand the full bed in my guestroom...so they upgraded the bed to a Queen!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!