Number 25: Play frisbee golf at two new courses this summer

Took a break from working on the house this summer to play an immaculately groomed 18 hole course just east of Lima, Ohio called Ottawa Park.  It was a nice course with a wide open section and section through dense trees.  The tees were well take care of and the holes were new.  There was a great patch of mulberry trees along the west edge of the course.  We had a little snack.

The second new course was one I went to with my friend Chris and all his groomsmen the day before is wedding day!  The course was about 30 minutes outside of Burlington.  On the very first hole, I threw my disc out of bounds and had to retrieve it in the middle of an orange mud ditch.  I spent the rest of the course walking around with mud on my bum, but we had a good time.  The course had some interesting up and down hill holes.

Number 23: Finish Rune Factory Frontier

It took a long time.  This was a LONG, TEDIOUS game, but I had fun playing it. 

Number 19: Stop smoking completely

I've only smoked 4 cigarettes this year and the last one was nearly six months ago.  So, I think I'm done.

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Number 13: Join an exercise class

Joined and ran the workouts for the Bethel Biggest Loser competition this year, so that will have to be that!

Number 12: Put my house up for sale

After a lifetime of memories and a summer of really hard work, the house is finally on the market! 

Number 9: Read 5 more books of the list

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

I read this one in print.  I think the thing the struck me the most about this book was how different is was from the classic Alice in Wonderland movie.  Some parts of the movie are really not even in the book at all!

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

I listened to an audio version of this.  It's a really lovely coming of age story, but what I liked the most about it was the perspective of a different time period.  I have continued listening to the whole series and am currently on the 5th book.

The Secret Garden by Frances Burnett

I listened to an audio version of this while doing alot of painting.  Painting walls, painting closets, painting ceilings, painting with my ipod in my bra to hold it close to my ears :)  I did read this as a kid, but it really had a different meaning for me as a parent.

Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

Also listened to this while working on the house, mostly while painting.  I had a hard time following the story in the beginning, but really enjoyed it once I knew what was going on.

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

Don't bother with this story.  Boring and pointless.

Number 7: Go Camping

 In the middle of summer, I took a break from remodeling the house and headed to Wisconsin for a camping trip with Avery and my friend's son, Adam.  First, we spent three nights at Devil's Lake State Park near the Wisconsin Dells.  Devil's Lake was a huge campground on an expansive chunk of state land.  There were innumberable hiking trails and a huge lake with canoe rentals.  We had fun spending the days in the Dells and the night around the campfire.

 Willow River State Park is just east of the Wisconsin Border from Minneapolis.  Adam and I dropped Avery off at wrestling camp in Minnesota and then proceeded to spend three more night camping next to another lovely river.  The park office lent out fishing polls and tackle for free.  Adam spent his time fishing, Ryder spent his time chasing balls, and I spent my time reading books.  At night, Adam learned to cook over a campfire and kick my butt at Monopoly.

Fun times and good memories!

33 things to do before I turn 34

1. Lose 30 pounds
2. Volunteer somewhere/get involved in Bethel community
3. Visit the southern hemisphere, go on a cruise, or get a tan over Christmas Break
4. Finish reading the Bible or listen to an audio version
5. Publish my book
6. Take a steam, go hunting or some other local/cultural activity
7. Go camping
8. Pay off one debt
9. Read 5 more books off this list
10. Complete a half marathon
11. Read Atlas Shrugged
12. Put my house up for sale
13. Join an exercise class
14. Increase my flexibility
15. Increase my upper body strength
16. Update my vacation journal and photo albums
17. Join the Y this summer or run at least 5 days per week
18. Start sending birthday cards again
19. Stop smoking completely
20. Keep doing yoga once per week
21. Create 1 piece of art each month
22. Attend church regularly
23. Finish Rune Factory Frontier
24. Whiten my teeth
25. Play frisbee golf at two new courses this summer
26. Revise my resume and decide what's next
27. No bread for two weeks
28. Wear more skirts
29. Visit the library more
30. Hike more of the appalachian trail
31. Attend a roller derby meet
32. Ski at least 4 new trails
33. Double my savings cushion

Number 22: Send ten notes on homemade paper

I taught some of my students how to make paper and then wrote the notes while they did their own sheets!  It was fun to finally put some of my art supplies to use!

Number 30: Read 5 more books off the list

I've been reading books off of this BBC book list for several years now.  While my goal was to read 5, unfortunately I only had time for 3 because spent most of my year engrossed in the Outlander Series by Diana Galbaldon.  I love, love, love these books!

From the book list this year, I read...

1. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
I didnt really care for this book much.  It took me months to read it because every time I tried to open it, I would get about 2 paragraphs read before I would fall asleep completely.  It just couldnt hold my attention!!!  The story was good and the writing was good, but I was just bored by it.

2. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
I've been listening to the Sherlock stories on my iPod.  So far I've listened to two books and two compilations of stories.   I've been enjoying them.  I like the uniqueness of every story and the way that they are written.

3. A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute
I also listened to this one on my iPod.  It was a small novel by an Australian writer about a woman who walked across the Malay Pennisula during the war with a group of other women.  She adapted and survived through her journey, but lost everyone she loved.  She eventually reconnects with a man that she met on her journey and falls in love, moving to Australia and creating town like Alice.