some ways to GROW for 2008…

So the word I have chosen for myself this year is GROW. I mean GROW in a lot of ways…both in the creative sense and in the character sense. Here are some ways I want to GROW for 2008…

• get daily physical activity…. this one is important!
• eat healthier in this house…althought we are pretty healthy already…skim milk, whole grain breads, no trans fat, no fried foods, lot of fresh fruits & vegetables, homemade baked goods, avoidance of artificial flavours, colours, preservatives…
• get comfortable using my new serger…
• take a class and learn something new. My friend Laurie was kind enough to suggest we take a beginner quilt class together. I have always wanted to try my hand at a quilt, plus I need something to keep me busy in the evening when ‘Cakes is away travelling for work.
• finish the 9 aprons I have in various stages of completion. Yes, I said 9!!
• make some fun bags AFTER the aprons are finished. The type of bags I want to make shown above.
• spend more time teaching Hunter how to sew & cook. She is cooking supper for us one night a week. This goes back to the eating healthy thing. Our society is losing the ability to cook for ourselves since fast food is on every corner and it is cheap.
• get caught up on some of my scrapbooking projects. I still have the school scrapbooks to complete for the kids. The birthday theme books are done, as well as Christmas.
• teach a scrapbook project for my friends.. by request the project is the canvas wall hanging.
• make gifts more often for friends and family…this goes back to the 9 aprons.
• make more baked goods for gifts.
• devise some sort of house cleaning plan.
• grow something… even if it is just a few herbs. Get more knowledgeable about the perennial gardens in our yard.
• make a 6 week menu for our family.
• grow my parenting skills for the new age that Hunter is entering. The bratz-playing, barbie-collecting, pink-pig-tail ribbon days are completely gone for her. I need a new set of skills which take into account how she is growing to make her own decisions about hair, fashion, friendships, etc. and helping to guide her in this. Back to reading some books on this.
• Ever since I have read the book ‘Julie & Julia: 365 days, 524 Recipes and 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen’, I have been intrigued by the idea of taking a favorite cookbook and making every single recipe in the book. I love to cook and this is one way of forcing one outside of the comfort zone. I think I have just the cookbook for this project… more on this later.
• teach my children more about being grateful by visiting a homeless shelter or soup kitchen. There is such attitudes of entitlement and priveledge in this city… I want my childen to learn empathy & compassion for others down on their luck.

One way I do not want to GROW is in the waistline. That would not be a good way to grow in 2008.