I
have done 2 separate
101 in 1001 lists in the past, and as it’s been 10 years since
the completion time of the last one, so I figured maybe I’d try making
a new one! I will be including some of the tasks I missed in the old
list that I still really want to get done.
Note,
here are some goal setting tips I came across.
Some
common goal setting tips:
1.
Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you
plan to achieve it.
2.
Stay Focused.
Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly
evaluate your progress.
3.
Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture
that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the
opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.
4.
Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your
commitment. 5.
Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that
they are always at the forefront of your thinking.
Click
herefor
more info on the 101 in 1001 project.
My
101 in 1001 As
before, I will italicize
the ones in progress.
I will make red the ones I have determined cannot be done anymore. (see here) Start
date: April
20, 2023 End
date: January
15, 2026
Family/Relationship
1.
Celebrate
five strange holidays (Coconut Pie day,) (Cheeseburger day) (Hot Tea Day Jan12) (Bagel Day Jan15) (Chocolate Cake day Jan 27) (DONE 5/5) 2.
Do
the 1000 hours outside challenge(1000
Hours Outside) 1000/1000 DONE July 2024 3.
Go
on a weekend trip just me and hubby (DONE 5/7/23) 4.
Go
to the zoo (DONE June 3 2023) 5.
Go
berry picking (DONE jul6 2023) 6.
Go
to a family camp (DONE aug 2024) 7.
Find
5 interesting places/events to visit in local area (fair) (2fairs) (festival) (kids fair) (5/5) DONE Feb 2024 8.
Make
an igloo/snow fort (Part finished) 9.
Take
a family vacation 10.
Visit
Nintendo-land 11.
Visit
something at the convention center DONE Nov 2025 12.
Visit
the
dam, and
the
falls, DONE July 2025
Environment
13. Create
an Old
Fashioned Christmas (more
traditional, less ‘stuff’) (Done December 2023) 14.
Clean
the ditches along the highway by our property (DONE July 8 2023) 15.
Create
a proper composting area on the farm instead of just a pile 16.
Make
something we want out of stuff laying around/trash rather than
buying. (DONE 7/5) (welcome sign, 2 kitchen items, fireside seating, Christmas gifts)
37.
Try
to do a walk for ms or life walk or something similar (DONE Sept20 2023) 38.
Bring
a meal to a family (3/3)Done dec2024 39.
Do
a ‘drop and dash’ gift give for funDone Aug 2025 40.
‘Egg’
someone's house for Easter (give them an egg hunt) (DONE March 2024) 41.
Volunteer
some time to clean/mow/fix up the old HeritageCemetery DONE July 2025
43.
Make
praying for our leaders
a
habit (do
so each evening for a month) (DONE Jan31 2024) 44.
Go
on a weekend retreat (DONE Aug. 2025) 45.
Join
a church (DONE Sept 2025) 46.
Stay
off Facebook
for one month. Spend time in prayer instead (DONE 5/1/2023)
Financial
47. Do ‘on farm’ work that saves us at least $20 000 from if we would have hired out. (here, here, here, and here)(20000/20000) (DONE Aug 2025)
48.
Put $10 000 into TFSAs (DONE Aug 2025) 49.
Find a way to pay for a garage/expansion (change to kitchen) without a loan 50.
Do one month of ‘shop the pantry’ challenge (DONE Feb 2024)
98.
Ride
a hot air balloon 99.
Do
a ‘trash the dress’ photo session with other girls 100.
Take
a tour of my local area… bring camera (here) DONE April 2025 101.
Create
another 101 in 1001 listDONE July 2025
81 down, 8 cannot be done, 12 to go!
Well, that's it! I'm trying to be a bit adventurous on some things in here, so we will see how it goes. I kind of wonder what kinds of things I've already done that would have been on a past list if I'd have continued doing them regularly like I'd wanted to. I know raising chickens for eggs would have been one.
So... I've been looking through my old blog posts recently. Wow. I used to write a lot! I used to take part in so many things! I've not been doing so for a very long time now, and I kind of miss it. I saw the posts on the 101 in 1001 lists, and I kind of miss it! Having a focus and an end goal/date was very motivating for me, and over the last number of years I have lost a LOT of my motivation. It is kind of sad.
I also discovered that I really stopped doing my blog once I started homeschooling. I guess it just kept me quite busy and I haven't taken the time to blog in the evenings after the kids are in bed as I used to.
Anyway, I wanted to look at the items I didn't complete in my other lists.
I have done this now. It was apparently in the works when I got to the end date, but not finished. I want to 'renovate it' again, but not so much renovate as I want to rework everything and restyle with furniture and things. It has become my homeschool room/office/library and craft space. A real workhorse. And I'm still using really old furniture and makeshift things to try to make the room work as it is. I could stand to spend some money in here and make it pretty and functional. Hmm. Perhaps I should make a new 101 list? But yeah, this 'renovate office' task has been completed, and I do think it was in 2011.
69. Wash carpets
I went and bought myself a carpet cleaner in January of 2013 while pregnant with A, and all the carpets are now cleaned at least once (maybe twice) a year! It is in my schedule every month to do one carpet. I may not actually do so every month, but we do have 6 carpeted rooms in the house to do. I'm glad I bought it. I also recently bought an 'extractor' that works great on chairs and in the vehicle!
100. Get a massage
My mom got me a gift certificate after the birth of my 6th, and so in 2018 I finally went and got a massage! Wow. Why did it take me sooo long?
So it looks like I did complete every single item on that list at some point! That's kind of fantastic!
Wow. This list is a doozy. I really didn't keep up with this one AT ALL! Looks like my last update was July of 2013. I did complete the 5th birthday party for M in September, and even posted about it, but never linked it back (I took the liberty of doing so on my original blog). According to my list, I had 42 left to do (well, 40 if you consider the fairy birthday for M that I did in September 2013 that I never linked to).
Yup! Did this one. Linked to the post for it, too.
11. go sledding as a family
I have scrapbook pages where we did this for a couple of years. Not sure why I didn't link it. Must have forgotten. Might have been 2014. I know we did for sure in 2016.
12. go skating on the river as a family or date night
Never did this.
16. do a date night going to the Taste of Manitoba
Never did this, either.
19. Go to the International Children’s Festival
I distinctly remember doing this a couple of times... and I know once after baby A was born in 2013, but I don't remember when exactly. I'd have to look at my scrapbooks.
23. go to get ice cream from BDI and go for a walk after
My husband and I did this together. When? I don't remember.
27. Write/publish 3rd book
Started writing. Never finished.
28. Write a craft book with all the crafts I’ve come up with myself
Nope
29. Start selling crafts through Etsy?
Nada
31. Plan a proper composting site for farm and implement
Sadly, no.
32. Clear out back of garage of things we haven’t used in over 5 years
I started this. Actually found an old stroller in there from the 1930s that I refinished in 2018. It's in my house. So pretty. Still loads of things to do in there though. I want to work on that this year.
33. Do a book reading at the local library
I did this with my children's book. What year was that?
34. Save up $10 for each item I complete on this list
Heh heh... I didn't actively do this, but I have that amount set aside. Not sure what for.
37. Start making monthly payments into the RESP
Nope. We've been a little focused on other things over the last 10 years...
39. Volunteer in a Soup kitchen
Sadly, I never did this. We donated to Helping Hands, but never volunteered in a kitchen.
41. Release a book via bookcrossing.com
I forgot this existed!
42. Buy a larger item (about $100) for Gospel for Asia Never did this one. I completely forgot about it. 45. Walk for ms (or something similar) Never did this, but we did the March for Life for a few years.
56. Finish mom’s started school scrapbook
I actually saw that I finished this at some point while rummaging through things to show my oldest daughter some of the projects I had to complete in high school. She was getting discouraged doing so many projects for her literature and composition, and one was a poetry book. I did two in high school that I was able to show her, and she felt she could do it after that.
57. Participate in a bake/craft sale
Nope.
59. Finish daughter’s 1st year album (traditional)
I got through a few more pages, but haven't finished yet. How sad!
60. Finish son’s 1st year album (traditional)
Never did this. I printed some pictures, but never did anything with them!
61. Create album for honeymoon (traditional)
I didn't do this. They are all nicely in a photo album, though.
64. Try to finish cross stitch
This was never going to happen. I gave it away.
66. Label breaker panel
Why haven't I done this yet? It's been on my list of things I need to get done for almost 20 years now!
68. Renovate basement
Actually did this in 2014 and 2015. Still working on it, actually. Most recently began putting foam matts down as a floor. It looks so much nicer than it used to!
71. Build a fence around portion of yard
Never did this. Still want to do it, though.
72. Build a sandbox/play area for kids My father in law built one! Man... was that actually in 2013? I think it was either that year or 2014 summer. Still there!
74. Play guitar 100min/week for 4 months… thus learning to play
Never did this.
76. edit July23 2011 - Learn metallurgy
Nor this.
77. Learn a little Japanese
Nope. Sigh.
80. Purge old toys that aren’t played with (remove at least 25lbs of toys from house 10/25)
I have gotten rid of so many toys in my house in the last few years. An entire large bin that I'm sure was at least 10 kgs was removed in August of 2021. I'll say I did this, but not in the time period. I actually started doing a declutter challenge each January for a number of years now. At least 6.
88. Tour MB, take pics in front of large statues … at least 10photos
We did this with the kids! Did some as a date with just us two. So many fun pictures. This was in 2016 I believe. We did 4 or 5 towns nearby, drove a few hours and did a number of them on the way. Wish I had the pictures linked up but I haven't done that. Oh well.
89. Swim with dolphins
Nope.
90. Buy myself a new pair of runners
I have no idea when I did this, but I did! I do remember it was summer. Could have been August of 2013, actually.
I actually did this with my daughter's 5th birthday party! So, I'm linking to that post.
93. Tie a note to a balloon and let it go
Did not do this.
94. Fly a kite
I do remember doing this with the kids. I lost the kite in a tree. Took a bit to get it down, and it was broken. The kids thought it was great!
98. Ride a hot air balloon
I still want to do this someday!
99. Take a tour of my local area… bring camera
I did this! I distinctly remember doing this in summer of 2013! Never did a post on it I guess. There were some fun sites with little signs and points of interest.
100. Do a ‘trash the dress’ photo session with other girls
Nope, never did that. And sadly, I still fit it that year but there is no way I'm fitting in my dress now!
101. Create another 101 in 1001 list
Hahahaha... no. I kind of want to, though.
So I didn't do 28 of them. That's quite a bit! I wonder if I should make a new list to include these? I kinda want to try. I wonder if I'm going to get back into blogging on the regular? I have missed it. I've been making the odd short video and such on Instagram lately instead. I kind of like doing videos, but there is something about written words that I really miss.
When life grips you and doesn't let you go, you neglect the things that aren't of vast importance. And this blog has been one of those things. I apologize. I haven't been here since 2018, and it is so strange to see this space again after so long!
Life has hit us hard. Good things, bad things, all the things. We've almost lost the farm. 2018 was hard in that way. My husband's dad became sick and was unable to work on the farm anymore, and my husband has been working extra hard to keep it going. Summer of 2018 saw a huge heat wave hit the area, and many farms were affected. Milk decreased, and the animals don't do well, even when you do everything you can to help them. The bank we were with decided to send someone down in the midst of the heat wave. He didn't like dad, and had decided we were neglecting our animals (they hold their heads down when hot, and look so sad). He made an attempt to set the milk board against us. We were told a number of things by animal welfare that we were to do... all of which we were already doing and had been doing for years except for two things that were not something we could reasonably do in our current barn (I will say, we did end up doing them both, but the one has cost us tens of thousands in repairs over the last 5 years. Exactly what we said would happen. We were supposed to be able to build a new barn by now, but the bank lied to us when we signed on 14 years ago). This guy sent a bad report to the bank which caused them to tell us to pay the mortgage in full right away or they would foreclose on our farm. We had to sell land, quota, equipment, all to attempt to keep what was ours because one guy (who made it clear in the past that he disliked dad for some reason) wanted to shut us down. We didn't cave. Thousands of dollars in lawyer fees later, we were allowed to push the payment of the 7 figure loan for about a year. I got pregnant during that time, and we had a baby girl, due right around when they wanted the balance. Thankfully, they allowed another few months, and then because dad was super ill, they pushed it yet again. We were paying off huge segments of the loan with the sales of land and quota. Then, at the beginning of the covid19 pandemic, dad died.
I don't even know where to begin when it comes to dealing with the passing of someone close to you. The kids were devastated. My oldest son and dad were very close. My 5th child, Baby Z, the one I mentioned in my last post, was named after my father in law. In Dad's last weekend, I felt my husband should take Baby Z to visit dad. I'm so glad he did. We were blessed to be living next door, and the older kids went to play games and puzzles with mom and dad often (we knew he was dying for months now, so we did what we could to keep the kids from getting sick. We were told even a cold could kill him). It was hard. And then we got the call. He had asked for my husband. We knew. The ambulance was called, he was brought to the hospital, and only one person was allowed in the room with him at a time. He died alone, when the brothers were switching shifts outside.
What made things even harder was that this was in the midst of the shutdowns. No hugs. No gatherings. No funerals. 10 people in one place and no more than that. And my family was 8 people. No exceptions. We felt very alone during that time. No church family, although I am very grateful to the 2 families who came of their own accord and brought us a meal. Very few people came to the viewing. The service was one of the first ones they did online, and so there were bugs to work out, but they managed it. Two of his own children couldn't come because they lived out of province and travel wasn't allowed. It was really hard on mom.
I gave hugs anyway.
Covid really wrecked things for everyone, and our family was no exception. Some things didn't change much, however we lost many of our support systems. Lost friends. Hurtful things said. Felt abandoned and alone by our church. Our homeschool group ended due to the regulations. Our farm was struggling to get by as it is now half the size it was before while still trying to support the huge insurance payments and such from when it was so much larger. Then there was the storm that destroyed part of the barn in 2021, and while insurance is supposed to cover everything, the last concrete tower silo was unable to be salvaged and the cost to rip it down and replace it and the feed room was more than the 'value' of the tower by insurance, so we had to pay 5 figures out of pocket, which we really didn't have. The drought brought a huge increase in feed costs, so that they doubled in only a few short months, and we felt like we were drowning once again. In fact, I'd say we've been barely surviving things this entire time.
March of 2021, I found out I was expecting yet again! It might sound weird, but I was terrified. I didn't want to make appointments. I didn't want to acknowledge it at all. I was scared of what people would say and think. I'm not sure why, but I think my hormones and anxiety were in rough shape due to everything over the last few years already. It took everything in me to even make my first appointment, and with the mask requirement in most places, I stayed home. It is hard to describe what I felt. It made no sense. In order to make myself tell others, I decided to write a parody song to Shania Twain's 'I feel like a woman'. I did my best to get excited and not worry about what others would say or think, and it actually worked. I became excited over time about our coming baby!
Pregnancy is always a crazy time for me, and I went a bit crazy renovating the girls shared bedroom. Built a few things outside, cleaned in the barn office, found project after project to keep my mind and body occupied as my anxiety was through the roof with everything going on. I feared giving birth. I feared I would die. Nightmares plagued me. Anxiety was terrible. It was crippling. I had never experienced it this bad before. And then, my husband was sick and anxious himself. On medications. Problem after problem on the farm. Dad was gone. He was the sole decision maker, and there were a number of things he still had to learn. It was hard.
I went through a 46 hour labor with my last baby, and oh boy... she did not want to turn. I didn't know when to go to the hospital because my pushing stage with my 6th baby saw my contractions at 5 minutes apart even while pushing. I had 2 weak contractions and one strong one with my last 3 babies. It made things very difficult to time. I actually had an epidural this last time, and almost had issues with that one, too! I was exhausted as I hadn't slept in days now, could feel that I was fighting the contractions due to exhaustion, and so I asked for one. The tech said there was a blood clot in the needle and he had to re-administer, and it was likely I would get headaches due to loss of spinal fluid. Thankfully, I didn't get the headaches.
Baby still didn't want to come out, and I was afraid I'd need a c-section. I usually reach pushing stage and baby is here in less than 3 contractions of active pushing, but I lost count with my last baby. She wouldn't enter the birth canal. Not at all. I remember saying 'I can't' out loud, and then prayed that God would do something because I couldn't do this without Him. Next contraction, the baby entered the birth canal! The following contraction, she was out! Turns out, she was not facing the right way. She came facing my left leg instead of my spine. However, none of that mattered in the end! She was here! And she was beautiful! All the kids were so excited to meet her, although they had to wait until we came home as there were no visitors allowed in the hospital at all due to the restrictions. Honestly, though, I kind of liked it being just me, my husband, and our newest baby. Blessings in all things, and God knew what I needed. (I did make a video on YouTube of my birth story, but it isn't made public right now. Not sure I want to publish it publicly yet. I might need to make a shorter version for that).
Anyway, Baby K is a year old now. We are planning our 20th anniversary already. I'm homeschooling 5 kids age kindergarten through 9th grade while attempting to keep the farm going. I've been learning new things, like making butter, cottage cheese, yogurt, and I even started canning this last fall! And I've joined the ranks of bird owners, as we got chickens last June, too! I love having my own fresh eggs each morning!
Life is an adventure! It is incredible to me just how much things can change over the years. Time has been hard on us, but we are better for it. And our family is bigger, and I wouldn't change it for the world! God knows what is best for our family, and I just pray for His continued guidance in all things. I need more time with Him, as I feel pulled in so many directions as of late.
How is it possible that my oldest is a young woman already? How is it possible that I've been married almost 20 years now? How is it possible that I'm turning 40 this year? How can it be? I still don't feel much different than I did when having my first baby almost 15 years ago. How is it possible?
The flow of time is swift and harsh. One day, you are young and newly married, then you start having a family and you are a young mom, then you look in the mirror and see an older person than you thought you were looking back at you. How does this happen?
The saying really is true... Time flies.
How did it get so late so soon? It’s night before it’s afternoon. December is here before it’s June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon? - Dr. Seuss
