Last January – In the year of our Lord, Two Thousand and Nine  
I made a list of 100 Lifetime goals and dreams .   It wasn’t an exhaustive list,  just a list of 100 or so things I’d like to “do/be/buy/give/see”.

Here’s how 2009 measured up for me:

• Snow ski  —–   
  February — just a few days following my 50th birthday – which was another goal I had set years earlier …”to snow ski by the age of 50″.
  
  
  
  
  
• Go on a beach vacation — 
  August -Jekyll Island, GA.  It wasn’t a Caribbean beach like I am still hoping for, but it was a beach, and it was vacation. 
  
  
  
  
  
• Increase blog readership—
  Without doing any math….I’m guessing readership increased by 50% !
  
  
• Have a huge garage party (with dancing) in 2009––
  July – to celebrate 50th birthdays, friends, family and summer days!
  
  
  

• Take dance lessons in 2009 —
  February and March — took levels I and II of Swing Dance
  
  
  
  
  

• Blog more often —
  Blogged nearly 5 days a week — taking some weekends off
  
  
• Learn to use camera confidently in different situations ––
  I have started to shoot more photos on manual settings and experimenting more.
  
  
  
  
  
• Increase the size of our garden – and give away produce  —The garden was definitely bigger — but unfortunately not necessarily better.  We gave away apples this year.
  
  

• Go to a beach and walk the shore —
  Jekyll Island, GA — August…5 days in a row!  I’m still keeping this one on my list!  I can never get enough beach walking.
  
  
  
  
  

• Put a patio by front door—
  Oh yeah!  Thanks to Nate and DIY Guy!
  
  
  
  
  

• Take better pictures—
  Working on it.  Have improved since January 2009.
  
  

• Plant a pumpkin patch  —
  Planted one — but it failed.  New plan for next year.  My experiment didn’t work.
  
  
• Use my re-useable shopping bags more  —
  Used them way more than previous years — still going to work on this one in 2010.
  
  

• Make a eat-at counter in kitchen  —
  The plans are coming along — and pulling DIY guy along on this one.
  
  

• Entertain more often in 2009  —
  Did more entertaining than in 2008, will continue to work on this in 2010.
  
  

• Cook more  —
  Hmmm….maybe I did?  Working full-time sure cuts into my cooking energy.
  
  

• Own a good belgium waffle maker  —
  I bought one for DIY Guy for Valentine’s Day 2009.  We eat belgium waffles more often now.
  
  
  
  
  
• Ring Salvation Army bell in 2009  —
  Did it — December, 2009 — with DIY Guy and Coby, the Bernese Mountain Dog.
  I also was the coordinator for our church bell ringing.
  
  
  
  
  
• Be more real/authentic  ––
  Trying.  Really trying.  But I still won’t tell you how much I weigh.
  
  
• Take more photos of my kids  —
  Did — they aren’t tired of it yet, so must not be overdoing it!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Meet a need for someone  —
  I met a few needs over the year.
  
  

• Do more random acts of kindness (pay it forward)  —
  Did a little of this –could do it more.
  
  

• Stop worrying about what others think of me  —
  This is dangerous territory — but I’m making progress, and it feels good.
  
  

• Love unconditionally  —
  Several instances where I needed to remember this one.
  
  
• Throw away and give away all the things that don’t make me happy  ––
  A continuing work in progress — I really just need more time!
  
  

• Give away more eggs  ––
  Gave some to my neighbor who doesn’t speak to us often — he was VERY excited to receive them!  
  
  

• Make “stupid coffee”  —
  I think I will make this tomorrow!
  
  

• Teach kids how to make turnovers  ––
  Danae made them with me this year.  She was a quick study and did great!
  
  
  
  
  
• Host a wine tasting party  —
  February, 2009.  We won the party at a silent auction.  Good time!
  
  
  
  
  
• Own a shallow depth of field lens. –Bought a used one.  Starting to use it more.  DIY Guy was right — the lens he bought me with my camera gets the most use.

• Learn Yoga —  Class starts Sunday night!