2022’s List… Better late than never

So… it’s been a while… 12 whole months in fact since I have logged on and updated my blog. I have started writing things, but I haven’t posted. I think there are a couple of reasons… the biggest one being that we are living through a global pandemic and it felt a bit trivial and redundant to spend time writing on here and either pretending life was still grand and we were doing super fun things or pretending to have any kind of wisdom to offer anyone at the moment. I have also spent most of 2021 growing a baby which is hard work so I guess that may have contributed too. Regardless, here I am again… between 3hourly feeds bringing another set of lists for the year.

It is ambitious to you know… make plans… especially after the last two years, but if you don’t hope and make plans you just despair, so we are going with plans, plans for fun, plans for adventure and plans for some normality.

I know this time last year I was waxing lyrical about the potential of 2021… and I have learnt my lesson… just like every other year, this one comes with no guarantees other than it will be its own mixture of good and bad, hard and easy… and that despite the challenges the world will bring, we will continue to make the most of it. Plus we will have the challenge and fun that learning how to be a family of four will bring and the fun of another additional list for her.

I am sure you probably know the drill by now… but just in case… you can get up to speed on all the previous lists here: 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2021. So, this year’s lists, just like last year’s, contains some safe options and some that would perhaps currently be considered wishful thinking. Isaac’s list is much the same… although this year his has more fun and than developmental milestones, and we have a brand new list for Tilly, but her’s is mostly developmental goals so I remember to document them. This year I am hoping to find a better balance between documenting and just enjoying and hopefully actually blogging. Eventually, I might even get around to writing about what we crossed off last year. Anyway, here are the lists…

My List

1. Bring Matilda Home
2. Try some shampoo concentrate
3. Sew a piece of clothing
4. Read 12 books
5. Use the overlocker
6. Get my inbox back to 0
7. Keep my inbox under control
8. Get my covid booster
9. Exercise at least 3 times a week
10. Take two kids out by myself
11. Start walking regularly again
12. Go for a run by myself
13. Return to Parkrun
14. Go to the movies
15. Travel somewhere fun in Victoria
16. Sleep in the backyard or go camping for real
17. Use the fire pit
18. Get my step average back up
19. Have a child free night
20. Blog at least 15 times
21. Organise primary school for Isaac
22. Call/update our grandparents regularly
23. Take a picture everyday
24. Keep working on the photo storage
25. Attend an exercise class
26. Make a costume for Isaac
27. Plan our meals again
28. Read to Isaac and the baby everyday
29. Go on a date with Isaac
30. 6 dates with Dave
31. Brunch with 10 different people
32. Don’t over book myself
33. Sing at church
34. Hear some live music
35. Swim at the beach
36. Sing some carols
37. Take some family photos
38. Visit all three zoos
39. Try 4 new restaurants
40. Learn how to be a better ally to my Aboriginal and Torres Strait brothers and sisters
41. Walk from cape schanck to bush ranger bay
42. See a waterfall
43. Seriously finish and print Isaac’s logs
44. Fish and chips on the beach at the beginning of the year and at the end of the year
45. Visit Inverloch
46. Winter get away
47. Take Isaac swimming just for fun
48. Make some new play dough
49. Put my clothes away within two days of them being washed
50. Fix the storage in Isaac’s room
51. Run down under
52. Bake some meringues
53. Bake a sponge cake
54. Get some new glasses
55. Get a skin check
56. Attempt to get overseas
57. Play a board/card game
58. No Facebook or Instagram after 10:30pm
59. Keep my car free of rubbish
60. Do the 2020 & 2021 scrap books
61. Go through and sort Isaac’s clothes
62. Go to at least one of Dave’s school concerts
63. Entertain more guests
64. Go to the redwoods
65. Have a cup of tea in the park
66. Get a haircut
67. Update the photo wall
68. Visit 3 new playgrounds
69. Go to a museum
70. Have a picnic
71. Get a solid state hard drive
72. Have some fairy floss
73. Remember the big things
74. Use my gratitude diary
75. Visit the library
76. Making some dumplings
77. Finish the new laundry storage
78. Have a real iced coffee from a cafe
79. Wardrobe clean out
80. Eat a vegetable from our garden
81. Use my crochet kit
82. Phones away for dinner
83. Have a slurpee
84. Turn the TV off one night a week
85. Have an Isaac decides day
86. Start a new family tradition
87. Have some hot jam donuts
88. Test drive a new car
89. Where some non maternity clothes
90. Learn how to breast feed
91. Have high tea
92. Enjoy some soft cheese and dip with abandon
93. Lie on my stomach
94. Have soft serve ice cream
95. Get a massage
96. Return to playgroup
97. Catch up with my Mother’s group
98. Walk up mount lofty
99. Cook a rack of lamb
100. Re-start my herb garden

Isaac’s List

1. Start 4 year old kinda
2. Meet my sister
3. Ride my peddle bike
4. Go to the beach
5. Go bowling
6. Learn how to dress myself
7. Wipe my own butt
8. Master stand up and bush wees
9. Grow something in the garden
10. Go to the aquarium
11. Go to the zoo
12. Try a new food
13. Start learning an instrument
14. Start learning a sport
15. Get ready for primary school
16. Learn how to hop and skip
17. Make some fairy bread
18. Brush my own teeth
19. Learn to write my name on my own
20. Draw my family
21. Bake some biscuits
22. Ride on the train
23. Post a letter
24. Go to the football
25. Learn to count to 10 in another language

Tilly’s List

1. Be welcomed home
2. Make some baby friends
3. Sleep through the night
4. Try some food
5. Learn to roll
6. Learn to sit
7. Go on a fun run/ walk in my pram
8. Get around on my own
9. Learn to smile
10. Learn to feed straight from mum
11. Go to the park
12. Start swimming lessons
13. Go to the zoo
14. Go to the beach
15. Wear a dress
16. Learn to wave
17. Go on an adventure with dad
18. Meet all my grandparents
19. Do some tummy time
20. Stand up on my own two feet
21. Clap my hands
22. Move into my big cot
23. Cuddle Isaac
24. Go to church
25. Wear my hair up

So there you go… 3 brand new lists ready to go

2021… Here is your list

Happy New Year Everyone!

Look… I really feel like I shouldn’t be doing this… making plans, and hoping for a more normal this year, I’m trying not to make a fuss… but here I am writing once again… and I think it’s what I need to be doing especially given that after 61 COVID free days, Melbourne is now hunting down contacts and trying to contain numbers again… I need some things to focus on, and what better thing than a list of plans.

Just like last year I do feel a little bit selfish sitting here and writing a blog about all the things that I am going to/hoping to do this year when so much of the world seems to be stuck in a holding pattern, separated from those they love and in some very very trying circumstances. But despite all that 2020 brought, and the big lessons I learnt about just taking things one day at a time and not making too many concrete plans…. I find myself feeling a little bit hopeful about what 2021 might bring. 2020 was quite a year… but to be honest, for our little family it wasn’t all bad… I learnt a lot about myself, I spent a whole year with Dave and Isaac in amounts of time that I will probably never be able to replicate again and mentally I am in a much better space than I have been in years… which isn’t a bad way to start a new year… and while 2020 didn’t bring any less adjustment, in fact it probably brought a whole lot more uncertainty, this year I am once again hoping there should be less of that, which once again hopefully leaves more space for well used time, growth and learning… so… I have written another list… although it contains mostly things that can be done at home… just in case… it’s my 13th list and Isaac’s 4th… here we go:

I am sure you probably know the drill by now… but just in case… you can get up to speed on all the previous lists here: 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2020, and just like all the previous lists there is much of the same in 2021’s offerings. There are tasks to help me work on myself, physically, spiritually and mentally, some things just because they are fun, some challenges, and some good old family time. Isaac’s list is much the same… although this year his has more fun and than developmental milestones. Just like last year I feel like the balance of documenting and just enjoying and also making space to write about other things as they happen is getting better… so we are going to keep running with it… although really just like all the other years this is mostly just here for me, but if you like it great. And if you see anything on the lists below we can do together let me know.

Alright, no more chit chat… here are the lists:

My List

1. Try some shampoo concentrate 
2. Sew a piece of clothing 
3. Read 12 books
4. Use the overlocker
5. Get my inbox back to 0
6. Keep my inbox under control
7. Try again
8. Exercise at least 3 times a week 
9. Walk/Run 500km
10. Return to Parkrun
11. Go on 3 hikes
12. Go to the movies 
13. Travel somewhere fun in Victoria
14. Go camping
15. Use the fire pit
16. Get my step average back up
17. Have a child free night 
18. Get my VIT locked down
19. Blog at least 15 times
20. Call/update our grandparents regularly 
21. Take a picture everyday
22. Keep working on the photo storage
23. Sort of 4 year old kinda for Isaac 
24. Go on family bike ride 
25. Attend an exercise class 
26. Make a costume for Isaac 
27. Practice my mandarin 
28. Make pasta
29. Plan our meals again
30. Read to Isaac everyday 
31. Go on a date with Isaac
32. 6 dates with Dave
33. Brunch with 10 different people 
34. Don’t over book myself 
35. Go back to live church
36. Hear some live music
37. Swim at the beach
38. Sing some carols 
39. Take some family photos
40. Lights out by midnight 
41. Visit all three zoos 
42. Try 4 new restaurants 
43. Learn how to be a better ally to my Aboriginal and Torres Strait brothers and sisters 
44. Walk from cape schanck to bush ranger bay
45. See a waterfall 
46. Seriously finish and print Isaac’s logs 
47. Fish and chips on the beach at the beginning of the year and at the end of the year 
48. Visit Inverloch 
49. Meet the newest member of our family 
50. Winter get away 
51. Fix the steps
52. Take Isaac swimming 
53. Make some new play dough 
54. Make some oobleck 
55. Paint something 
56. Put my clothes away within two days of them being washed 
57. Investigate the leak
58. Get rid of the built in storage boxes 
59. Run down under
60. Bake some meringues
61. Bake a sponge cake
62. Get some new glasses
63. Get a skin check 
64. Make some sushi 
65. Play a card game
66. Play a board game
67. Go a fortnight without soft drink
68. No Facebook or Instagram after 10:30pm
69. Keep my car free of rubbish
70. Have two perfect months with my activity rings
71. Do the 2020 scrap book 
72. Go through and sort Isaac’s clothes 
73. Go to at least one of Dave’s school concerts
74. Entertain more guests
75. Go to the redwoods
76. Have a cup of tea in the park 
77. Get a haircut 
78. Update the photo wall 
79. Visit 3 new playgrounds 
80. Go to a museum 
81. Have a picnic
82. Get a solid state hard drive
83. Have some fairy floss
84. Remember the big things
85. Do some trivia
86. Use my gratitude diary 
87. Visit the library
88. Learn a new song on piano 
89. Making some dumplings
90. Teach Isaac a new skill 
91. Sleep in the backyard 
92. Wardrobe clean out 
93. Eat a vegetable from our garden 
94. Use my crochet kit
95. Phones away for dinner
96. Turn the TV off one night a week 
97. Have an Isaac decides day 
98. Start a new family tradition 
99. Have some hot jam donuts 
100. Test drive a new car

Isaac’s List

1. Draw my family 
2. Swim at the beach
3. Go back to swimming lessons
4. Go to the movies 
5. Have a sleepover
6. Play a board game 
7. Go to fun hub jnr in real life
8. Try the new park at jells park
9. Plant something in the garden
10. Write my name
11. Bake some cookies 
12. Watch a movie with mum and dad and popcorn 
13. Hug all my grandparents 
14. Send a letter to all my great grandparents 
15. Pat a new animal 
16. Dress myself… almost all by myself
17. Try one of those cool parks with water play
18. Go on an adventure with dad 
19. Go on an adventure with mum 
20. Get some of my photos printed and put them in my album 
21. Ride a bike with pedals
22. Fly a kite
23. Help dad with a project around the house 
24. Learn to make my bed 
25. Get a haircut 

So that’s them… two brand new lists of goodness this year with a homely tinge… here we come 2021

Winter in Lockdown…

Guys.. we did it… I mean… we still have to be cautious and there will probably be more rules of sorts to come… but last week I worked for the first time since May and Melbourne is opening back up and it feels weird and wonderful and my brain feels like it is running on over drive just to keep up with it all. So I thought what better time to celebrate all that I did manage to do during lock down… and give you the winter list update…

June

June was an excellent month for listing for both Isaac and I, it’s amazing what you can achieve with just a whiff of freedom. Melbourne’s first lockdown ended and we learnt how to interact with people cautiously and we even had a little getaway, which now as we leave lockdown again for the second time, I am more thankful for than ever before. But while we were away on our winter beach getaway (no. 31 completed: 20/06) we managed to cross off heaps… we used the hiking backpack for the third time (no. 48 completed: 23/06) and while we were at it realised that a good walk in the bush is not only good for us physically but mentally. Watching Isaac explore is also really nice. These little winter hikes knocked a couple of other things off the list too… in that we did a hike (no. 88 completed 08/06), I found an excellent app to help me find and do some more (thanks All Trails) and one of our little hikes was in Foster, which is a town I had never been to before which meant we crossed off number 73 (completed: 23/06) at the same time. Also while we were away we attempted a family bike ride (no. 26 completed: 26/06) which was cut short because my bike handles inverted and my breaks seemed determined to performs some strange wailing opera. Isaac also crossed some impressive things off his list while we were away. Number 25, say goodbye to his num nums (his dummies) which was actually accidental (completed: 20/06). He slept in a big kids bed down at the beach and we just didn’t give him one… he didn’t ask and that was that… I think I was more upset about it than he was. He started using his balance bike (no. 06 completed: 26/06), and he ‘tried’ a new instrument (no. 14 completed: 26/06) it was actually just some imaginary bagpipes, but he came up with it all by himself so I thought it was impressive enough to count.

But June wasn’t just all outdoor listing fun, I also went through Isaac’s clothes (no. 22 completed: 02/06) and cleaned out all the ones he has grown out of… I think annually isn’t enough for this while he is still growing so fast… I need to get better at just doing this all the time… but having it on the list is worth it to make sure they get a proper cleanout at least occasionally.

Isaac and I also attended our only school concert for the year, of course like everything else in 2020 this was online which meant that Isaac could play along (no. 52 completed: 11/06).

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July

We were extra thankful for our June getaway when July saw the return of Lockdown with even tighter rules than the first. Just before the new lockdown started though we made Isaac’s transition out of the cot official with a single bed (no.23 completed: 03/07), complete with a doona cover covered in vegetables! I am not sure I am coping with the fact that he isn’t a little baby any more, but his transition into a pre-schooler comes with its own perks. We get to see a bit more of his wit now that he has words to accompany his humour and we can exploring the world, in general, continues to get more fun. Dave and I also managed to sneak in a brunch date before we entered stage 4 (no. 44 completed: 07/07).

Stage 4 lockdown not only saw the need for masks everywhere giving me a chance to get the sewing machine out (no. 75, completed: 13/07) but also a reduction in our shopping capacity as our travel bubble was reduced to 5km and so we had to be fairly creative in order to not go stir crazy at home. But where there is a will, there is a way… so I attended an online version finders keepers market (no. 8 completed: 20/07) and got myself some super cute galah earrings to add to my growing collection of bird earrings.

Oh and I made some little banoffee pies which were a bit cute… so there you go… a busy month, not quite as adventurous as June, but still successful, especially when you consider the adjusting that life also required.

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August

With our travel and interactions limited… it’s not surprising that August was a much quieter month list wise, but we did cross off some big things all the same… I made a pav (no.70 completed: 29/08) and it was delicious and I faced my fears and took Isaac on a walk by myself in the rain with our masks on, it doesn’t sound like a big deal, but at the time it was huge, an adventure even (no. 19, completed: 24/08) my anxiety around getting sick, interacting with people and just generally being out in the world was at an all-time high, so forcing myself to go for a walk… with Isaac… was a big win for me.

The other thing we did this month was also a big one, it was something we had planned to do much earlier in the year… but well you know… but we found a new obstetrician (no. 01 completed: 17/08) who is willing to take us on with all our history and gave us a bit of hope that maybe one day will be able to expand our family without it being quite so dramatic.

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So there you go… that was winter… bring on some Sunshine and Freedom

What happened to Autum?

Well, look at this… I am on a roll! Four blogs in three weeks… outrageous… apparently this was all just lurking just under the surface… and I guess I have that pesky goal of writing 15 blogs this year so I needed to start writing!

This year feels like it has gone both incredibly fast and incredibly slowly all at the same time… and that the saying of “the days are long, but the years are short” has never been more true than in 2020. I think that compounding this is my ever-present sense of anticipation… that we still need to get the year going. I guess that I hadn’t really hit my stride before everything stopped… but it in all reality it probably won’t start again in 2020… not the way I want it to anyway… I can’t go back to the long days of summer and get stuck into some project as the weather turns and just work my way through winter… it’s already here… I am writing this in August… and it’s cold… but there is less to do than ever… but we will get into that a bit later. So while I feel like we should still be talking about summer BBQs and daylight savings, that’s actually long gone… and it’s time for another list update. A list update for the season that happened without me even noticing!

March

Things started to change in march for Melbourne… well probably for everywhere… but at home here in Melbourne we entered stage 3 restrictions for the first time to try and slow the spread of COVID 19… and we did a pretty good job for a while (let’s leave what happened in July for later). And because I have been fearful of all that COVID might mean for those around me and my little family, I welcomed the March lockdown wholeheartedly. I loved the idea of everyone just stopping so we could fix the problem and then get on with things. Whenever I have the option… that’s how I like to deal with my problems… to stop everything… fix it and move on. Of course, that’s not usually how life works… but it seemed that this time it might. I loved the idea of having Dave working from home too, that our little family would be gifted this season of uninterrupted togetherness. I had the internet to connect me to family and friends, but all I needed day to day was with me 100% of the time and it was wonderful. It truly was. In fact, that first period of lockdown might have actually contained some of my most treasured memories and moments.

But of course, the lockdown didn’t start until the middle of March… which meant we did manage to cross off a big community item before the rules all changed. We started March with the Monash Children’s Hospital Walk, which was our second ‘fun run’ for the year (no. 6, completed: 06/03). In January Dave and I had participated in the relief run a virtual event to raise money for the bushfire relief effort which meant our 10km around Jells Park was our second event for the year. Isaac even got to wear a cape and wore his medal with pride for the rest of the day.

In March I finished off my summer project of my yearly scrapbooks… I hadn’t worked on these since Joshua passed away, so there was a lot to do, but now they are up to date to the end of 2019 (no. 61, completed: 15/03)… which I am pretty happy about. I have a love-hate relationship with these scrapbooks… I love to look through them and reminisce, but collecting and remember and putting them together is a slog if I don’t stay on top of it.

Because I suffer from FOMO as much as the average bear, I got sucked into the iso-baking phenomenon pretty early on in lockdown… Dave and I did a big clean out of our pantry and worked out what meals we had already and what items we needed so that we could avoid going to the shops. During our clean out I discovered we had a lot of eggs that were on their way to the bin if we didn’t use them up… so we iso-baked meringues (no. 18, completed: 22/03) and Banana Bread (no. 89, completed: 24/03)… and a LOT of other things, but they were the two that also doubled as March list items.

My last list item in March is a pretty boring one… I counted off my third month of no games on my phone (no. 49, completed: 31/03)… it wasn’t as hard as it had been previously… and certainly helped keep my useless phone time down… but it’s not very exciting to write about… So there you go… 5 things off the list in March.

April

Once we had adapted to lockdown life… we hit our listing stride in April. Isaac crossed another two things off his list and I crossed 6 off mine… not a bad effort considering we didn’t really leave the house!

Dave and I choose to keep Isaac home from childcare so that those who needed to use it could and we weren’t adding to ours or their risk… but that meant I needed to step up my activity skills. I like order and structure and not much mess… well that’s not entirely true… I don’t mind making mess as long as I don’t have to clean it up… so messy play is usually reserved for childcare… where Isaac can make lots of mess without me panicking or having to pack up. But lockdown meant we had to make some changes but it also meant we were able to cross off no. 80 Paint a picture (completed: 28/04) and no. 51 Make some cookies with Isaac (completed: 25/04)… we made some ANZAC biscuits for ANZAC day… they were delish! We also were a bit more deliberate about physical activity… Isaac mastered jumping and scooting (no. 13, completed: 26/04 and no. 8, completed: 27/04 respectively) and Dave and I signed up for an exercise challenge with my brother and his family making us move every day… this eventually led to a Les Mills on-demand subscription… which in turn meant I could do exercise classes from the comfort of my lounge room (no. 87, completed: 04/04).

For my birthday we took some family photos in the backyard (no. 27, completed: 09/04) in which I wore a bright pink jumper that I had purchased in March but hadn’t been brave enough to wear (no. 78, completed: 09/04). I actually love it and it has brought some bright and happy vibes a few times during lockdown since.

We also got to watch a brand new Disney movie… not at the movies like I had planned, but again from the safety and comfort of our lounge room Dave and I watched Onward… and it was lovely in all the right Disney ways (no. 94 completed: 26/4).

May

May was a big month for us… Isaac crossed 3 things off his list and I crossed 5 things off mine. Which again considering we were only allowed to leave the house at the end of the month… it’s a pretty great effort.

The biggest list item for May was no. 2. Find a better work-life balance (completed 08/05). At the beginning of the year when I wrote the list I wasn’t sure what this would look like, but as 2020 would have it this item was done for me… At the end of April, I was told that my role at one of my jobs was being made redundant, the company was undergoing a merge with another company and my role was the first of many that would be a double up once the merge was finalised so… being on the taken over side of the company… my job was no longer needed. To be totally honest even though I knew this was a possibility until I was actually told, I hadn’t believed it. I loved the work that I was doing and I honestly thought I was bringing a lot to the table, and that maybe somehow I would be one of the lucky ones to hold on… but it was not to be… so on the 8th of May I had my last day there and went back to only being employed in one job, rather than the two I had been managing since returning to work after Isaac was born. I went from working 4+ days a week to a regular 2days… in theory… once schools went back… which gave me three weekdays with Isaac that I could be flexible with if I needed or wanted more work. And once I got over the disappointment of my role being made redundant I was quite excited about have some extra space in my life to be a mum… after all… they are only little once. Of course, this was all good provided that schools went back to onsite learning and Isaac went back to childcare… so for a few weeks between the end of May and the beginning of July I was pretty excited about the new balance I had found. Now that we are back in lockdown and there isn’t a huge amount of need for replacement teachers during online learning I have more at home life than I was planning, but I am looking at this as a positive too… although I will confess round 2 is much harder without the breaks that my two days of work provided in lockdown 1.

It turns out though that the extra time was good for listing… we drew pictures and completed puzzles (Isaac’s list no. 12, completed 10/05 and no. 17, completed 29/05). We toasted marshmallows in the fire pit in our front yard (no. 91, completed 16/05) which was a bit magical and way more fun than I had anticipated. I met my 3rd baby of the year (no. 20, completed 26/05) and I finished my 9th book (no. 7, completed 25/05) and that was before I managed to resurrect my original bookclub. This year’s books were a mixture of Reese Witherspoon’s Bookclub books from Hello Sunshine and some self-chosen books… here is the list so far:

1. Conviction – Denise Mina (Reese’s Bookclub)
2. Kings Cage – Victoria Aveyard
3. Searching for Sunday – Rachel Held Evans
4. Such a fun age – Kiley Reid (Reese’s Bookclub)
5. The scent keeper – Erica Bauermeister (Reese’s Bookclub)
6. The Jetsetters – Amanda Eyre Ward (Reese’s Bookclub)
7. Dark Emu – Bruce Pascoe
8. Autobiography of Jean Luc Picard
9. Little Fires Everywhere – Celeste Ng

Since then I have also finished:

10. Jack Charles: Born Again Blakfella – Jack Charles
11. Where the Crawdads Sing – Delia Owens
12. The Guest List – Lucy Foley (Reese’s Bookclub)
13. Conversations with Friends – Sally Rooney (The original bookclub that’s back… it needs a name)
14. A Year of Biblical Womanhood – Rachel Held Evans
15. Educated – Tara Westover (The original bookclub… yep definitely needs a name)

Not a bad effort especially given it’s only August. Although I have found reading to be a great distraction from social media and news… and a good way to fall asleep…

This month Isaac also learnt how to take a photo on the iPhone.. and he is pretty cuffed with himself (no. 22, completed 16/05) and thanks to a very thoughtful Mothers Day gift I am now the proud owner of some reusable non-paper towels (no. 5, completed 10/5). This has shown me just how much paper towel I actually use… and that these non-paper ones are just as good. Although I might need a second batch…

So while I am not sure when Autumn happened… Apparently, it was choccas. Because on top of everything listed above there were also some fun celebrations too… Easter, including Isaac’s first easter egg hunt which was much more fun than even I could have anticipated, Mother’s Day complete with homemade gifts and cupcakes delivered to Mooma and both Nannas and my return to my first craft love… cross-stitch. And even though it has all felt like a bit of a false start, I will continue to look back on this season as one of my all-time favourites, despite its challenges.

When you don’t know what to write… you do a list update

Ok so it’s been a LONG time since I wrote a blog… and to be honest, I have been avoiding it… because what do you write that is even remotely interesting during a global pandemic when you’ve only left the house a handful of time in the last couple of months… and when there have also been lots of other big things happening the world that you also don’t feel qualified to write about…. yeah I was stuck too… but yet here I am sitting and typing, because I think it is important to write something… I need to something to do and I want to use my brain to escape and focus on some little wins we have had this year despite everything else that has been going on…. so in lieu of some wisdom I have learnt, or opinions on things I am only really just learning about myself I have settled on a list update.

I feel like the new format that I tried last year was a winner… so that’s what I am going to stick with, a seasonal update for those list items that haven’t been gifted a blog of their own… which at the moment is all of them I think… anyway, despite the very unusual first half of the year, we have actually managed to cross quite a few things off the list… so lets start at the beginning… January

JANUARY

Far our January feels like a long time ago… a lifetime even, and given that we are in week 2 of Melbourne’s Stage 4 Lock-down I am increasingly glad that I went hard with the list early on. In January 7 things were crossed off my list and 3 things from Isaac’s which is a pretty great way to start…

Despite the poor air quality and the horrible bush fires that were burning, we did some old school summer things… we played games… cards against humanity (no. 32 completed: 04/01), we coloured in (no. 36, completed: 06/01), I did the first puzzle I have done in a long time (no. 34, completed: 19/01) and we swam… specifically I did some laps (no. 56, completed: 29/01) and Isaac in Pa’s pool (no. 10, completed: 13/01).

January also had a lot of family time, we met the newest member of our family, another nephew for Dave and I and a cousin for Isaac (no. 29, completed: 27/01) and we started our resolution of more family updates well with a FaceTime call to NZ (no. 76, completed: 22/01).

Isaac and Dave went on a bike ride while we were at the beach (no. 18, completed: 24/01) and they also tested out his new little BBQ for a summer outdoor feast (no. 24, completed: 13/01). I managed to close my ‘move ring’, a gimmicky little feature of my watch, every day in January giving me my ‘perfect month’ (no. 57, completed: 31/01)… if only it was that easy!

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February

February was a bit of a slower month for the list… but not a bad effort. Isaac crossed one thing off his list and I crossed three things off mine.

Two of my items worked nicely with my big thing of reducing my footprint environmentally as I finally used my beeswax wraps (no. 77, completed: 12/02)… I am still getting the hang of these, but I really love the concept… I also really love that my beeswax wraps were made by students at school. And on the same day, I unboxed my shampoo and conditioner bars (no. 93, completed: 12/02) that I had brought in NZ at Christmas, but had been waiting to use as I wanted to finish the shampoo I had in the bottle at home first. The shampoo bars are a hit… they took a little bit of adjusting, but I really like them and they are a good morning reminder of not using plastic for everything!

My other February list item was a bit of an adventure, after booking in a brunch in Ballarat I decided I could also book in a parkrun if I was committed to getting up really early for my drive there. I did commit… and just before our world got a little smaller I was able to be a park run tourist (no. 30, completed: 01/02), visiting Wallaby Track Parkrun, which was beautiful and it turns out very new which made it all that more exciting and worth it.

Also in Feb, Isaac, Dave and I met Isaac’s grandad at the traffic light park in Bayswater (no. 4, completed: 09/02)… also know as Marie Wallace Park. It is excellent! Miniature roads and road hazards… some local traffic and once you have done with that an old steam train and a huge adventure park… I don’t think this will be our only visit to this park. Although before we return we might need to practice some road rules with the toy cars at home… and if we practice we might even be able to upgrade our ride during lockdown and bring the balance bike next time.

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So there you have it… Summer… pre lockdown freedom that feels like a myth right now… or maybe a goal… I am not really sure… but it’s been nice to reminisce…

Big Things for 2020

Ok, I know this blog might seem a little strange given that I write a list of 100 goals each year and I have already posted about them, but over the last couple of weeks… maybe even months I have been thinking a lot more about the bigger picture. I guess these are the things that have shaped the items that I put on my list… but because they have been turning over and over and over again in my mind, I thought it might be helpful for me to write it out…

I feel like there is a lot of pressure from life to have things sorted, to get your life mapped out and run the race. Ideally, the path is clear and direct and you run towards it with minimal distractions and obstacles… but that is not how life works. People always tell you that the world used to be a simpler place, but I am not sure that is true either. Life is challenging… that is the real ‘simple’ truth… things don’t always go to plan, things aren’t always what you deem to be fair and people (including myself) fall short of my expectations constantly. But as I get older, and hopefully wiser, I am starting to understand the wisdom of life lessons told to me in years gone by. Things which at the time I received hopefully graciously, but decided that for whatever reason didn’t apply to me.

I have spent a lot of my life trying to be everything to everyone, and in the process forgotten who I actually am and by default what is important to me. Over the last couple of years, I have experienced what my counsellors have labelled ‘trauma’, physical and psychological… and while that sounds awful and it was… it’s made me stronger, more resilient and thankfully more aware of what I actually want in my life and on the flip side, what I don’t. It has provided me with time and experiences that have made me question everything and helped me work out who I am… which I guess has led me to this…

I am long term thinker, which can be, and has been both a blessing and a curse. I am a planner, I like to know what is going to happen and when, but I also like the option of being spontaneous even if I never take it. I feel things deeper than I ever have before and because I also like to fix things, I feel like it is my responsibility to do that… fix it all… I want my life to matter, and I want to make a difference, but I think this looks different in 2020 than it did even 2 years ago. I want to be part of the solution of big problems, but I am learning I can’t take on more than I am capable of. I need to push myself and stretch myself, but I also need to be kind to myself… so in light of all that, I have decided that this year I want to focus on just 3 things intentionally… I am sure there will be other things that come up across the year, but as I sit here today these are the big issues on my heart that I want to make deliberate steps to improve across the year…

Authentic Community

I want to build on the friendships I have and make sure that my relationships are intentional and honest. That if I choose to withhold parts of my life… I want to know why and reassess… I am a pretty open book at the best of times, but that doesn’t mean I am always a good friend. I want to break bread with people, share my life with people, raise my son in community and in turn support and strengthen those around me. I want to be reliable… which let me be clear isn’t always available, but intentional and deliberate. I don’t want to be afraid of my weaknesses in a social setting, because I want to be part of a community that takes me as I am… growing and changing, but flawed… just like everyone else.

Reducing my footprint

This is something that has been on my heart for a long long time… I want to be less of a consumer and more of a partner. I want to learn to appreciate what I have and not constantly be sucked into the ‘more more more’ pull of the world. I want to do right by the earth and leave it in a better place than I found it, not continue to mindlessly contribute to its demise. But I want to do this right… in baby steps… one change at a time. I also want to reduce my footprint in my social and work settings… and while it might sound it this isn’t in direct opposition to my first goal of authentic community… rather it’s about how I approach things, people, groups and task. I often go into to things all guns blazing… full or preconceived ideas, expectations and demands… and to be honest, while most of it comes from a good place, because I am passionate, it’s not a helpful approach… I want to tread softly, to listen first… light steps mean smaller footprints… and perhaps more effective communication.

Slowing Down

Life is short and fast… and unless I chose to pull out of the busy lane, it will stay this way. I want to enjoy my life, not just continue to push to the next task… I like to have things to do, but I want to also be able to stop and enjoy those things… not just cross it off my list. This last one should work really well with other two tasks above, I hope… because community and reducing my footprint takes time, they force me to stop and try new things… I want to simplify my world so that I can contribute to it better and in a more meaningful way. I want to be able to take in the moment… not just spend my life trying to capture a few manufactured perfect ones all ready for social media.

So that’s my three things… not small, and probably hard to measure, but I am hopeful about what my life might look like if I get this right. or even if I just improve a little. I am also choosing these three because they are positive… and they look at big problems and give me a way to help with what I have… I want to be hopefully in 2020, not stressed and tired and sad that the world is falling apart and I am missing all the good bits. I know it’s a lot… but I think it is achievable… and even though I hadn’t really articulated these ideas in my mind when I wrote my 2020 list, there are already a lot of things on the list that will help me work through my big things… for example last month I used my shampoo bar for the first time which I am not only very excited about because it’s one less plastic bottle… but it was no. 93 on my list… simple, sweet and helpful… once I have used it for a while I will let you know what it’s like… but even if it doesn’t work, or I forget to write… it’s a little step in the direction I want to be moving.

New Year… New List…

Happy New Year Everyone!

This New Years has felt a little bitter sweet, it is always such a nice feeling to start fresh and to reset, and this time we not only get to start a fresh year but a brand new decade… the possibilities are endless… but at the very same time there are some pretty terrifying things happening in Australia, we have been traveling around New Zealand for the last couple of weeks and all the news from home seems to be it’s hot and it’s on fire and right now that seem to be impossible to stop and so it feels hard to celebrate when others are sheltering on the beach and don’t know what they will have to return to as they start 2020. It’s hard to imagine what they must be going through. As we flew home last night the plane flew through some smoke from the fires and the cabin began to smell of smoke, it was a pretty sobering reminder of what we were returning to. Dave, Isaac and I are lucky to live in an area that is pretty safe from these types of fires, but my heart feels heavy and powerless to help those who aren’t. So I guess my hope is that the fires will cease and that there will be some Happy New Years even if they are a little delayed. That there would be good soaking rain and that our land would start to heal… that would be a Happy New Year.

To be totally honest it feels a little selfish to sit here and write this blog about all the things that I am going to/hoping to do this year when there is so much going on, but the reality is there is always things like this going on… I am only feeling it more because it is in my backyard… and I will be mad at myself if I don’t do it… and despite all that is going on, 2020 feels hopeful… I feel good about what’s to come, I am optimistic about the future, 2019 was full of adjusting to a new stage in life, new jobs, new routines and new expectations… this year there should be less of that, which hopefully leaves more space for well used time, growth and learning… and because I am still a sucker for a list here are our 2020 lists… Emma’s List no. 12 and Isaac’s List no. 3…

You probably know the drill by now… but just in case… you can get up to speed on all the previous lists here: 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 & 2019), and just like all the previous lists there is much of the same in 2020’s offerings. Some tasks to help me work on myself, physically, spiritually and mentally, some things just because they are fun, some challenges, and some good old family time. Isaac’s list is much the same… although his is more fun and developmental milestones so that I remember to document them. I feel like I am finally starting to find some balance in documenting and just enjoying and also making space to write about other things as they happen, but hopefully I will continue to improve with that this year too… although really (and again probably selfishly) this is just here for me, but if you like it great. And if you see anything on the lists below we can do together let me know.

Alright, enough rambling… here are the lists:

My List

1. Make a family plan
2. Find a better work life balance
3. Get my steps average up to 10000 per day.
4. Have a child free night
5. Find another way to reduce my impact on the planet
6. Do two fun runs
7. Read 9 books
8. Go to a Finders Keepers Market
9. Find and try 3 new parks
10. Go camping
11. Get my VIT locked down
12. Go to bed earlier Sunday – Thursday
13. Blog 15 times at least
14. At least 6 date days
15. Volunteer at Parkrun
16. Call / Update our grandparents regularly
17. Walk Dex regularly
18. Bake some meringues
19. Take a picture everyday
20. Meet 3 new babies
21. Fish and chips on the beach at the beginning and at the end of the year
22. Go through and sort Isaac’s clothes
23. Get a massage
24. Sort out Kinder for Isaac
25. Exercise as least twice a week
26. Go on a family bike ride
27. Take some family photos
28. Swim at the beach
29. Meet the newest member of our family
30. Be a Parkrun tourist
31. Winter beach getaway
32. Play a board or card game
33. Make a banoffee pie
34. Do a puzzle
35. Make photo book
36. Do some colouring
37. Cross 2 things of the list every month
38. Use Isaac’s highlight book and my gratitude diary
39. See some fireworks
40. Read to Isaac everyday
41. Drink at least 1 glass of plain water everyday
42. Play some badminton
43. Brunch date alone
44. Brunch date with Dave
45. Brunch date with Isaac
46. Floss more often
47. Get a housework timing guide… print it out and stick to it
48. Use the hiking backpack at least 3 times
49. No games on my phone for 3months
50. No Facebook or Instagram after 10:30pm on weeknights
51. Make some cookies with Isaac
52. Go to at least one of Dave’s school concerts
53. Do the 10min clean most days
54. Remember the bags
55. Complete that 30 day exercise challenge
56. Swim some laps
57. Have a perfect month with my activity rings
58. Do a weekly plan
59. Get some better coffee tables
60. Entertain more guests
61. Finish the scrapbooks
62. Keep scanning in photos
63. Reduce the amount of take-out meals we have
64. Go to a carols by candlelight in the park
65. Have a no spend day once a month
66. Earn at least 6 of the monthly activity challenge awards on my watch
67. Do my devotions at least 3 times a week
68. Have dinner with our siblings
69. Make a dip
70. Make a pav
71. Make some ice cream
72. Use some herbs from our garden
73. Go some place I’ve never been to in Victoria
74. Go to the NGV
75. Use my sewing machine
76. FaceTime our NZ family
77. Use my bees wax wraps
78. Buy an item of clothing I wouldn’t usually buy and wear it
79. Do Parkrun with 5 different people
80. Paint a picture
81. Listen to a new artist
82. Picnic in the park
83. Stand barefoot on grass and sand
84. Keep the house tidy
85. Meat free meal at least once a week
86. Keep my car free of rubbish
87. Do an exercise class
88. Do a trail walk/hike
89. Make banana bread from scratch
90. Have a meal with the parentals… all of them… separately
91. Toast some marshmallows
92. Edit and finalise Isaac’s logs and maybe publish them
93. Try one of those shampoo bars
94. See a new Disney Movie
95. Keep my phone time under control
96. Spend more time outside
97. Keep an indoor plant alive
98. Use my standing desk more often
99. Keep my phone clean of excess apps that just waste my time.
100. Break the next barrier

Isaac’s List

1. Go 10 pin bowling
2. Swim at the beach
3. Visit all 3 Zoos
4. Check out the traffic park in Bayswater
5. Go to the movies
6. Ride my balance bike
7. Pat a new animal
8. Ride my scooter
9. See some fireworks
10. Swim in Pa’s pool
11. Go on a train
12. Draw a picture
13. Jump… with both feet leaving the ground
14. Try a new instrument
15. Dress myself… almost all by myself
16. Learn to use the toilet
17. Do a puzzle all by myself
18. Go on an adventure with Dad
19. Go on an adventure with Mum
20. Try one of those cool parks that have water play
21. Kick a footy
22. Learn to take a photo
23. Swap to a big bed
24. BBQ with Dad
25. Say goodbye to my ‘num nums’ (dummies)

And there they are… two brand new lists of goodness… here we come 2020

Unplugged for the Week

The week before week I turned off my social media accounts, just for the week… no posting and no scrolling just for 7 days… and to be honest when I popped it on the list at no.55, I thought it would be a breeze…. And then when I made the decision that now was the time, it suddenly felt much more challenging, but I was not expecting it to be as challenging as it has been. So to pass the time and to put some words to my feelings I decided to start writing this blog on day two… and because I love any excuse to do them, I thought I could format it as a captains log to help me through… all because day one was much harder than I expected.

Captains Log – Day 1

Date: Sunday 20.10.19
Today’s forecast: Partly cloudy. Maximum of 16
Sunrise: 6:29am Sunset: 7:42pm

Fun fact about my life that I have never noticed… checking social media is one of the first things I do in the morning… before I get out of bed, before I have breakfast… before I do anything else… but not this morning… I did check my TimeHop because even though that’s linked to my social media platforms it’s just my life… so I don’t think it counts… Not checking it actually threw my morning off… and I very quickly started to realise how much I pick up my phone and habitually check my social media accounts… it’s a lot! In fact thanks to my screen time app I can tell you I picked up my phone 157 times… and while I didn’t open my social media (because I had deleted the apps) I can assure that I went to… maybe 100 of those times. I am not sure why the need to check it is so strong… I don’t post that much, but I do love to scroll… even as I went to bed tonight I felt the need to almost check 1 more time… let’s hope it’s just withdrawal and that it will get easier.

Captains Log – Day 2

Date: Monday 21.10.19
Today’s forecast: Warmer with decreasing clouds. Maximum of 22
Sunrise: 6:28am Sunset: 7:43pm

I am 100% sure that no one has even noticed my absence on Social media… because that’s they way it works right… you get so consumed by what is there, you rarely notice what is missing… and I know that in reality I am probably missing nothing, other than getting jealous of the highlight reels of everyone else’s lives… but I just want to know… I really really want to know… but I have stayed strong… I have not checked… I can get through this… I can break this habit… I can be in control

Captains Log – Day 3

Date: Tuesday 22.10.19
Today’s forecast: Increasing sunshine. Maximum of 20
Sunrise: 6:26am Sunset: 7:44pm

Good news, this morning I thought about social media, but didn’t try to open it before I remembered, this is what they call progress… in fact I got through most of the day without too much hassle… I was reminded that I missed some things when I got to school and someone told me about something they had posted and then again at lunch when I was told I had been invited to an event… but I wasn’t super phased by it, in fact it wasn’t until I got home that I started to miss it again… I took some photos that I probably would have posted, some new material for my highlight reel:

• I hit a new mum milestone, I carried Isaac’s trike down to child care so he could ride it home… it was a LONG walk home, but it was a fun milestone moment that I usually would have posted.
• We used our new oven for the first time and cooked and epic roast dinner… definitely post worthy and the one that made me think the most…
• I finished writing a blog and it was ready to post… but I didn’t want to post it and not see what happened…

I realised that for a lot of this the validation that I get from comments and likes probably means more to me than I realised. Before this week, I think I had considered myself immune to this for some reason… I just thought I was that in to it… I mean I have no current plans of social media domination, but… it turns out I am just as vulnerable to needing to be liked online as the next person… I think this is going to be good for me… even if it just makes me more aware.

I also can’t decided if strava counts as social media… I have still been using it because it isn’t something that pops into my mind when I think about social media… but it is social and you do get ‘kudos’ for exercising from those who follow you… it’s not quite the same, but it’s probably not far off… but I am not ready to forego my exercise stats.

Captains Log – Day 4

Date: Wednesday 23.10.19
Today’s forecast: Sunny. Maximum of 27
Sunrise: 6:25am Sunset: 7:45pm

Ok… just as a side note… you may already know this, but I have learnt that each day the sunrise just gets earlier by a minute… and two at maximum and the sunset gets later by the same… I mean it makes sense… but I had just never noticed it before…

Captains Log – Day 5

Date: Thursday 24.10.19
Today’s forecast: Sunny. Maximum of 34
Sunrise: 6:24am Sunset: 7:46pm

There are photos of Isaac and I on Facebook… we went to a party… I know they are there but I can’t see them… I have to wait… I can wait… but I know they are there.

Captains Log – Day 7

Date: Saturday 26.10.19
Today’s forecast: Windy with showers. Maximum of 16
Sunrise: 6:21am Sunset: 7:48pm

Good news, I’ve almost made it, the end of my 7 days is in sight… and the even better news is that the last few days have come and gone without too much longing… so much so that I didn’t even bother to write a log to distract myself.

To be honest though I am not sure if it got easier because I was learning to live without it or because I had made it half way so I knew I wouldn’t have to wait much longer.

Doing this just for my list has been good for me. I’ve always envied those who live social media free, I think in many ways it’s quite liberating. I have started to pick my phone up less… but only a little… and I would like to think I have been a bit more present in my own life… I have however missed a few things, nothing life and death, but there have been events and messages that I have missed… I have also felt less connected… I think being able to see people’s lives in little snapshots gives you a false sense of community and insight. You feel like you know how someone is going and what is happening in their lives without having to actually communicate with them… which is wonderful for lazy friendships, but not so great if that’s what you’ve been relying on… it’s made me realise that I need to reach out and not just like things on Facebook… and that while, if I’m really honest, my bad social habits will probably return as soon I a re-download the apps… I am hoping that I might be a little bit more aware of what I am actually using it for… and if my connections are more than just 0’s and 1s.

This has been a much greater challenge than I anticipated, but I am glad I have done it… now I just have to work out what to do with my new insight so that it’s helpful and not a waste.

Yes! I am Running,

This time two weeks ago I was enjoy the post run high after running (ish… there was some walking) my third half marathon… and it was emotional. I cried at the start line and I cried a lot at the finish and I have realised that this event had been holding so much emotion within it that I wasn’t expecting.

I am sure I am not the only one that feels like this year is really busy, busier than years gone by, and I don’t know if the world is just spinning faster, or if it’s just what happens when you try to balance work and mum life… but it has been a full year. The last couple of months, in particular, have pushed me past busy into stressed and tired and overwhelmed. I have been working more, Isaac is busier in himself… being 2 is hard and busy… there is so much playing to be done between naps. Dave have also been busy with School and our weekends have been packed with things, albeit fun things, but things all the same. There hasn’t been a lot of downtime. We have also rearranged out living spaces at home to move the TV out of the way and be more deliberate about not watching it, but I am not sure if this has helped with the downtime or made it less relaxing. Anyway… the point of all of this has been that I have been feeling overwhelmed, really overwhelmed and probably since the beginning of term 3 in July, I feel like I have been racing out of control from one event to the next, living by my calendar and just hoping for the best in between. It’s not a super fun way to live… in fact in kinda takes the joy out of all of the events because the next one is already bubbling away in the back of your brain.  

While my life was slowly spinning out of control, I had also been attempting to train for this half marathon… and while I probably took it more seriously than I have previously, making sure that at the very least I did all the long runs and something else, I forgot how hard it was to include training when life was simpler (I know it didn’t feel simple at the time, but I know with hindsight it was). Adding a dependent child in, really stops you from just going for a 2-hour run spontaneously… you have to plan this stuff… especially because Dave needs to do the same run as well. There was a lot to do and not a heap of time… but it’s done and I made it and the relief is very very real.  

I have been talking about doing this half marathon for almost 2 years, using it as a delay tactic to avoid talking about having more kids… because you can’t run a half marathon and be pregnant… (although according to one lady’s race bib I saw while running… ‘Baby on Track’ that’s not entirely true… apparently you can). Anyway, I realised as I stood at the start line that this was the last event in my mind… this was where I had been heading… I also started to panic, overwhelmed by the fact that I was about to run 21.1km and I wasn’t sure how well I would make it… I knew I would most likely make it, but I didn’t know how well, or what that would look like. I was also overwhelmed by the crowd, so many people all ready to achieve this together, people of all shapes and sizes, for all different reasons, running together. I think that part of me was also overwhelmed because I didn’t have a plan for what was to come next… That after this, I was done with events and things, even if it was only for a little bit.  

As I started to run I remembered a song I had listened to on previous fun runs and dug it out of my music collection and pushed play on ‘Home’ by CityAlight… these are the lyrics:  

Yes! I am running
Won’t be long ’til I am home
Yes! I am running
Jesus bring me safely home 

Jesus lead me day by day
Fix my eyes upon Your face
Guide my feet, Lord, as I run
Hold me Saviour in Your love 

Jesus keep me free from sin
Help me fight the war within
Shield me now from fear and doubt
Break these chains that weigh me down
Oh we sing together now 

Yes! I am running
Won’t be long ’til I am home
Yes! I am running
Jesus bring me safely home 

Jesus You have run the race
Perfect love and perfect faith
We are weary, You are strong
In Your grace we carry on
Oh we sing together now 

Yes! I am running
Won’t be long ’til I am home
Yes! I am running
Jesus bring me safely home  

It became my prayer for the first 3km… a very literal prayer from eternal words… that Jesus would guide my physical feet as I ran the Melbourne Half Marathon.  

I realised as I ran how much of the last three years I had hidden in this event, delay, disappointment, fear, and expectation. That somehow if I could get through those 21kms, I could forgive my body for not carrying and birthing Isaac or Josh the way I thought it should have. That if I could just get through those 21km I could prove to myself that I am strong, that I am capable, that I can still do hard things. That if I could just get through those 21km, then maybe I could finally let myself hope and trust myself enough to see a brighter future.  

As I crossed the line, I felt like a weight and been lifted off my shoulders, I fully relaxed for the first time in a long time and it wasn’t just a physical relax because my muscles couldn’t do anymore, but an emotional and mental relaxation. I felt lighter and hopeful but also just so so relieved. Relieved that I had made it, relieved that it wasn’t awful, and relieved that my body hadn’t let me down again… that I was stronger than I believed.  

21.1km is a long way… and it takes a long time, even longer when you run at my pace… but it also gives you a lot of time to reflect and think if you want it and finishing it is empowering.    

2019 List Update… Autumn Edition

Ok round 2… List update here we go… strap in…

March

Once we hit March, our listing adventures slowed down a little, but we still crossed off 4 things… I splurged with a brunch alone and blogged at my old favourite cafe which was no. 68… but I already blogged about that here, and while I thought I might get a few more weeks to do more blogging brunches, I was mistaken as in March I also returned to school to do some relief teaching, no. 7 which was an end to my bonus child free days (completed: 15/03).

When looking up things to pop on my list this year I came across a recommendation for the dragon’s eggs in Kallista so I added it to the list and on a sunny weekend Dave, Isaac and I went for a trek through the bush to find them. It turned out to be quite a trek too as we took a wrong turn very early on and what should have been a 300m walk ended up being a 7km loop, but it was an adventure and we did find the nests… to be honest, they were actually quite hard to find and a little underwhelming after 7km… but we found them and that is all no. 46 on the list required (completed: 16/03).

Our last March list activity was no. 81, have a picnic (completed: 15/03). With daylight savings coming to an end, we decided to make the most of the light, the warmth and the oval across the road and have a fish and chip picnic… judging by our faces in the list picture… it was a success!

April

April was also a mildly successful listing month… we crossed off another 4 things… No. 9, my 50th parkrun, which you can read about here. We also crossed off our third zoo for the year venturing out to Werribee open range zoo, which was super fun and crossed no. 4 off the list (completed: 11/04). I have always had a love hate relationship with the zoo… I had bad date there as a teenager and until now when I have thought about going to the zoo it has always come with a uuuuggghhhh feeling… but going to the zoo with kids is totally different. We took Isaac to the zoo for the first time last year and he loved it and the older he gets the more he loves it. It’s nice to be able to watch him take the lead and decide what he wants to see, plus now that Dave and I are members… and we have been to all three all the trips from this point on are free… and a good day out. Welcome back to my life zoo trips.

This month we also started our brief, but enjoyable love affair with Hello Fresh! I love things that are all ready to go, and I love not having to decide what to eat… so Hello Fresh was a winner for us… but eventually we got sick of it… and it’s pretty expensive, but I now that we’ve tried it, we can keep it in the back of our minds as a back up for whenever we need it again, thanks no. 94 (completed: 08/04)

In April I also went to my only footy match for the year (no. 26, completed: 22/04)… Hawks v Geelong for Easter Monday, I always forget how much I enjoy going to the footy… but I can’t tell if it’s just catching up with my Aunite Barb because we spend a lot of the game just chatting.

May

In May I managed to cross another 4 things off the list… consistency seems to be the flavour of the list this year. I finally volunteered at park run… no.44, which you can read about here, and I took myself out for a cup of tea at Robinsons bookstore at the Glen and it was lovely. While I was there I read… although I read on my kindle which felt a little bit like a slap in the face for a bookstore, but what can you do… I am a messing person and I didn’t want to get food or tea on a book. I love bookstores… but I love bookstores with cafes even more… no. 79 done and dusted (completed: 08/05)

I don’t think it’s a surprise that I am a hard core trekie…. ok, maybe not hard core, hard core, but I do love star trek. Since finishing Next Gen last year I have watched all of Star Trek Enterprise and all of Star Trek Voyager, leaving me with Deep Space Nine and the original series, both of which I have now also finished… I told you, I love it! But all no. 29 asked for was deep space nine (completed: 09/05) so it’s done and some! I do now have a fairly large Star Trek shaped hole in my life, so if you know of a good series I should commit to, let me know.

May also gave me the single greatest renovation to our house… completing no. 86 (completed 12/05) we got a bath and it is great… I mean sure it’s mostly for Isaac and he also loves it… but I don’t think he appreciates it like I do… I also love the bath caddy we got for it… bath reading, or Netflixing with a drink… brilliant, sure my Diet Coke isn’t as fancy as the wine in the picture on the box, but it’s still pretty great.

Ok… so that was autumn… time for another break in writing… hopefully it’s not too long before I write up winter…