27. Create 10 Origami Pieces

Visit 5 Museums :: Beull Children's Museum

I've been debating for awhile if I should count this - but I'm going to go ahead and do so!

Skyler and I have purchased an annual membership to the Buell Children's Museum here in Pueblo! It's ranked #2 in the country by Child Magazine, and has a unique spin on art that I've never seen at a Children's Museum before.

(I have to drop this in here before I go on!) I love the Pueblo Children's Museum, as does my daughter. But in my opinion - on a fun/awesome scale - it doesn't hold a candle to the Lincoln Children's Museum in Nebraska. 

Now - the awesomeness of this museum? It had a rotating exhibit, so every so often ALL of the exhibits change. And each station in the museum has an art project that goes along with it! (Currently with the Wild West, you can make a Bonnet at the dress up station, a paper plate snake with the camping exhibit, A wanted Poster near the lasso's and a leather keychain with the silhouettes! There's more crafts that we haven't had the chance to try yet, but I'm sure we will soon!)

The museum isn't only a place to play and learn, but they do have local artwork incorporated with all of it's exhibits. (Which is how I feel comfortable including this here - because Skyler and I spent a good portion of our last visit admiring and talking about the art itself.

27. Create 10 Origami Pieces

3. Try 30 New Recipe {Completed}

I'm not sure why I picked 30 as my recipe goal - and I think I probably hit it long ago but just wasn't tracking! I'm going to kind of squeeze this last post together with links (and edits if I have them!)

My first 13 recipes: 
Calzones, Birthday Cake, Hamburger Soup, Cheesy Bacon Ranch Pulls, Cookie Dough Dip, Cheeseburger Cupcakes, Baked French Fries, Strawberry Doughnuts, PB&J Doughnuts, Pizza Bites, Pretzels, Cucumber Lime Popsicles

And Now:

 14. Caramel Apples

 15. Homemade animal Cookies

16. Blueberry Muffins

 17.Bacon, Cheddar and Beer Risotto

 18. Pancake Bites (Blackberry, Strawberry, Blueberry)

 19. Homemade Fries

20. Red Velvet Cupakes

21. Cream Cheese Frosting

 22. S'Mores on a Stick 

 23. Better than Sex Chocolate Cake 

(This didn't turn out so hot, btw) 

24. Gnocco Fritto

25. Wedding Soup

 26. Sugar Cookies

27. Taco Wrap

28. Hot Cocoa

 29. Pretzels (take 2) 

MUCH better than the first go-round!

30. Crockpot Applesauce

39. Complete another 365 project

This is my 3rd go-round with Project 365!

Project #1: Self Portraits - 2008/9

Project #2: Family Themed - 2009/10

Project #3: Family Themed - Started Aug 15, 2012

I started August 15 2012 and will take a photo a day, every day until August 14, 2012!

   

This project is a fun way to document a year. It's pretty amazing to see how much Skyler, Ryan and I change in a year! And it's a fun reminder to pull my camera out.

I have to give a "Shout-out" to my good friend, Meg. I have done the last two 365 projects with her, and we are encouraging one another along again this time! I think it's incredibly important to have a friend doing this with me - otherwise? I'd never be able to get it done! There are days where you nearly forget your photo and at 11:30 pm one of us says "Hey - go snap something!" or days where you feel like you've had three weeks of crummy shots and you want to quit.  So Thanks Meg! For doing this project with me! 

And for fun, a photo of the first 2 weeks! 

 

54. Keep a "6 words a day" journal for 6 months.

One project that I'm excited about is my Six Words a Day project! I am doing it alongside my (third) 365 project! (So hopefully it's easier to get 2 done with one stone, right?

I started this project Sept 1, 2012 and will finish February 28, 2013!

If you'd like to follow along, I've started a Six Words a Day blog!

77. Decorate someplace in the house with a Vinyl Sticker (Completed)

I don't know why, but I've always wanted a Vinyl quote in my house. The problem I found? I have textured walls - which SUCK for hanging anything, but especially stickers!  (Luckily, my kitchen is NOT textured, so I was actually able to stick a sticker in there!)

Sure, this quote is pretty cliche and over-used. But I love it.Moreso? I love that it hangs above a photo of my Grandma who really was the epitome of that phrase!

I've decided that I'm going to get some stencils (once I find a quote that I absolutely adore) and paint a quote rather than vinyl on the living room wall (probably somewhere near the TV.)

63. Get a Family Photo (x3) (Completed)

I'll keep it Simple and Sweet -- I'll just post my 4 photos!  (Yep; a bonus shot!)

August 2011

Halloween 2011

Christmas 2011

June 2012

7. Plan weekly Meals for a Month (Completed!)

Meal Planning is one of those things that I've always thought about doing, and now that I do it? I wonder why the heck I didn't start sooner!

I love going to the grocery store once a week. I love knowing what's coming up. I love saving money, by having plans for the left overs!

I use Pinterest to find a lot of fun recipes - and I'm trying hard to incorporate more fruits and veggies into our meals as well! I'm hoping to work my way through my Food Board on Pinterest by the end of the year - I'd love to have cooked most of the recipes in there. So far? I've made about 1/3 of them! (And almost all have been a huge success! Even with a picky 4 year old. )

Our weekly meal planning routine? 
Plan on Saturday
Shop on Sunday
Clean the Fridge on Friday

Some of our favorite meals? 
Dinosaur Head Soup (picture --> )
Buffalo Chicken (above)
-Leftovers with the buffalo chicken? Pizza and Salads are both great!
Chicken/Black Bean Casserole

35. Shoot 10 rolls of film :: Roll 1

Last month, Ryan discovered three rolls of film that expired in 2009! He was about to throw them away when I explained the joy of expired film!! So he brought them home to me, and this past weekend I shot the first roll.

Unfortunately, it is expired - so out of 24 shots? Only 17 turned out, and out of those 17? Even fewer were worthy of showing to anyone...

But none the less? It was a lot of fun! I definitely recommend expired film to anyone!

The shots below? Are entirely unedited. Shot 8/2/2012 and developed at a Walgreens in Pueblo CO.

15. Lose 15 (more) Pounds

It's been 4 months since I lost my last 15 lbs, but at least I'm still losing! Today at Weight Watchers, I hit 30 lbs total loss.   (Above is a chart with my total loss scale! Sorry, you don't get the actual numbers! I deleted those for my sanity!)

But I've hit my WW 10% too, and got my totally awesome keychain! Which is oddly motivating to me. It's been a huge driving thing, and I've decided that I'm going to buy myself my own charm for it every 5% I lose, so that I have something to aim for, to keep me motivate and to brag about!

55. Go for a full week without buying anything but Bills/Groceries

The first week of July was great for this goal! I made a grocery list, we stuck to that list and then we found free activities to do around town! It was a great exercise in self-control for me! (And has been fairly easy to follow up! I'm hoping it's made a change in how I do my spending from now on!)

A few photos of our free activities - to help spice this page up!!

3. Try 30 New Recipes : Cucumber Lime Popsicles

It's summer, and here in Southern Colorado? It's HOT! Skyler and I were looking for some good ways to cool off, and we decided - what better than a Popsicle?

We started with juice-sicles, just pouring some Cherry Limeade (Minute Made) into popsicle molds and freezing them! But then we (I) got more adventurous! Today's experiement? Cucumber Lime!

Sure, I saw them on Pinterest. (courtesy of The Little Foodie) But when I first saw them, I thought "Umm... right..." Because really? Popsciles and Cucumbers? Not so much. Right? WRONG! They are delicious! And super simple to make!

 

All you need is a Cucumber, a Lime, a Tablespoon of Sugar and a Cup of Water! (For 4 popsicles) 

Run them in the Food Processor (and be sure to cover your ears while you do so!) 

 

Fill your favorite molds (dixie cups and old yogurt cups work well if you don't have popsicle molds! But these were $1/each - and so worth their cost!) 

Then freeze for 2 or 3 hours and enjoy! 

Ingredients

• 1 Peeled and Cubed Cucumber
• 2 TblSp sugar
• 2 TblSp Lime Juice
• 1 Cup Water

3. Try 30 New Recipes : Pretzels

With my recent Pinterest Addiction I've been wanting to make Pretzels for quite awhile! So Skyler and I finally broke down and tried one of the Pin's I'd saved! They turned out super yummy, and we're anxiously waiting to make them again! We followed this recipe from The Family Kitchen.

 

Big, Soft Pretzels

Ingredients

2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast (one package)
3/4 cup lukewarm water
3/4 cup lukewarm milk
2 Tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
4 – 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

For the boiling solution:
2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. baking soda

 Directions

Pour a bit of the water into a large bowl, stir the yeast into about half of the water (measure it, then just pour a bit into the bowl to make sure the yeast is active); let it sit for about 10 minutes. If it’s not foamy, toss it out and buy fresh yeast.

Add the rest of the water, milk and canola oil to the yeast, then stir in about 3 cups of flour and the salt. Add about a cup more flour, and when it becomes too difficult to stir, turn it out onto the counter top and start kneading. Once all the flour is incorporated, keep kneading, adding extra flour if it’s too sticky, for about 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover with a tea towel and let rest for an hour.

Cut the dough into 10 pieces and roll each into a rope, and shape into pretzels or hearts, pinching the ends to seal. Let them rest on the countertop for 15 minutes while you bring 2 L of water to a rolling boil with the salt and baking soda. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Boil about 3 at a time, so you don’t crowd the pot (they will swell) and bring the temperature down, and simmer for a minute per side. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and place on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Sprinkle with coarse salt as soon as they come out of the water, so that it sticks.

Bake for 20 minutes, until golden. Makes about 10 pretzels.