2009 To Do List

I have had a more difficult time writing the family Christmas letter this year, so I decided to make a family "To Do" list. The best part of making a "To Do" list at the end of the year is everything is already done, and I feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment and no guilt or pressure! I think I will do my new year's resolutions this way.... Here goes...

• Finish the basement (mostly)
• Finish the School year with a Roman Feast and Gladiatorial competition
• Teach E to ski on his birthday
• Teach T to read
• Climb several precarious ladders at Mesa Verde with a three year old, worrying all the other park visitors on the tour with us
• Continue to homeschool the boys
• Earn Jr. Ranger badges at four different national parks/ monuments
• Spend the summer juggling Tball, baseball and camping
• Try to figure out why potty training isn't easier the third time around
• Get back on the medal platform in the annual Fourth of July Mountain bike race in Breckenridge (3rd place!)
• Get extremely muddy gleaning lettuce for COMPA food ministry
• Knock out one more year of grad school
• "Adopt" six toads and a salamander from the wild - try to keep at least one alive to the end of the year
• Camp with the elk in Rocky Mountain National Park (earn one more junior ranger badge)
• Rescue the cat from abduction by a coyote
• Swim with sea turtles in Hawaii
• Fill swimsuits with absurd amounts of sand boogie boarding in Hawaii
• Watch lava spill into the ocean
• Complete Couch to 5K running training program and run 5K Turkey Trot
• Lose 25 pounds and 8 jeans sizes as a result of training program!
• Start a family blog "because I've always wanted a blog!"