#63 - Check!

#63:  Buy produce at a Farmer's Market.

Over the long weekend, Dan, Greyson, and I drove to my hometown in Northern California for my sister's college graduation.  It was a looong car ride, but definitely worth it.  We had such a great weekend!  I am from the heart of the Central Valley of California, where fresh produce is a summertime staple.  Arizona people think we have good produce, but its nothing compared to the real deal.  So, of course, we had to make a stop at Modesto's Farmer's Market on Saturday morning, which incidentally also checked something off the list!  It was a beautiful day and definitely made me miss home.  Here are some yummy shots!

Greyson enjoying fresh oranges  :)

We left with some artichokes, apricots, and strawberries, and they are oh so yummy!!

#47 - Check!

#47: Finish my family tree wall.

Another one checked off the list!  This has been completed for months now.  I just have neglected to actually take some pictures and post them.  I got this idea from my friend Kristen at work, and I LOVE it.  We had a huge blank wall just off our living room, and I didn't like the lame photo arrangement that was there before.  It needed some life.  So, I painstakingly hand painted this tree, which took a few weekends of having the ladder and paint in our hallway!  I got the knobs at either Anthropologie or Hobby Lobby (two of my most favorite stores in the universe) and the frames came from wherever I could find them.  Most of the photos are of Greyson, but I'm sure that will change as our family grows.  I just love this wall now.  It is so much fun, and everyone who comes to our home loves it too.  Definitely a great use of the space.

The whole thing:

And just to give you a size reference, most of those are 8x10's.  The bigger one of the 3 of us is an 11x14.  So the wall is fairly big.

And my favorite details:

Those knobs make me happy :)

And, in case you were wondering what the boy looks like these days, here is a fun shot of him today before some pool time:

#35 - Check!

#35:  Plant a vegetable garden.

Another one checked off the list!  I am really excited about this one because I have been wanting to do this for a long time (like since we moved into our house almost 3 years ago).  Last weekend, I planted 2 tomato plants and 3 different kinds of peppers.  I have herbs and spinach on the way.  It is definitely going to be a bright spot in our yard!  Can't wait til I have juicy red tomatoes to eat!

#27 - Check!

#27:  Upgrade my camera.

Woo hoo!!  I am very excited that this list item is complete!!  (for now...)  For those of you who know camera stuff, I have been using a Canon Rebel xTi for the last 2.5 years.  There is nothing wrong with this camera.  It is awesome to start with.  But, I've been frustrated with it lately because I am just not getting the quality that I want.  Plus, its 3 years old.  So, I really really wanted the Canon 5D Mark II, but that just isn't quite in the budget right now.  Instead of waiting for who knows how long, continuing to get images that are lesser quality than I know I should be getting, I decided to take the plunge and get the Canon 50D.  Its a beautiful camera and takes GREAT images that are lightyears ahead of what I was producing.  I am definitely happy about this upgrade and I can't wait to shoot more with it!

#53 - Check!

#52: Beat Dan at Scrabble.

Wow, this happened much faster than I thought it would.  I've.  Never.  Beat him.  At Scrabble.  Ever.  Not that we really play all that much, but usually its our game of choice when we go camping, or when we are board at home (which isn't very often).  But Dan is a word whiz, and, well, I am not.  So, it seemed to be a major feat for me.  But, the other night I told him I wanted to cross something off my 101 List, so I would beat him at Scrabble.  And then I did.  That was it.  No months of trying, long nights of staring at letter tiles.  I just beat him.  :)

#44 - Check!

#44: Go to a drive-in movie.

I've been meaning to post this all week.  For Valentine's Day, Dan and I got to go on a date!  Just us!  Dan's mom was here for the week so she took over Greyson-duty and we got Pei Wei take out and went to the drive in :)  It was pretty fun.  We saw Valentine's Day (I know, sappy) but it was cute and fun and it knocked something of the list!  Woo hoo!

#78 - Check!

#78: Take Greyson to the snow.

Yay!  Another one checked off the 101 in 1001 list!  Yesterday, we trekked up to Flagstaff for the day so Greyson could see the snow.  Really, it was more so we could take pictures of Greyson in the snow because he probably couldn't have cared less, but it was fun either way.  Here are some shots of us enjoying the beautiful day.

Probably my favorite shot in a while...

We found this snowman and repaired its cute carrot nose.  The carrot definitely made for a very photogenic snowman :)

One more of the crazy boy

#97 - Check!

# 97: Update my driver's license info with the DMV.

Yes, yes, this is one of the more shameful goals on my 101 in 1001 list.  Shameful that I have lived at my current residence for 2 1/2 years and have neglected to change my address with the DMV.  So finally, today, I paid the monumental price of $4 and changed my address.  Now, its not like I had to stand in line at the slowest government agency known to man.  No, no, I just made a few clicks on the computer and it was done.  Yes, like I said, shameful.  Anyway, here's the photo to prove it.  They even congratulated me.  I am so proud.

101 In 1001

Let me start this post by saying that I hate new year's resolutions.  I never make them because I know I will never keep them.  BUT, I do love lists.  I love making them, checking things off of them, and completing them.  So, after being inspired by other great photogs like Melissa Jill and Jessica Claire and my dear friend Shannon [sorry Shannon, I don't know your middle name otherwise I would put it too :)] I have decided to take on a 101 in 1001 list.  The goal of one of these undertakings is to complete 101 goals in 1001 days, which is just under 3 years.  I know.  That's a looong time.  And I am not good and finishing what I start.  But, I am really wanting to be better at that, so I am going to take baby steps.  101 of them in fact.  So wish me luck, pray for me, and read through them to see if there might be a way you could be involved!

Alrighty, here goes (in no particular order)...

1. Pay off all debt.
2. Have baby #2.
3. Do something nice for Dan every day for 1 month.
4. Take Dan & Greyson to Saddlebag Lake.
5. Go to a state I've never been to.
6. Read the entire Bible.
7. Grow my business to full-time income.
8. Learn to make rice like Jihae.
9. Have someone new over for dinner every month for 6 months.
10. Read 3 books to help my business.
11. Shoot 3 weddings.
12. Add a regular blog segment with a theme.
13. Frame and display photos of Greyson.
14. Finish and print Greyson's 1st-year book.
15. Do something nice for each of our grandparents.
16. Start a prayer journal.
17. Take a family vacation.
18. Learn 10 new recipes.
19. Read all of Jodi Picoult's books.
20. Get a library card (and use it!).
21. Replace the lighting in the dining room, hallways, and entry.
22. Re-do the front bathroom.
23. Volunteer more at church.
24. Throw a party.
25. Go to New York City again.
26. Become a coupon user.
27. Upgrade my camera - complete!
28. Buy the 70-200 mm 2.8L lens.
29. Go through my closet and donate clothes I no longer wear.
30. Furnish our front room.
31. Make a budget and stick to it for 3 consecutive months.
32. Give more than 10% of our income to church.
33. Run a mile without stopping.
34. Go an entire month without eating out once.
35. Plant a vegetable garden - complete!
36. Get life insurance for Dan & I.
37. Organize our closet/bathroom/laundry area.
38. Host a girls' night with my friends.
39. Get a babysitter once a month and go on a date with Dan.
40. Memorize 1 verse per week for 2 months.
41. Attend a photographers networking group.
42. Build a client base in California.
43. Get to Dave Ramsey's baby step 4.
44. Go to a drive-in movie - complete!
45. Find a new album company.
46. Re-cover dining room chairs.
47. Finish my family tree wall - complete!
48. Read a book about marriage with Dan.
49. Flatten my stomach (before baby #2!).
50. Attend a photography workshop.
51. Start a ministry for girls at church.
52. Have a media-free night once per week for 2 months.
53. Beat Dan at Scrabble - complete!
54. Have quiet time 3 times per week for 2 months.
55. Volunteer somewhere besides church.
56. Gamble at a casino.
57. Have dessert at The Compass Room restaurant.
58. Bake Christmas treats and take them to our neighbors.
59. Find a new way to market my products.
60. Spend an afternoon street shooting.
61. Frame some art prints for our house.
62. Enlarge and hang Jamaica photos in our bedroom.
63. Buy produce at a Farmer's Market - complete!
64. Babysit so some friends can have a date night.
65. Post a "photo of the day" every day for 1 month.
66. Complete all laundry once per week for 1 month.
67. Go fishing.
68. Back up my hard drive.
69. Sew some throw pillows for the house.
70. Hang curtains in the guest room.
71. Hang curtains in the front room.
72. Get family portraits done by Kacey Luvi.
73. Frame said family portraits.
74. Go on an overnight trip with Amy.
75. Say "yes" to something I would normally say "no" to.
76. Set up a savings account for Greyson.
77. Keep the entire house clean for 1 month.
78. Take Greyson to the snow - complete!
79. Take Greyson to the beach.
80. Sell something on Etsy.
81. Enter a photography contest.
82. Display my work in a public place.
83. Learn 10 more new recipes.
84. Make something crafty I've never tried before.
85. Learn a new skill.
86. Make 5 meals using my Crock Pot.
87. Exercise 3 times per week for 1 month.
88. Clean off and organize my workspace.
89. Go on a picnic.
90. Put safety locks on the back door and pool gates.
91. Make the bed every day for 1 week.
92. Buy a smart phone.
93. Begin using Mail again and organize my inboxes.
94. Take Dan to a Yankees game.
95. Get a cool camera bag.
96. Watch 50% of AFI's 100 Years 100 Movies.
97. Update my driver's license info with the DMV - complete!
98. Drink 8 glasses of water every day for 2 weeks.
99. Attend MOBs regularly for at least 3 months.
100. Go camping with my parents.
101. Visit Dan's family back east.

Phew!  So there you have it.  My mother of a list.  I will, of course, keep you updated as I progress.  My end date is October 4, 2012, which seems like an eternity from now.  But I know it will go so quickly.  Hopefully, getting through this list will give me some more control and accomplishment in my life!  Here goes!